Pizza Focaccia (Vegan)

A soft, crispy, airy focaccia that becomes the base for your favorite pizza toppings. A delicious, fun and completely plant-based twist on pizza.

Focaccia is a fantastic choice for a homemade pizza base, offering a crispy crust and a soft, fluffy interior. Pile on your favorite toppings, and you’ve got a slice to remember. My favorite combination features pepperoni, gooey mozzarella, earthy mushrooms, and sweet red onions. Making it vegan is super easy with so many plant-based ingredients to choose from. This pizza strikes the perfect harmony between chewy, crispy, tender, and savory. The focaccia is easy to prepare, and the toppings are entirely up to your taste and creativity.

What you will need:

This focaccia is all about your favorite pizza toppings. I went with pepperoni, mushrooms, and red onions, but feel free to switch it up based on your cravings. No matter what you choose, all the ingredients for this recipe can be easily found at your local grocery store. I use rapid rise yeast in this recipe. Rapid rise does not need to be bloomed; it can be added directly into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Active rise yeast can also be used, just remember to bloom it first.

Focaccia

• bread flour
• salt
• rapid rise yeast
• olive oil

Toppings

• red onion
• mushrooms
• plant based mozzarella cheese – I used Violife just like Mozzarella Shreds
• plant based pepperoni – I used Tofurky Plant Based Pepp’Roni
• pizza sauce
• salt
• garlic powder

How to:

To begin, combine the flour, yeast and salt in a medium to large bowl. Combine the water and melted butter in a separate container. The water/butter needs to be between 105F and 115F. If it is too cold or too warm, it can kill the yeast. I suggest purchasing a thermometer, it makes things so much easier and more accurate. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is well incorporated; don’t worry if the dough appears slightly lumpy—it’s perfectly normal. Next, place the bowl inside a proofing bag (see the note below in the notes section) or simply cover it. Allow the dough to proof for 20 minutes. For an optimal proofing environment, I recommend placing the dough in a proofing bag and then setting the bag in the oven with only the oven light on. This method works well throughout the year and creates an ideal atmosphere for your dough to rise beautifully.

Please refer to the notes section below for a more detailed description of the proofing and folding process. After the dough has proofed for the first 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and its proofing bag, and perform the first set of eight folds. Keep a bowl of water nearby, as wet fingers will help prevent the dough from sticking too much. Return the dough to the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven for the second 20-minute proofing session.

Once the dough has proofed for the second 20 minutes, take the bag out of the oven and remove the dough from the bag. It’s time to complete the second set of eight folds. Return the dough to the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven.

The process of 20 minutes of proofing followed by eight folds will be repeated three more times, resulting in a total of five proofing and folding sessions. After the fifth proofing/folding session, place the bowl back into the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven (with only the oven light on) to proof for 20 minutes.

Once the last 20 minutes of proofing is done, generously grease a 9×13 baking pan with olive oil. Pour the dough into the pan and gently spread it out, taking care not to lose any air bubbles you’ve created. Place the pan inside a proofing bag and place the bag in the oven with only the oven light on. Allow the dough to proof in the oven for 1 hour.

Once the dough has finished proofing, remove it from the oven and take it out of its proofing bag. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Generously drizzle olive oil over the dough and sprinkle with salt. Spread the pizza sauce over the top of the dough. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese over the top of the sauce. Using your fingers, create dimples in the dough to form bubbles and pockets. Place pieces of pepperoni, red onion and mushroom slices over the top of the cheese. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over the top of the pizza along with a dash of garlic powder. Bake the focaccia for 30 minutes, or until it is browned and crispy. The edges should pull away from the sides of the pan. Once done, transfer the bread to a cooling rack. It is ready to be sliced and served. Store any leftover focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature.

Alright, let’s get started. Please make, bake and enjoy!

Pizza Focaccia (Vegan)

A soft, crispy, airy focaccia that becomes the base for your favorite pizza toppings. A delicious, fun and completely plant-based twist on pizza.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

proofing 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Servings 12 pieces

Ingredients

  

Focaccia

• 600 grams / 5 cups bread flour
• 600 mls water – 105F to 115F
• 10 grams / 3½ tsp rapid rise yeast
• 6 grams / 1½ tsp salt
• 2½ tbsp olive oil + extra for drizzling

Toppings

• ½ to ¾ cup pizza sauce
• plant based pepperoni – as much or as little as you want
• 1¼ cup plant based mozzarella cheese – 1 cup over the sauce and ¼ to sprinkle over the top before baking
• red onion -as much or as little as you want
• mushrooms – fresh or jar – I used about 4 fresh mushrooms.
• salt – sprinkle over the top
• garlic powder – sprinkle over the top

Instructions

 

Focaccia

• To a medium to large bowl, add the flour, yeast, and salt. Whisk to combine. Combine the water and olive oil – making sure the temperature is between 105F and 115F. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are fully combined. Its ok if it seems a little lumpy.

  Place the bowl in a "proofing bag" ***see note below in the notes section*** or cover the bowl and set the bowl aside to proof for 20 minutes.

  ***I place my dough in a proofing bag and place the bag in the oven with only the oven light on. No matter the time of year, I find it to be the perfect environment for proofing dough.
• ***Please see note below in the notes section for a more detailed description of the proofing/folding process.

  So the dough has proofed for its 1st 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and its proofing bag and do your 1st of eight folds. Keep a bowl of water nearby, wet fingers helps keep the dough from sticking too much. Return the dough to the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven for the 2nd 20 minute proofing session.

  The dough has proofed for the 2nd 20 minute session. Remove the bag from the oven and remove the dough from the bag. Time to complete the 2nd set of 8 folds. Return the bowl back to the proofing bag and return the bag back to the oven.

  This process of 20 minutes of proofing and 8 folds will be repeated 3 more times. After the 5th proof/fold, place the bowl back in the proofing bag and let the dough proof for 20 minutes.
• Generously oil a 9×13 pan.

  Once the last 20 minutes of proofing is done, pour the dough into the pan and gently spread it out – trying not to lose any bubbles you have created. Place the pan in the proofing bag, place the bag in the oven – again with only the oven light on. Leave the dough in the oven to proof for 1 hour.
• Once done proofing, remove the dough from the oven and its proofing bag.

  Preheat the oven to 425F.

  Drizzle the dough with a generous amount of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread the pizza sauce over the top of the dough. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over the top of the sauce. Using your fingers, "dimple" the dough creating bubbles and pockets. Place the pepperoni, mushrooms and red onion over the top of the cheese. Sprinkle the reserved ¼ cup of cheese and a dash of garlic powder over the top of the pizza.

  Bake the focaccia pizza for 30 minutes. You want it to be browned and crispy. It will also be separated from the sides of the pan. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack. It is best served warm.
• Store the focaccia in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Folding tutorial

Notes

***When it comes to proofing, I use what I call a “proofing ” bag.  I discovered that the large turkey roasting bags that you can get at the grocery store are great for using as a proofing bag. They are usually large enough to put different size bowls in (depending on how much dough I am working with) and medium size baking dishes inside of it.  I try to put whatever dish or pan I am baking the item in/on in the bag for the second proof.  During the cold months, I find the inside of the oven with the oven light on a great place to proof.  

***The “Folding” process – think of your bowl of dough as a clock. Starting at 12 o’clock, lift the dough up and lay it over the top of the dough moving from the 12 o’clock position to the 6 o’clock position. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees, gently lift up on the dough at the 12 o’clock position and lay it over the top of the dough moving toward the 6 o’clock position. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Repeat this whole process one more time. You should complete a total of 8 folds. This process will be done every 20 minutes for 2 hours.  In between folds, the bowl will be returned to the proofing bag and placed back in the oven.

quick timeline – 

proof for 20 minutes / 8 gentle folds

proof for 20 minutes / 8 gentle folds

proof for 20 minutes / 8 gentle folds – this should end the 1st hour of proofing

proof for 20 minutes / 8 gentle folds

proof for 20 minutes / 8 gentle folds

proof for 20 minutes – this ends the 2nd hour of proofing ( next step is to place the dough in the prepared pan)

***Remember, if you are using your oven to proof your dough, to take the proofing item out of the oven before setting the baking temperature.