Mary Berry Vegan Pizza Recipe – Crispy, Colourful, and Completely Dairy-Free

I’m a great believer that homemade pizza doesn’t need to involve mountains of cheese to be satisfying. This vegan version proved that rather nicely.

The first time I made it, I got a little enthusiastic with the vegetables. I piled on peppers, courgettes, mushrooms and artichokes until the poor pizza base could barely be seen. It looked wonderful going into the oven, but the middle came out softer than I wanted.

That taught me an important lesson: thin vegetables and restraint are your friends here.

Once I sliced everything properly and kept the topping sensible, the result was completely different. The crust turned golden and crisp, the tomato sauce stayed rich rather than watery, and the olives and artichokes brought enough savoury flavour that I didn’t miss cheese at all.

So if you’ve been wondering how to make a vegan pizza that actually feels like proper pizza, let me show you what worked in my kitchen.

The Secret Behind This Bake

There are three things that make this pizza work.

First, the tomato sauce needs to be thick. I cook it down until there’s very little excess moisture. A watery sauce is one of the quickest ways to end up with a soggy pizza.

Second, the vegetables need to be very thinly sliced. Courgette in particular holds quite a bit of water, so thick slices can steam rather than roast.

And finally, don’t overcrowd the base. I learned that one the hard way.

The little sprinkle of ground almonds is also clever. They add nuttiness and texture where cheese would normally sit, while the olives and artichokes bring plenty of savoury depth.

INGREDIENTS + WHY THEY MATTER

• Strong white bread flour – Gives the dough enough structure to rise properly while still becoming crisp around the edges.
• Fast-action dried yeast – The ingredient responsible for that lovely airy texture. Make sure it’s fresh; tired yeast makes for a disappointingly flat pizza.
• Caster sugar – A small amount helps the yeast along and rounds out the flavour of the dough.
• Flaked sea salt – Essential for seasoning the dough. Pizza without enough salt tastes remarkably dull.
• Warm water – Brings the dough together. Keep it warm rather than hot so you don’t interfere with the yeast.
• Olive oil – Used for greasing and later for drizzling over the finished pizzas.

For the topping

• Onion – Forms the sweet, savoury foundation of the tomato sauce.
• Garlic – Adds depth. I put it in towards the end of cooking the onion so it becomes fragrant without burning.
• Chopped tomatoes – The main ingredient in the pizza sauce. Cooking them down is particularly important here.
• Dried oregano – Gives the sauce that unmistakable pizza-shop aroma.
• Red or yellow pepper – Adds sweetness, colour and a little crunch.
• Courgette – Lovely on pizza when sliced thinly. Thick pieces can release too much water.
• Chestnut mushrooms – Add a meaty, savoury texture without any meat.
• Artichoke hearts – One of my favourite additions. They bring a slightly tangy, rich flavour that makes the topping much more interesting.
• Ground almonds – Add a nutty finish and a little texture instead of using cheese.
• Green or black olives – Salty, briny flavour that cuts through the sweetness of the tomato sauce.
• Fresh basil – Add it after baking rather than before. The fresh leaves taste brighter that way.

Ingredient Swaps That Hold Up

I’d keep the basic dough and sauce as written, then have a little fun with the vegetables.

Different vegetables

You can swap the listed vegetables for other vegetables you have available, provided they’re thinly sliced and not piled too high.

Good options include thinly sliced courgette, peppers, mushrooms and artichokes.

Green or black olives

Either works. I rather like a mixture because you get slightly different flavours throughout the pizza.

Vanilla—sorry, no!

There’s no need for dairy here, and I wouldn’t start adding random vegan cheese simply for the sake of it. The almonds, olives and artichokes already give the pizza plenty of character.

MISTAKES I’VE MADE (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM)

What Went Wrong	Why It Happens	How to Fix It
Soggy centre	Too many vegetables or watery sauce	Cook sauce until very thick and keep toppings thin
Dense crust	Dough wasn’t kneaded or left to rise properly	Knead for 5 minutes and let it double in size
Burnt vegetables	Slices were too thin or oven ran very hot	Keep an eye on them during the final minutes
Bland pizza	Sauce or dough wasn’t seasoned enough	Season the tomato sauce generously

My biggest mistake was definitely overloading the pizza. It’s tempting because all those colourful vegetables look so pretty on the raw dough. Resist. Your crust will thank you.

HOW TO MAKE MARY BERRY’S VEGAN PIZZA

1. Make the dough

Sift the flour into a large bowl.

Stir in the yeast, sugar and salt.

Add the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until everything comes together into a soft, slightly spongy dough.

It will feel sticky at this point. Don’t panic.

2. Knead until smooth

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes.

You’re looking for a dough that feels smooth and elastic rather than rough and shaggy.

Place it into a lightly greased bowl, cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave somewhere warm for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

3. Make the tomato sauce

While the dough rises, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan.

Add the chopped onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and lightly browned.

Add the crushed garlic during the final minute.

Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stir in the oregano.

Season with salt and pepper.

Turn the heat up and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce is very thick.

This is not the time to leave a loose, soupy tomato sauce sitting on your pizza. Cook it down.

Set aside to cool.

4. Shape the pizza bases

Once the dough has doubled, divide it into two equal pieces.

Shape each piece into a ball and flatten slightly.

Roll each one out on a well-floured surface until approximately 25cm/10 inches across.

For a particularly thin and crispy pizza, roll it a little further.

5. Add the sauce

Place each base onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.

Spread the cooled tomato sauce over each base, leaving roughly a 1.5cm border around the edge.

Don’t drown it in sauce.

Leave the bases to prove again for 30–40 minutes.

6. Prepare the vegetables

Slice the pepper, courgette, mushrooms and artichokes thinly.

This is where I remind myself not to get carried away.

You want enough topping to cover the pizza attractively, but you should still be able to see plenty of tomato sauce underneath.

7. Finish the pizzas

Preheat the oven to 240°C/220°C Fan/Gas 8.

Arrange the vegetables over the pizza bases.

Sprinkle over the ground almonds and add the olives.

Give everything a final check before it goes into the oven. If you’ve created a mountain of vegetables, remove a few.

8. Bake

Bake for 9–10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just cooked and the crust is golden brown.

If you’re baking both pizzas at once, you may need to give the pizza on the lower shelf a little longer.

The edges should be golden and crisp, while the centre should feel cooked rather than floppy.

9. Finish and serve

Scatter generously with fresh basil.

Drizzle with a little extra olive oil.

Slice and serve straight away.

TIPS FROM MY KITCHEN

• Freeze your ice cream bowl—wrong recipe! But seriously, the pizza equivalent is to get the oven properly hot before the dough goes in. A blazing-hot oven is what gives you that lovely crust.
• I cook the tomato sauce until it looks almost too thick. It loosens slightly on the pizza, and that’s exactly what you want.
• Slice courgettes and mushrooms very thinly. Thick vegetables release more moisture and can make the centre soft.
• If you’re making two pizzas, don’t feel obliged to bake them side by side if your oven struggles. One at a time can give you more even browning.

STORAGE + SERVING

Pizza is at its best straight from the oven, when the crust is crisp and the basil is fresh.

If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container and eat within 2–3 days.

For reheating, I prefer a hot oven or frying pan rather than the microwave. The microwave warms the pizza but turns that lovely crust rather floppy.

Serve with:

• A crisp green salad
• Roasted vegetables
• Garlic bread
• Extra fresh basil
• A drizzle of good olive oil

FAQs

Can you make vegan pizza without cheese?

Absolutely. This recipe uses ground almonds, olives and artichoke hearts to add richness and savoury flavour without dairy cheese.

What vegetables are good on vegan pizza?

Peppers, courgettes, mushrooms and artichokes all work beautifully. The important thing is to slice them thinly and avoid overcrowding the pizza.

How do you make vegan pizza crispy?

Roll the dough thinly, cook the tomato sauce until very thick, use thinly sliced vegetables and bake at a high temperature. Keeping moisture under control is the big trick.

Why is my homemade pizza soggy in the middle?

Usually there’s too much moisture. A watery tomato sauce, thick courgette slices or simply too many vegetables can all make the centre soft. Cook the sauce down well and keep the topping relatively light.

Is homemade pizza dough vegan?

This dough is vegan because it contains flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water, with olive oil used for greasing. There are no eggs or dairy ingredients.

Other Vegan Recipes

• Mary Berry Easy Crusty Vegan Bread Recipe (No Knead, 3 Ingredients)
• Mary Berry Vegan Butter Recipe – Creamy, Spreadable, and Better Than Store-Bought
• Mary Berry Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe