No-Knead Vegan Spelt Pizza with Perfect Tofu Cheese
Just so you know, eating healthy and balanced "after the holidays" doesn't mean you have to eat nothing but quinoa salads and green smoothies all day long.
You can (and should!) eat delicious things we love, like vegan whole spelt pizza topped with plenty of vegetables, olive oil, and tofu cheese. Yes, this is a healthy, delicious, and wonderful pizza.
The pizza dough is easy to prepare and requires no mixer or kneading. Cross my heart, it's one of the easiest doughs I know. Even if you have zero experience, you'll get a perfect crust. Guaranteed.
I chose whole spelt flour for this recipe because of its high protein content and its sweet, deep, nutty flavor.
For the cheese, I used a major dairy brand natural tofu, which provided a nice boost of protein and calcium.
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How to Serve
One serving of this pizza works perfectly as a wonderful lunch or dinner. Thanks to its high fiber content, it will keep you full and energized for a long time while helping balance blood sugar levels.
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Nutritional Values:
One slice of pizza (out of 6) contains:
450 kcal
26g protein
54g carbohydrates
14g fat (of which 2g saturated fat)
165mg calcium
3mg iron
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
325g sifted whole spelt flour
3 tbsp applesauce (75g)
1 level tsp fresh yeast
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
150ml water (1 cup)
For the Cheese:
300g a major dairy brand natural tofu
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 level tbsp smooth Dutch mustard
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp raw tahini
2 tbsp tapioca starch
3/4 cup a major dairy brand Light soy milk
Toppings:
3 tbsp crushed tomatoes
A handful of fresh, washed broccoli florets
A handful of fresh, washed cauliflower florets
2 sliced tomatoes
1/2 yellow bell pepper
A handful of fresh, washed basil leaves
Instructions:
Start with the dough
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt until well combined.
2. In another bowl, mix the applesauce, oil, water, and yeast until the yeast dissolves in the liquid.
3. Pour the liquid into the flour bowl and mix until a uniform, slightly wet, and sticky dough forms.
4. Cover with a towel and set aside for 10 minutes.
5. After 10 minutes, take one edge of the dough and fold it over the center. Repeat this about 15 times, as shown in the following video clip.
6. Cover with a towel and set aside for 15 minutes.
7. After 15 minutes, repeat the folding process and set aside again.
Total: You should perform four rounds of folding with a 15-minute rest between each round.
8. After the final folding round, let the dough rise for a full hour.
9. Towards the end of the rising hour, you can start preparing the cheese.
10. Add all cheese ingredients except the tapioca starch to a blender.
11. Blend well for several minutes until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
12. Pour the mixture into a small pot, add the tapioca starch, and stir over low heat until the mixture thickens, pulls away from the sides, and becomes stretchy.
If the mixture is too dry, add a little more liquid.
13. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Back to the dough
14. Preheat the oven to a high heat (250 degrees) on the upper grill setting.
15. Generously flour your work surface.
16. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough as thin as possible.
17. To transfer the dough to the baking sheet, gently roll the dough onto your forearm and carefully move it onto the sheet.
18. Use a fork to prick holes in the dough.
19. Now for the fun part - assemble the pizza.
20. Spread the crushed tomatoes over the dough, followed by the soy cheese and vegetables, and finally drizzle a tablespoon of oil.
21. Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes on the upper rack.
Want a gluten-free vegan pizza? Here's the recipe
