How to make vegan pizza bread
Danielle Brown from @healthygirlkitchen recently shared her go-to vegan pizza peel recipe which tastes just as delicious and arguably better than a regular slice of ‘za. To do this, Brown preheats the oven to 425°F and divides fresh whole-grain pizza dough into 13 equal pieces. Then she takes each individual serving, fills it with a cube of vegan mozzarella, and rolls it into a bun. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, Brown arranges them a few millimeters apart to give them room to expand while baking.
For even more gooey cheese potential, Brown places extra mozzarella cubes in the open spaces between the buns. And to create an even tastier crust, she dabs a little olive oil mixed with Italian seasoning on top and bakes them until golden brown for about 20-25 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, Brown tops the toasted buns with freshly chopped basil and serves them with hot pizza sauce for dipping.
A few key points to make this recipe a success the first time
When cooking this recipe at home, allow your pizza dough to come to room temperature and rise before shaping for at least one to three hours. Using cold dough in the fridge will result in stiffer, less chewy buns that will be more difficult to shape. However, if you can’t devote too much time to achieving the perfect rise, you can easily convert your Instant Pot into a proofing box to get the job done faster. Using the “yogurt” setting, add a tablespoon of oil to the bottom of the pan, then place the dough in the center and heat at 95°F for about 45 minutes. This easy step will help speed up the rise time of the dough for fluffier, even more delicious pizza breads. (Find more detailed instructions on using your Instant Pot to bake bread here.)
I really like? Here’s how to make it a dessert too
One of the best things about using pizza dough is that it’s incredibly versatile and easily accessible. If you fancy a sweeter version of this savory dish, you can turn it into a super quick and easy pull-apart bread inspired by cinnamon rolls. While the pizza dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F and mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, then set aside. Next, melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter (or vegan butter, if you prefer) and coat the dough balls in equal portions (about 1 1/2 inches) in the liquid.
Next, dredge the pizza dough loaves in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and shake off the excess. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a few millimeters between them and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes. For added sweetness, make a simple sugar frosting to drizzle on top by mixing together one cup powdered sugar, one tablespoon milk or milk alternative, and one teaspoon vanilla extract, and whisk together with a fork until smooth.
Tear-Away Vegan Pizza Bread Recipe
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound fresh vegan whole grain pizza dough
1/2 cup vegan mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 jar of pizza sauce for dipping
Fresh basil, to garnish (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Meanwhile, divide the fresh whole grain pizza dough into 13 equal pieces.
2. Fill each portion of dough with a cube of vegan mozzarella and roll it into a bun.
3. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the buns a few millimeters apart and wedge additional mozzarella cubes into the open gaps between them.
4. Combine oil and Italian seasoning in a small bowl and drizzle over top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve with hot pizza sauce and freshly chopped basil for garnish.
Pull-apart bread recipe inspired by cinnamon rolls
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound fresh whole grain pizza dough
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (substitute vegetable butter to make it vegan)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk or alternative milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, divide the fresh pizza dough into equal pieces about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Put aside.
3. In another small bowl, melt the butter. Then, dredge the brioches in the butter then the cinnamon-sugar mixture just after. Shake off the excess.
4. On a parchment lined baking sheet, arrange the buns a few millimeters apart and wedge additional mozzarella cubes into the open gaps between them. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until fully cooked inside.
5. In another bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract with a fork until smooth and creamy. Drizzle the tops of the cooled loaves.
Did someone say a healthier pizza alternative? Try this tomato patty:
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