No cheese substitute necessary

The peak luxury of my suburban teen existence consisted of shopping at the outdoor mall with my mom and dining at one of its coveted establishments. In the space between cheap Sbarro by the slice and special occasion Cheesecake Factory lived my ultimate favorite mall sit down joint: California Pizza Kitchen. I knew I had to pay homage to the days of lunch specials and fruity lemonades by recreating a version of the delicious California Veggie Pizza.

Veganizing this pie was a no brainer; the focus is all on the vegetables. I decided not to add a vegan cheese substitute because the pizza truly doesn’t need it, but don’t let me tell you what to do! Although cheese is optional, a non-negotiable is the oil. Adding oil to the sheet pan before spreading out the dough makes the crust extra crispy, giving it a restaurant-like quality that I’ve found very difficult to achieve at home.

Treat yourself to a semi-healthy (vegan means healthy, right?) pizza night in, impress your plant-based friends, or even make a fan out of a carnivore in your life with this delicious recipe!

Vegan California Veggie Sheet Pan Pizza

Serves: 4-6
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound pizza dough, rested at room temperature for at least 1 hour
5 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, slivered
3 cloves garlic, slivered
5 oz cremini mushrooms (about 2 cups,) slivered
5 oz broccolini (about 2 cups,) stems removed and chopped
1 cup corn
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
2/3 cup pizza sauce
Basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pour 3 tbsp of olive oil into a 13x13 inch rimmed baking sheet and tilt the pan around to distribute the oil. Spread the pizza dough onto the pan by pressing it out to the edges of the pan. Be patient; it doesn’t have to be perfect! Once the dough it spread out on the pan, let it rest while you make the toppings.
Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Sauté the shallots until they are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

3. Stir in the mushrooms, broccolini, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and oregano. Let the mixture cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6-8 minutes, until the broccolini is tender. Take off the heat and mix in the corn.

4. Spread the sauce onto the dough in an even layer and top with the veggie mixture. Bake the pizza for 20-25 minutes, until the crust in golden brown around the edges.

5. Cool pizza for about 10 minutes in the pan, slice and enjoy!