This easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough is crisp, light, and oil free! It’s made in minutes with just 5 ingredients, and is perfect for any time you’re craving pizza!
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I finally did it! I came up with a whole wheat pizza crust that’s light and tender.
I’ve been working on this recipe for so long. Every 100% whole wheat crust I made came out heavy and dense. I usually resorted to using half white and half whole wheat flour, and sometimes just all purpose flour.
But I decided to take a different approach. I used whole wheat pastry flour and quick-rise yeast. A few tests with these ingredients and it was perfect! I can’t tell you how excited I was to finally come up with this whole wheat pizza dough recipe!
If you thought you’d have to give up pizza because you went plant based then you’re going to be as excited as I am about this crust!
This oil free pizza dough makes the best light pizza crusts! And since this pizza dough recipe uses quick-rise yeast instead of active dry yeast, you don’t need to let the dough rise for hours. That means you can have homemade pizza almost as quickly as driving to pick up a takeout pizza.
Ingredients for this homemade pizza dough
You only need 5 simple ingredients for this pizza dough recipe, and you probably have most, if not all of them, in your pantry.
- Warm water – the water needs to be warm to activate the yeast, but not hot or it will kill the yeast.
- Quick-rise (rapid) yeast – this allows you to create a pizza crust without the hours of rising time.
- Whole wheat pastry flour – I’ve found this is the key to a light whole wheat crust. Feel free to substitute some or all of the flour with regular whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, or even all purpose flour.
- Vital wheat gluten – a few tablespoons of vital wheat gluten help create a more elastic dough an improve the texture of the crust.
- Organic sugar or maple syrup – I usually use organic cane sugar, but if you want a refined sugar free dough, you can use maple syrup or coconut sugar.
- Salt – a little salt improves the texture of the crust as well as the flavor. Reduce the amount of salt If you are on a sodium restricted diet.
How to make the dough
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl and stir in the yeast and sugar. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes to proof the yeast. When the yeast is activated it will become foamy.
- While the yeast is proofing, stir together 2 cups of the flour, the vital wheat gluten, and the salt.
- Add the flour to the yeast mixture and stir together with a wooden spoon until combined. Use the remaining 1/4 cup of flour to knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until you have a smooth dough. To make cleanup easier, I often knead the dough right in the bowl.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions.
- Cover a pizza stone or baking pan with parchment paper and lightly dust it with flour. Place one ball of dough onto the parchment paper and press it into a 10 inch pizza crust, keeping the dough a little thicker around the edges.
- If you want to use a pizza stone, place the stone in the oven to preheat for at least 30 minutes. Prepare the pizza on a pizza peel coated with cornmeal or covered with parchment paper.
- Top with pizza sauce and your favorite vegan pizza toppings.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before cutting.
- Repeat the process with the other ball of dough.
Vegan Pizza Toppings
- Start by topping the pizza with a tasty sauce like my Oil Free Pizza Sauce. For a change of pace try using Vegan Pesto or Vegan Alfredo Sauce.
- Add some Oil Free Vegan Mozzarella, or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
- Next add your favorite veggies – red onion, olives, fresh basil, tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, bell pepper slices, and minced garlic are a few ideas.
- If you like a “meaty” pizza, try my Vegan Pepperoni or Vegan Italian Sausage.
- Make it a Hawaiian pizza with my Vegan Ham and some pineapple.
- If desired, sprinkle on some Italian seasoning some red pepper flakes, or some Vegan Parmesan.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! If you’re planning on making the pizza the next day, wrap the balls of dough in plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator. The next day, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before forming the pizzas.
Pizza dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Divide the dough into 2 to 4 balls, depending on what size pizzas you want. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and then place them in a Ziploc freezer bag. You can let the frozen dough thaw in the refrigerator or in a bowl on the counter.
Wrap them in plastic wrap or foil, or place them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can even freeze leftover pizza slices Pizza reheated in the microwave may become soggy. I prefer to reheat them on a pan in the oven at 350° F, or in an air fryer for a few minutes (my favorite way of reheating pizza!)
This vegan pizza dough is a healthier alternative to most pizza dough because it is free of oil, and the whole wheat flour contains more fiber and nutrients than white flour.
To make a gluten free crust, use a good quality 1:1 gluten free baking blend like the one from Bob’s Red Mill. You may need to adjust the amount of water. You want the dough to be soft and spreadable, but not sticky.
Explore our Plant-Based Handbook
Looking for more oil free vegan Italian recipes?
- Vegan Lasagna
- Oil Free Marinara
- Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
- Vegan Italian Sausage
- Oil Free Vegan Pesto
- Vegan Stromboli
- Vegan Stuffed Shells
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a rating and feedback below. It only takes a few seconds, but helps other visitors to my site. Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment!
And come join my Oil Free Vegan Recipes and Support Facebook group, where you can share your favorite oil free vegan recipes, and give and receive support on your plant based journey.
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust without Oil
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise yeast
- 1 tablespoons organic sugar coconut sugar, or maple syrup
- 2 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the warm water, yeast, and sweetener. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to proof the yeast.
- Combine 2 cups of the the whole wheat pastry flour, vital wheat gluten, and salt in a small bowl.
- Add the flour mixture to the bowl of water and stir to combine.
- Using the remaining flour, knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it becomes smooth.
- Divide the dough into 2 balls. Form each one into a 10 inch pizza crust.
- Top with your favorite pizza sauce and pizza toppings.
- Bake at 425° F for bout 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Broil for a minute or two if you want to cook the toppings more.
