Simple Homemade Veggie Pizza

You do not need specialty flours, a pizza stone, or fancy kitchen gadgets to make an incredible homemade veggie pizza. This easy recipe uses everyday staples straight from your pantry and fridge: plain all-purpose flour, instant yeast, canned crushed tomatoes, shredded mozzarella cheese, and common fresh vegetables like button mushrooms, bell pepper, and red onion. Baked on a lightly oiled standard metal baking tray, it delivers a crisp golden crust, sweet savoury tomato sauce, tender roasted vegetables, and bubbly melted cheese that the whole family will love.

Useful tools: A standard metal baking tray and an everyday pizza cutter wheel make baking and slicing simple. These are Amazon affiliate links; Pizza 0 may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain all-purpose flour (approx. 280 g)
• 1 packet instant dried yeast (7 g or 2 level teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon white sugar (to feed and activate the yeast)
• 1 teaspoon fine table salt
• 0.75 cup lukewarm tap water (comfortable to the touch, not hot)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or everyday vegetable oil), plus 1 teaspoon for greasing the tray
• 0.5 cup canned crushed tomatoes (or everyday tomato passata)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (gives the sauce rich body and flavour)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or mixed Italian herbs)
• 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 small clove fresh garlic, finely minced)
• 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or a mix of mozzarella and tasty cheddar)
• 0.5 cup button mushrooms (approx. 3–4 medium mushrooms), thinly sliced
• 0.5 cup red or green bell pepper (capsicum), cut into thin strips
• 0.25 cup red onion (or brown onion), thinly sliced into half-moons
• 2 tablespoons canned sweet corn kernels (or sliced black olives), drained and patted dry
• 1 pinch salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 pinch dried oregano (for sprinkling over the top)

Method

1. Mix the simple dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the plain flour, instant dried yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in the lukewarm water and 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or fork until the mixture comes together into a soft, shaggy dough ball.
2. Knead and bench rest: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured kitchen bench. Knead gently with your hands for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a clean cotton kitchen tea towel, and leave it on the counter to rest for 20 minutes while you prepare the oven and toppings.
3. Preheat the oven and grease the tray: Heat your home oven to 220°C (425°F / Fan 200°C). Pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil onto a standard metal baking tray and spread it evenly across the surface with your fingertips or kitchen paper towel. This light oil coating stops the base from sticking and crisps the bottom of the crust to a deep golden finish.
4. Stir together the quick no-cook sauce: In a small cup or bowl, mix together the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Stir well until smooth—no cooking required.
5. Prep the vegetables: Slice the mushrooms, bell pepper, and red onion thinly. Pat the sliced mushrooms and canned corn gently with a sheet of kitchen paper towel to absorb any surface moisture. Slicing the vegetables thin ensures they cook tender and sweet in the 15 minutes of baking time without making the pizza base soggy.
6. Shape the pizza base: Transfer the rested dough ball directly onto the centre of your oiled metal baking tray. Using the palms of your hands and fingertips, gently press and stretch the dough outward from the centre toward the edges until it forms a roughly 30 cm (12-inch) round or oval shape. Leave a slightly thicker rim around the edge for the crust. If the dough springs back, let it rest for 2 minutes and it will stretch out easily.
7. Add sauce, cheese, and vegetables: Spoon the sauce onto the centre of the dough and spread it outwards in gentle circles with the back of your spoon, leaving a clean border around the crust. Scatter the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Arrange the sliced mushrooms, bell pepper strips, red onion, and sweet corn evenly across the cheese so every slice gets a balanced variety of toppings. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of dried oregano over the top.
8. Bake until bubbling and golden: Place the tray onto the lower-middle rack of your preheated oven. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the crust edges are deep golden-brown, the cheese is bubbling with toasted spots, and the vegetables are tender with lightly roasted edges.
9. Rest, slice, and enjoy: Carefully remove the tray from the oven using oven mitts. Let the pizza rest on the tray for 2 minutes so the hot cheese sets nicely, then cut into 8 wedges with a pizza cutter wheel and serve warm.