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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Vegan Pizza (The Vegan Metro)

    Published: Mar 23, 2022 · Modified: Jun 15, 2022 by Dianne · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Vegan Pizza with text overlay
    Vegan Pizza with text overlay
    Vegan Pizza with text overlay

    Vegan pizza is the best type of pizza! With toppings like meatless meatballs, roasted red peppers, pepperoncini, spinach, and dairy-free mozzarella, The Vegan Metro is the ultimate pie for pizza night! Grab a slice and chow down. This recipe is easy to make and it'll please even the pickiest of eaters.

    Vegan Pizza with text overlay

    Vegan Pizza (Or is it?)

    Years ago I used to frequent a restaurant call Café Metro at lunchtime. It was near the company I worked for at the time, and they had vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore dishes, so there was something for everyone.

    Dennis and I had our second date there, and since we worked near each other, we would often meet for lunch dates, too. I loved the Hummus Veggie Wrap and the Vegetable Stir-Fry made with tofu, while his favorite was the Meatless Meatball Hero. One of our shared favorite dishes was the Metro Vegetarian Pizza, which was made with vegetarian meatballs, roasted red peppers, hot peppers, and mozzarella. Vegan mozzarella could be substituted for dairy cheese at no extra charge.

    pizza slices on paddle with tomatoes, garlic, olives, and peppers

    One day we were dining at Café Metro for dinner, and we decided to split a salad and our favorite pizza. The waitress asked if we were vegan, since were ordering the dairy-free cheese. She said she was vegan, too, and she wanted to let us know that the meatless meatballs contained dairy. Why had no one else told us that all of the previous times we had ordered it?! We settled on a pizza topped with vegetables, and we found ourselves frequenting the restaurant less and less. I can’t remember the last time I ate there.

    vegan pizza with my hand

    Homemade Vegan Metro Pizza

    We started making our own version of the Metro Pizza, adding spinach and olives, and using meatballs that we know are truly vegan. With the combination of creamy dairy-free mozzarella, hearty meatless meatballs, and veggies, this is one of my favorite pizzas. We make it often, and we occasionally vary the toppings slightly, but always with the Metro as our inspiration.

    vegan cheese, baby kale, garlic, vegan meatballs, dough, tomato sauce, olives, peppers

    How to Make Vegan Pizza

    This pizza is so easy to make!

    • First you preheat your oven to 450°, and youplace the prepared pizza crust on a pizza pan or pizza stone.
    • Next you cut each vegan meatball into 3 or 4 slices. If you’re making homemade meatballs, shape them into flat disks rather than round balls.
    • Now you add one teaspoon of oil to a pan over medium-high heat and cook the meatballs until they’ve browned on each side, about 2 minutes each side. Remove them from the heat and set aside.
    • Then you add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the same pan, and add the spinach and garlic. You cook them until the garlic wilts, about 2 more minutes.
    • To prepare your pizza, spread the tomato sauce on the crust, and then distribute the spinach evenly top of it. Then add the cheese, meatball slices, roasted red peppers, olives, and pepperoncini peppers, distributing everything evenly.
    • You cook your pizza for 12-15 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted.
    • Finally, you slice your pizza into 8 equal pieces.
    making pizza collage
    pizza dough

    Pizza Dough

    Although I do have a pizza dough recipe in my cookbook Eating Vegan, I rarely make my own crust. Most grocery stores have premade whole grain dough, so I just pick up with I'm shopping. A lot of pizzerias will sell their dough if you ask.

    You can also use a pre-made crust if you don't want to deal with dough. I've made with with Trader Joe's cauliflower crust and Whole Foods' 365 Thin and Crispy Rustic Wheat Crust.

    pizza on pan with tomatoes, peppers, and olives

    Meatless Meatballs

    I often make this pie with Gardein’s Meatless Meatballs or Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs. I also  like to use Upton's Italian Seitan.

    If you’d like to make you own meatballs, give Laura Theodore’s Wheatballs a try. I also have a beanball recipe in my book The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

    pizza on pan with tomatoes, peppers, and garlic

    Dairy-Free Mozzarella Cheese

    Myioko’s Kitchen’s Fresh VeganMozz is my favorite vegan mozzarella, but Follow Your Heart, Daiya, and Violife also have great cheeses.

    If you want to try your hand at making your own vegan cheese, try Somer McCowan’s Moxarella Cheese. I also have a vegan Mozzarella recipe in my cookbook Eating Vegan.

    Pizza slices with pizza cutter, tomatoes, peppers, olives, and garlic
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    pizza slices on paddle with tomatoes, garlic, olives, and peppers

    The Vegan Metro Pizza

    Dianne
    With toppings like meatless meatballs, roasted red peppers, pepperoncini, spinach, and dairy-free mozzarella, The Vegan Metro is the ultimate pie for pizza night! Grab a slice and chow down.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 slices
    Calories 141 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 15-inch prepared pizza crust
    • 2 cups vegan meatballs (about 5 or 6)
    • 2 teaspoons neutral-flavored vegetable oil
    • 5 ounces baby spinach, arugula, or baby kale coarsely chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 cup tomato sauce or more to taste
    • ½ cup dairy-free mozzarella cheese sliced or shredded
    • ½ cup roasted red peppers chopped
    • ¼ cup olives sliced
    • ¼ cup pepperoncini peppers chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 450°. Place the prepared pizza crust on a pizza pan or pizza stone.
    • Cut each vegan meatball into 3 or 4 slices. If you’re making homemade meatballs, shape them into flat disks rather than round balls.
    • Add one teaspoon of oil to a pan over medium-high heat and cook the meatballs until they’ve browned on each side, about 2 minutes each side. Remove them from the heat and set aside.
    • Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the same pan, and add the spinach and garlic. Cook until the garlic wilts, about 2 more minutes.
    • To prepare the pizza, spread the tomato sauce on the crust, and then distribute the spinach evenly top of it. Then add the cheese, meatball slices, roasted red peppers, olives, and pepperoncini peppers, distributing everything evenly.
    • Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted. Be careful not to burn the crust.
    • Slice into 8 equal pieces.
    Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1869IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!

    Originally posted June 8, 2016. Updated March 23, 2022.

    pizza slices on paddle with tomatoes, garlic, olives, and peppers

    More vegan pizza recipes you  might enjoy include:

    • Brussels Sprouts Pizza
    • Peaceful Potato, Pesto, and Arugula Pizza
    • Kale and Sweet Potato Pizza
    • Green and White Pizza
    Vegan Green and White Pizza on pizza paddle
    « Vegetable Stir-Fry with Spicy Orange-Sesame Sauce
    Asparagus and Tomato Tart with Cashew Ricotta »

    About Dianne

    Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Becky Striepe

      June 08, 2016 at 12:35 pm

      Oh my goodness, this looks like my kind of pizza!

    2. Dianne

      June 08, 2016 at 1:03 pm

      Thank you, Becky!

    3. Cadry

      June 08, 2016 at 1:13 pm

      Oh, it's such a bummer when it happens that you've eaten something again and again at a restaurant and only find out later that the servers either didn't know or weren't being upfront with you that it wasn't vegan. I've had that happen a couple of times at Thai restaurants where I later learned than they always use pre-made chili pastes that include fish. I'm glad someone finally told me, but it's very annoying since I always tell them, "No fish sauce, no oyster sauce." Obviously that means I don't want it anywhere in the dish. Like you, I inevitably frequent those places less and less, because I no longer have faith that I can believe them.

      At any rate, that looks like one delicious pizza! I would be all over that. 🙂

    4. Dianne

      June 08, 2016 at 1:14 pm

      Ugh. I'm pretty sure all vegans have a story like that. So frustrating!

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    Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz, a Board-Certified Health Vegan Health and Lifestyle Coach. I empower my clients to build new habits so they can reach their healthy living goals. I love to show others how easy it is to live a vegan lifestyle as well as how to cook deliciously easy plant-based meals. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

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