Vegan Detroit-Style Pizza
Detroit-style pizza has a devoted following for good reason — that thick, airy crust, the caramelized cheese crust creeping up the pan walls, and those bold stripes of tomato sauce on top are genuinely hard to resist. This version delivers every bit of that experience without any animal products, making it a serious crowd-pleaser for a table of six. The dough is intentionally wetter than a typical pizza dough, which is exactly what gives it that open, pillowy crumb once it bakes up in a well-oiled metal pan. Pressing the vegan cheese all the way to the edges is the real move here — it melts against the hot pan walls and caramelizes into those irresistible crispy, golden borders that define the style. The sauce gets a proper simmer with garlic, oregano, and crushed whole peeled tomatoes, so it's thick and deeply flavored rather than watery or flat. Baking on the lower rack at high heat locks in a dark, crisp underside while the top stays bubbly and golden. Finish with fresh basil and a pinch of red pepper flakes and you've got a pizza that needs absolutely no explanation or apology.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the dough
- 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°f / 43°c)
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
For the sauce
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the topping
- 2 cups vegan cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan
For serving
- fresh basil leaves (optional)
- red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar in a large mixing bowl and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy and fragrant.
- 2
Add the bread flour, kosher salt, and 2 tbsp of the olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms with no dry flour remaining — it will be wetter than a typical pizza dough.
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