Believe it, it’s real

I know you may be skeptical, but that top picture does in fact show a completely vegan pizza.

Short story time. My lovely fiancee is a vegan, but she wasn’t always that way. We used to share in our love of Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust pizza. To this day, I’m still not allowed to order it or have it in the house at all.

That’s because Stuffed Crust Pizza is her … … … vegan kryptonite.

Yes, vegan kryptonite. All vegans have it, and it may differ for each one. It is that particular food that makes them weak, and in their weakened state they become susceptible to the tantalizing dairy and/or egg varieties before them.

But worry not, compassionate crusaders, for I give you the vegan stuffed crust pizza. Lament no longer! Do not grieve your sacrifices another day. Enjoy.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 14 – 18 minutes

Ingredients

Pizza dough

1 cup pizza sauce

2 cups shredded Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese.

1 – 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Your choice of toppings. I used Smart Deli Pepperoni

1/2 cup flour (for rolling out dough)

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Using your flour and a rolling pin, roll out your pizza dough to a diameter of about 16 inches, or the diameter of your pizza pan. Add flour as you go so the dough does not stick. The dough should remain about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. If you are unsure of how much dough to use, use a dough ball about the size of a softball.

3. Lay your dough over your lightly oiled pizza pan (this is what the olive oil is for). Lightly stretch the perimeter of the dough over the edge of your pan so it hangs off about 1/2 inch. It likely won’t be even all around and it doesn’t have to be! This excess will be used to fold over the cheese in the crust.

4. Use 1 cup of your vegan cheese to line the perimeter of the crust. Set it in at the edge of the pan.

5. Begin to fold back the dough and over the cheese. You want to use your fingers to press down and slightly into the bottom of the cheese. Try to seal the dough as well as you can or the cheese will leak out while baking. Don’t worry if this happens – I always end up having at least one leak! Go all the way around until it’s all sealed up and looks good.

6. Add your sauce, then the remaining cheese and toppings. I used the Smart Deli Pepperoni, but don’t hesitate to throw as many veggies as you want on this guy! Feel free to lightly brush or dab on some of my homemade garlic ‘butter’ over the crust now to really take it to the next level.

7. Bake at 475 degrees Fahrenheit on the middle rack for 14 to 18 minutes. I like to bake mine for the 14 minutes, then take it off of the pan and place it directly on the rack for the remaining 4 minutes.

8. Once the pizza is out I like to brush the crust once again with the garlic ‘butter’ and serve. Enjoy!