Finding dairy-free or vegan pizza at a restaurant can be tricky. And who wants to pay full-price for a pizza without cheese when you could simply make a better one at home? Yes, pizza is surprisingly easy to make, even from scratch. And I think it’s quite fun! In fact, we now make variations, like this one from Chef Jason Wyrick for dairy-free roasted garlic pizza crust. It includes a spicy option (his favorite) and can be made as a pizza (suggestion below!) or breadsticks.
Dairy-Free Roasted Garlic Pizza Crust Topping Ideas
The beauty of garlic is that it goes with so many savory foods. Really, the topping options are endless. But we have some general topping suggestions followed by Chef Jason‘s favorite vegan pizza using this crust.
Top Picks for Sauces & Vegetable Toppings
- Dairy-Free Creamy Garlic Sauce
- Roasted Tomato Sauce
- Arrabbiata Sauce
- Dairy-Free Pesto Sauce
- Caramelized Onions
- Olives, Black or Mild Green
- Sliced Tomatoes
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Artichoke Hearts
- Roasted Bell Peppers
- Spinach
- Fresh Oregano
- Fresh Basil
Heirloom Tomato, Garlic, and Olive Pizza
This is a cheeseless pizza that chef Jason create to go with his Roasted Garlic Pizza Crust (he does use the spicy option!). Heirloom tomatoes add fresh taste and serious visual appeal while olives take the flavor to another level.
Spread the par-baked crust with ¼ to 1/3 cup olive tapenade.- Top with thinly sliced heirloom tomatoes (Chef Jason uses about 3 to 4 of varying sizes and colors).
- Slice 8 to 10 pitted kalamata olives and 8 to 10 garlic-stuffed green olives. Scatter them on the pizza.
- Chiffonade 6 to 8 large basil leaves, and sprinkle them on top.
- Bake the pizza as directed in the recipe below.
Special Diet Notes: Roasted Garlic Pizza Crust
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.
Dairy-Free Roasted Garlic Pizza Crust
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves and let them sit for about 10 minutes on each side, until the garlic paper is slightly blackened and you can smell the aroma.
- Remove the garlic to a plate and let it cool.
- Remove the garlic cloves from their paper skins and mince.
- Pour the warm water into a bowl and sprinkle in the sugar and yeast. Gently stir it, and then let it rest for 10 minutes. The yeast mixture should bubble and foam up quite a bit. If it doesn’t, your yeast might be old / inactive. Start again with fresh yeast.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the roasted garlic, olive oil, and slowly add the yeast water, mixing as you go.
- Using a stand mixer with a dough paddle or your hands, continue to knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes. The dough should stick to itself, not you, but should also be pliable, not stiff. Add more flour or water if needed to get the right consistency.
- Cover and allow the dough to rest in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour. It will get big. Very big.
- Punch the dough down and knead again for another 5 to 10 minutes. Then, the magic happens.
- Roll the dough out into one or two circles (for two thin crust pizzas).
- Transfer the dough to a pizza stone or baking sheet, and trim or stretch to match the pan.
- Lightly cover the dough and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 450ºF.
- Remove the cover from the dough, and bake it for about 5 minutes.
- Cover the crust with your toppings (if making pizza) and bake about 10 more minutes.
