Vegan Margherita Pizza
If you don’t want to make a pizza from scratch, then use bottled pizza sauce, and a pre-bought crust, but whatever you do, Please make the fresh Moxarella Cheese. It’s nearly instant.
Homemade Vegan Moxarella, without any artificial anything. It browns and stretches.
Individual Pizzas Make Everyone Happy!
Vegan Margherita Pizzas
This Recipe Makes 4 individual pizzas. Don’t forget to have fresh tomatoes and basil on hand. First, start the dough.
Pizza Dough:
This crust contains gluten, for several gluten free crust options, click here.
- 2 C. organic all purpose flour
- 1 C. organic whole wheat flour
- 2 1/4 t. active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 t. sea salt
- 1 t. agave
Method: Combine all ingredients and knead for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 60 minutes until doubled. While the dough is rising, make the pizza sauce and the fresh moxarella cheese.
The Pizza Sauce:
- one 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 t. dried thyme
- 1/2 t. dried oregano
- 1/2 t. dried basil
- 1 t. agave
- sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
Method: saute the garlic in a little vegetable broth or the olive oil in a small saucepan for a minute or two on medium heat. Add all the other ingredients. Reduce heat to low and let simmer while you make the Moxarella Cheese.
Fresh Moxarella Cheese:
I wanted to call this “Foxy Moxy,” but that name has been taken by some unsavory characters on the web….
This cheese stays in a “melted” type form until baked, and then it forms a nice crust, like dairy cheese does. It’s not intended to be eaten plain (like real dairy fresh mozzarella can). It’s also fairly salty to make it stand out in your recipes, if you prefer less salt, please feel free to reduce to 1/2 teaspoon, or less, but the flavor won’t be as pronounced.
Note: This recipe is one of the most popular recipes on my site and is therefore one of the most copied/imitated. If you make this cheese and like it enough to blog about it, please have the ethics to respect me, my creativity and the weeks that I spent developing this recipe by simply linking to this post rather than sharing the recipe on your own site. ❤️ -Somer
- 1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked in water for several hours and then drained IF you don’t have a high powered blender)
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Method: Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a small saucepan and cook, stirring constantly over medium high heat. After a couple of minutes the mixture will start to look weird, like it’s curdling or separating. This is totally normal, reduce heat to medium and KEEP stirring so you don’t burn the cheese to the bottom of the pot. Keep cooking and stirring til really thick (about 2-3 more minutes) and the mixture becomes like a cohesive mass of melted dairy cheese and stretches like in the photo below. Remove from heat and let cool a bit while you assemble the pizzas. Moxarella stores well in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days and can be used to make excellent grilled cheese sandwiches, mac and cheese, etc….
Assembly: Your dough should be nearly ready now, so when it hits 60 minutes or is doubled, punch it down and divide it into four pieces. Preheat the oven to 500°. Roll out the dough on a floured surface as thin or thick as you like. We opted for thicker pizzas this round. Spread each pizza with 1/4 of the pizza sauce. Top with fresh tomato slices, dollops of the fresh moxarella cheese and fresh basil leaves like shown in the photo below. 
Bake individual pizzas for 10-12 minutes on a baking sheet until cheese and the crusts are nicely browned. Note: there is a very fine line between nicely browned and burnt here, so please, watch your pizzas carefully. Sprinkle pizzas with a bit of additional chopped fresh basil once out of the oven if desired. 
I won’t take any responsibility for anyone burning their mouth on hot cheese.
Vedged Out 
Sensational, Somer! I can’t wait to try the cheese. 🙂
Thanks so much Ally! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. It’s kinda funny, because it stays in the “melted” state until you bake it, but then it forms this lovely crust and…. oh my. 😉
holy foxy moxy melty stretchy ness! i need that pizza in my belly!!
i love the brown crusting!
It’s so perfect! I hope you get a chance to make it. I’d love to know what you think!
HAHA! I wish I could offer you a delivery service. I have broken up with all other vegan cheeses at the moment! xx
Looks almost too good…. I’m wishing this was on the menu today, not artichoke pâté sandwiches for lunch!
All right miss Lucy, so if you want to make this nut free, try 1/4 C. coconut cream instead of the cashews, then maybe increase the tapioca starch a bit, since the cashews do some of the thickening in the recipe. Then your whole family can enjoy it.
p.s. artichoke pate sandwiches sound better than most of my lunches!
Great plan with the coconut cream…. Can’t wait to give it a go 🙂
It shouldn’t taste too coconutty…. Lemme know if you try it! xx
Can either of you help me with what coconut cream is? We’ve got a cashew allergy in the home–thanks!
Coconut cream is just a little thicker than coconut milk, you can usually find it in a health food store next to coconut milk, however, please feel free to use coconut milk (in a can, and the full fat variety) instead and I’m sure the results will still be great.
And Trader Joe’s has it as well 🙂
Thank you Sarah! 😉
Omg Somer..how funny you used tapioca starch! That’s precisely why I said I used it for the French toast because it has the stretchy gelatinous binding and browning quality (like eggs) and well WOW, what a fantastic idea to use it for cheese too…incredible Somer!! I have used it before in my gluten free molasses cookies on my blog and used it recently in another dessert. I love the browning effect of it. It is a remarkable product if used correctly and in the right amount. That’s really clever…I can’t wait to try this too! You rock sister!!
If you are looking for amazing French toast, try The Vegg. It’s also great for dipping toast. It looks and tastes like real egg yolk.
Grace, I never really liked real eggs to begin with…. But thanks for your info 🙂
Haha! Well, I’ve done some label reading, and it’s whats in a lot of vegan cheeses…. It really recreates some of that texture, without adding artificial flavors or ingredients found in typical store bought vegan cheese. Enjoy! I have a cheddar version too 🙂
Ok Somer…I made it last night. It really does look and stretch like mozzarella cheese, I was amazed! I haven’t added it to a pizza yet..I’m going to try it as a grilled cheese sandwich or calzone. It tastes pretty close to mozzarella..I just have to get used to it. It’s different because I’ve got dairy cheese taste stuck in my brain and I’ve never tried ANY cheese substitutes at all since going vegan like Daiya or anything, so I don’t have anything to compare it to other than real mozzarella that I used to eat last year. I bet it will taste fabulous on pizza and/or sandwiches. I think I will try just half a teaspoon of salt next time, mine tasted really salty…maybe I measured it wrong or just not used to cheese anymore. Great job…I look forward to trying it on as a pizza topping! Thanks!
AWESOME! yeah, it’s meant to be pretty salty, I tried 1/2 t. and put it in grilled cheese, and you couldn’t really taste it. But please feel free to adjust it however you like. It behaves like melted cheese until you cook it on the pizza, so yeah, you really need to put it on something and brown it or grill it. It’s not as great on it’s own. However, I made pesto caprese grilled cheese sandwiches with mine: pesto, sliced tomatoes, basil chiffonade and the cheese on whole wheat bread slices. TO DIE FOR. But it’s really best on pizza where it can be browned and form a luscious melty crust…. Daiya is WAY more artificial tasting, especially the cheddar flavor, also, once it melts, Daiya stays gooey rather than forming a nice crust…. Don’t get why everyone raves about it…. xx
do you have the cheddar version on your blog? Is it the pepperjack cheese or something different? (the moxarella is cooling in the fridge – I plan to make pizza for supper tomorrow – omni husband has his cow cheese grated and I will have my foxy moxarella!)
Reblogged this on Almost Raw Vegan and commented:
If you aren’t familiar with Somer @VedgedOut.com it’s time you paid her a visit… not only is her story inspiring, but she has some amazing recipes & insights about going vegan!! Enjoy!! And…. thanks Somer!! xox
YAHOO! Thanks girl! xxox
Looks like I’ll be adding tapioca starch to my crazy vegan pantry! Yum, girl!!
Three words for you: Bob’s Red Mill! 🙂
She doesn’t have a mason jar of it yet? 😀 Great stuff!
Silly Annie 😉 I think she’s restocking her pantry after being away from home for so long…
Words cannot describe how happy this recipe makes me! Pizza is my favourite food and I always made it with store bought vegan cheese, which has too much oil in it, so I rarely make it. Now I can make my own without all the added oil! Amazing!
Yup, you can even leave out the oil in this recipe if you like, it does add a bit of silkiness and browning quality to the cheese, but the flavor shouldn’t be affected 🙂 ENJOY! 🙂
I love these little mini pizza’s. Just a questions – the dough in the picture looks really runny, is this before it is kneaded again? Will I need to add a little more flour to it?
I am very hungry all of a sudden! Gemma
Gemma, the picture must be deceptive, the dough shouldn’t be runny at all, The photo of it is after is has been kneaded, risen, punched down and then divided into 4 pieces for rolling…. My dough was dry enough I actually didn’t need to use extra flour to roll it out, but I know that others might.
Thank you for this and for getting back to me. They look devine so I will definitely be making them! x
Best of luck! I’d love to know what you think 🙂
Omg this looks delicious! Winning!
Love #winning! xx
Reblogged this on Eat Clean Shaune.
Thanks!
We’re in Co Springs! Not much vegan dining out choices here, so we’re mostly eating in the room with some fresh and dry staples. Such a drag. Looking forward to hitting a vegan restaurant today.
Moxarella, huh? That looks super easy to do. We have been eating our pizzas with veggies only, but the kids are sure to squeal with delight with a bit of goo on top.
PS — Your foxy moxy comment made me laugh. Oh, but the searches that would land some poor unsuspecting man to your blog. That would be a blog post all by itself.
Super easy to do! Faster even than the cashew cheese that I make that sets.
Well, I googled it to see if anyone else had the name “Foxy Moxy” bad idea….. Haha!
Shannon, I’m in Co Springs also! Just went vegan 3 weeks ago and we are loving the fantastic food we’ve been cooking. I would love to know of any restaurants you find! – Katie
Wow Somer! These look fantastic! I don’t know why they strike me as “summery,” but right now I totally want to grill up a few of these on a hot day and sit on a porch with friends sipping beers as the sun goes down. That cheese looks amazing, too – and I don’t even like cheese (real OR vegan)!
Oh Amber! They would be amazing grilled! I’ve only been vegan just over a year, so I admit that although I don’t miss cheese so much in itself, I do miss the “creamy” element that it adds to food.
Funny that you should comment on my blog today! I’m going raw for 30 days in April and I’ve been thinking about how I’m going to do it (I eat high raw, but I’m a sucker for cooked food) a friend of mine has your book Practically Raw that I’ve browsed through! I need help! I’ll definitely be checking it out! xx
Looks fabulous! Is there anything that cashews can’t do?
I think they’re pretty much one of the most flexible ingredients in my pantry! 🙂
Wow. Just wow. Girl… Wow! 🙂
Thanks babe! Pretty fun stuff! 🙂
This looks amazing! Any recommendations for those of us who are allergic to coconut on a good substitute?
are you also allergic to cashews?
No, I’m fortunate to just be allergic to all things Coconut 🙂
The original recipe in the post uses cashews, so you should be just fine. The reader I was replying to above you has a nut allergy in her family so I recommended she sub out the cashews for the coconut cream.
They look beautiful. Think we’ll try them out, even if not vegan!
Hey, everyone could cut their cholesterol and go dairy free every once in a while 😉 Enjoy!
I can find tapioca flour but not tapioca starch. Is there a difference? Could it be replaced with corn starch? (THAT I have.)
The product I use is from Bob’s Red Mill, it says tapioca flour & starch on the same package. So it should be the same thing. Just make sure it’s a really fine powder like corn starch. You *could* use corn starch to thicken the cheese up, but it wouldn’t stretch…at all. And I’m not sure about how melty or brown it would get or if it would get too thick with the ratios, but you’re welcome to try it 🙂
Wow it looks amazing Somer!!! Love the mozzarella trick 🙂
Thank you Anne! I’ve been working on variations of it for a while, finally nailed it on the head!
“My pants don’t fit me anymore thanks to you!” is usually a recriminating statement but thanks to you, I can include recipes like this in my diet again :). I am no longer “obese” now I am “ideal”…9 weeks and your plan did it for me. I am going to stop lauding it because I sound a bit like a zealot (even to me…warning signs noted!) BUT it changed my life and it deserves a teeny tiny little bit of promotion because I just wanted to share the love and possibilites around. Life is good and these pizzas are BETTER! 🙂
Yes! Indulge my dear! You deserve a treat. I usually have a green smoothie, then a salad, lots of raw veg for snacking, then a cooked dinner. Not a bad way to live 🙂 xx
Can’t wait to try these!
Thank you! 🙂
You know I’ll end up playing with your recipe 😀 I’ll wait till Kirk is home to make him pizza with it!
You always do, you sly dog 😉 when do we ever follow a recipe exactly eh? I hope you guys love it. I have a cheddar version too. Preciousness!
Waaaaah? Cheddah? Oh you better share!
All in good time…. It goes on/in Enchiladas/burritos/tacos…. ya know…
Love it! Mouthwatering.
Thanks so much Jim! I’ll make your crust gluten free! 🙂
Somer, this looks great. I want to try the cheese as real cheese is one of the things I miss most about being vegan or, in my case, mostly vegan. 🙂
Hope all’s well with you!
janet
Thanks so much Janet! Cheese always made me feel sick, so I definitely don’t miss that, but I do miss the creamy element sometimes. This hit that craving right on the head! Take care girl! xx
It’s really that easy? I might have to try some foxy moxy “just cause”. My youngest loves to try out kitchen chemistry – she’d be all over this one.
It’s really really that easy. No setting, no aging or fermenting. Mine that’s the same age loves this on grilled cheese sandwiches with pesto and tomato. WOW! I’d love to know what you think!
Somer, this post had me drooling with coffee in hand at 7:30 AM this morning – this looks amazing an I am sure it is equally as delicious! As much as I enjoy cheese the secret to all the best pizza is in the sauce and the crust anyway – and yours looks divine!!
You are so right! Pizza without a crispy crust with bite and a heady garlicky sauce just isn’t right! Thanks so much Shira! Love to you! xx
That’s too bad about Foxy Moxy, because that would’ve been an awesome name for your cheese! It looks so good. I’ve never made my own vegan cheese, so this will have to be my first!
I know! I loved the name…. Ah well.
I’d love to know what you think of this Barb!
Nice job. Somer: send me your snail mail address and I’ll send you a copy of my cookbook, “Heart Healthy Pizza” for review. Among other recipes, some 60 plant-based cheese-like topping sauce recipes: http://www.hearthealthypizza.com
Best, Mark (signed up to virtual vegan potluck news the other day)
Thanks Mark! That sounds fantastic! Heard from you on facebook, looking forward to it! 🙂
Waw, Somer! That melting mozzerella type of cheese looks amazing & tasty too! That whole pizza is calling my name but I would add vegan sliced chorizo sausages too!
mmmm vegan sausage!
Love the mozzarella! Never thought of this before, thanks so much for sharing
This looks great! Makes me want to have a little pizza party!
Oh yum! I love that mozzarella!!! I have to make this soon, I have been on a pizza kick!
It is SO good!
Look at you with all the fancy cheezy goodness! Haha foxy moxy- love the name and apparently many other people do to!
I wonder if I can trademark Foxy Moxy? Hehe!
this looks heavenly!!! Can’t wait to prepare this amazooo dish!
I hope you get around to it! I’ve had positive responses all around so far!
this ‘cheese’ looks FANTASTIC! i knew i’d bought cashews last night for a reason…. 😀
….It was destiny!
Awesome! I’m trying that cheese for sure! Thanks!
Thanks! It’s delicious!
I made a batch of the mozz for the first time yesterday.
MIND. BLOWN. I literally did a happy dance. From the atoms on out.
I can’t wait to feed this to my omni friends without telling them what it is first :p Muahaha!
Homemade vegan cheese: kickin’ ass and takin’ names. Hell yeah.
PURE LOVE! Thanks babe. I did a happy dance too, the foxy moxy happy dance! xx
does that mean drain the liquid if you dont have high powered blender but keep it in if you do.. not sure.. sorry..
Laurie, yes 🙂 drain and rinse the cashews, they should be soft enough to blend with the amount of liquid in the recipe to make the sauce. 🙂
I made this yesterday, and I absolutely loved it! The only thing is that my moxarella did not really brown nicely like the one in the picture, even though the crust was starting to get crispier than I like it. Maybe I need to keep the crust thicker and leave in the oven a tad longer. But overall, this is so far my favorite vegan pizza recipe. Thanks!
I MUST try this cheese (and pizza for that matter!) What a great idea 🙂
I came across this post and kept it in mind until today when I finally made it! I put it on top of a pizza and also in a calzone. It’s awesome!! Can’t wait to try your cheddar version after you post, this gooeyness would be awesome in enchiladas!!! I’ve used tapioca starch in cheese before, but never this much, I think this much makes it better. Here’s my calzone: http://zerbert.wordpress.com/2013/04/15/vegan-calzones/
I used your moxarella recipe for pizza tonight. Holy wow! I made up some “pepperoni” bits to put on top. It was amazing! My husband even ate it (he is a total carnivore and picky to boot). I spread it out on the pizza to make it look a little more normal, and I didn’t get it to brown as much like yours did, but it didn’t even matter. So good.
Pure Love! That makes me super happy! Do you have a link to the pepperoni bits? That sounds fabulous! I love that your husband ate it too! Yeehaw!
I used a recipe out of The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman. So far the best vegan cookbook I’ve bought. 🙂 I found a link to the recipe online. http://www.food.com/recipe/vegan-pepperoni-topping-for-pizza-457224 I used fennel seed instead of anise seed (I didn’t have any). It don’t think it tastes exactly like pepperoni (I don’t know, its been years since I’ve eaten any), but it is a little spicy and perfect on the pizza.
Oh! I totally have that book! Duh! I’ll break it out! Tahnks so much!!!