Vegan White Pizza with Spinach & Mushrooms
Pizza is one of those things I never really get tired of. Most of the time I go with a classic tomato sauce, but sometimes I just don’t feel like it. That’s when this white pizza comes in.
Instead of tomato sauce, the base is a simple mixture of vegan crème fraîche (or sour cream), a little water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and garlic. It sounds basic, and it is. But once it bakes in the oven, it turns into a creamy, slightly tangy layer that works really well with vegetables. The garlic becomes milder, the nutritional yeast adds a subtle savory note, and the lemon keeps everything from feeling too heavy.
For toppings, I kept it simple: mushrooms, red onion and spinach. Mushrooms always work on pizza. They soften in the oven and bring that slightly earthy flavor. Red onion turns milder and a bit sweet around the edges. The spinach adds some color and balances out the creamy base. A little oregano on top is enough — nothing complicated.
Give the dough enough time to rise properly
You can use frozen chopped spinach, just make sure it’s fully thawed and squeezed dry. Otherwise the pizza can turn watery from the excess liquid. The same goes for the mushrooms: slice them, but don’t cut them too thin or they’ll dry out completely. Or maybe this is exactly what you’re going for–then more power to you!
When you’re making the dough, give it time to rise properly. That really makes a difference. Knead it until smooth and elastic. Five minutes is good, ten is better. You can knead by hand or use a stand mixer like a KitchenAid. The dough shouldn’t stick to your hands, but it also shouldn’t feel dry. You’ll notice the texture change while kneading, so start with less flour and add more as needed. It’s easier to add more flour than water.
Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size (or at least considerably bigger). When you’re shaping it, try stretching it gently with your hands instead of using a rolling pin. That way you keep more air in the dough. Give it time–it stretches out more and more as you gently pull.
Once baked, the edges should be lightly golden, but it’s up to you how crispy you like it. Let it sit for a few minutes before slicing.
PrintVegan White Pizza with Spinach & Mushrooms
This vegan white pizza is made with a creamy garlic sauce instead of tomato sauce and topped with spinach, mushrooms and red onion. Simple, savory and perfect when you want something different from classic red-sauce pizza.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 475 g spelt flour or all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp dry yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup plus 1/4 cup warm water
For the white sauce:
- 150 g vegan creme fraiche (or vegan sour cream)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- pepper to taste
- 150 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed (make sure to squeeze out excess liquid once thawed)
- 50 g vegan shredded cheese
For everything else:
- 3 to 4 medium-sized mushrooms (cremini work just fine)
- 1/2 medium red onion, cut into strips
- 1 tsp oregano
- other toppings of choice
Instructions
- Thaw the spinach in the fridge or on the countertop. Alternatively, thaw in the microwave. Squeeze out excess liquid through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Start with the dough: Put all the ingredients in a big bowl. Start mixing with a fork or wooden spoon, then knead with your hands for about 5 minutes. 10 minutes are even better! Add more flour as needed. The dough should not stick to your hands, but not be too dry, either. You’ll start out with a rather dry dough but give it a little time – you will probably need more flour after a bit of kneading.
- Dust the dough with a little more flour, then cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let it rest in a warm spot (30° C would be perfect, but no more or you’ll kill the yeast), like close to a heater or outside on a hot day.
- While the dough rises, make the white sauce. In a small pot, mix vegan creme fraiche, salt, water, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice and pepper. Add thawed spinach and shredded vegan cheese.
- Slice the mushrooms and onions and any other toppings you fancy.
- When the dough has almost doubled in size, pre-heat the oven to 200° C (or around 400° F).
- The dough is enough for one big pizza on a baking sheet or two smaller round pizzas. Either spread out with your hands on a baking sheet or divide the dough in two. Spread it slowly so as not to rip the dough. It will stretch out further as you go.
- Now for the toppings: Add a layer of white sauce, then mushrooms and red onion. Sprinkle with the oregano.
- Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like your pizza. Enjoy!
