Renaissance Pizza

This vegetarian pizza skips the cheese-forward American template and leans vegetable-heavy, with a slow-simmered tomato sauce built from grated carrots, onion, celery, and garlic that cooks down for a full hour or two. That long simmer is what gives the sauce depth; carrots especially break down into natural sweetness, so the sauce tastes rounded without needing sugar.

The crust blends cake flour and all-purpose flour in equal parts, which produces a softer, more tender bite than a straight bread-flour dough. A quick 5-minute prebake sets the gluten before the sauce and toppings hit, keeping the bottom crisp instead of soggy. The vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, onion, mushroom) get sauteed before going on the pie, driving off excess moisture and giving them a head start on caramelization.

Chef Tips

• Prebake the crusts even if the dough looks done. A bare 5 minutes locks the structure and prevents the dreaded soggy middle.
• Sprinkle cornmeal on the pans for crunch and easy release. Plain oil leaves the bottom slick.
• Pre-sauteing the vegetables is worth the extra pan. Raw broccoli and cauliflower never fully cook through in a 10-minute pizza bake.
• Watch the bake time. The recipe suggests 10 minutes but notes 20 or more is often needed; check for melted toppings and a browned crust edge.
• Use real sugar or honey if you’d rather skip the artificial sweetener in the sauce.

Variations

• Add vegan mozzarella or real mozzarella if dairy is an option.
• Top with pitted olives and roasted red peppers for a Mediterranean slant.
• Finish with a drizzle of basil pesto after baking for a bright herbaceous hit.