Vegan Pepperoni Pan Pizza

Pan pizza makes me think of Pizza Hut and hitting my reading goals in elementary…anyone else? Well, pan pizza can definitely be a lot tastier than Pizza Hut AND we can make it 100% dairy-free. And today I am going to show you how to make Vegan Pepperoni Pan Pizza! The crust is thick and crispy on the edges. The cheese is gooey. And the vegan pepperoni are crispy. Perfect recipe for pizza night at home!

Step One: Prep the Dough

When it comes to pizza dough, you can definitely make your own. But I like to keep this step extra simple and just buy pre-made dough. You can find it at just about any grocery store, but I got mine at Trader Joe’s.

You want to let the dough come to room temperature – this will make it easy to stretch when we make the pizza.

The other key to this recipe is having a HOT oven. So, while the dough is resting, you’ll also want to crank up the oven.

Step Two: Crisp the Pepperoni

While the dough is resting and the oven is heating up, you can go ahead and crisp up the vegan pepperoni. This isn’t a necessary step, but I think it makes the pepperoni taste so much better!

Heat some olive oil in a skillet and add the vegan pepperoni (I also got the pepperoni at Trader Joe’s). Allow it to crisp up on both sides. This should only take a couple minutes per side.

Remove the pepperoni from the skillet and allow it to cool.

Step Three: Assemble & Bake

And now it is time to assemble! Oil the cast iron skillet – you don’t need a lot of oil, but you want the sides and bottom to be slick. Add the dough to the cast iron and drizzle a little more oil over it.

Use your hands to stretch the dough to the edges of the skillet – it doesn’t need to go up the sides of the skillet, just touching the edges.

Add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning to the dough. Add half of the vegan mozzarella, making sure it goes all the way to the edges. Add dollops of marinara over the cheese, do not spread it out though. Add the rest of the cheese and finish with the pepperoni.

Place the pizza in the bottom third of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. If you want the top to be crispier, move the pizza to the top rack for the last couple minutes of cooking.

Step Four: Serve

Remove the pizza from the oven and carefully run a knife around the edges. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 6 pieces.

I like to top mine with grated parmesan & fresh basil. You could also add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you like some spice.

This pizza is cheesy, crispy, comfort food. A recipe the whole family will love – and the leftovers aren’t bad either!

Tips & Tricks

If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can also use a dutch oven or a baking dish. You won’t get the same exact crust, but it will still be delicious!

This pizza is meant to have less sauce so that it doesn’t weigh down the crust.