Vegan Vegetable Air Fryer Tofu Crust Pizza
Today we are making a Vegan Vegetable Air Fryer Tofu Crust Pizza! This tofu pizza crust is made of just one ingredient – tofu! Thick slices of tofu cut into rectangles, topped with fresh vegetables, pizza sauce and vegan cheese.
It doesn’t require an oven, any mixing of ingredients or any gourmet vegan food items. Just one air fryer and all your favorite pizza toppings!
Unlike Traditional Pizza
Pizza is one of the most popular foods around the world, loved for its versatility and ability to bring people together. However, traditional pizza often relies on animal-based ingredients like cheese and meat, or gluten-based dough. This usually makes it off-limits for those following a vegan or gluten-free diet.
That’s where this Vegan Vegetable Air Fryer Tofu Crust Pizza comes in! It offers a delicious and cruelty-free alternative that doesn’t compromise on taste.
The tofu crust is a new way of making a pizza base, providing a surprisingly satisfying base that perfectly mimics the texture of a traditional pizza crust. It’s incredibly easy to make – just slice the tofu into thick rectangles and place them in the air fryer until they turn golden and crispy. The result is a light, crispy, and protein-packed crust that acts as a blank canvas for your favorite toppings.
So maybe you’re in need of a quick meal but don’t have ingredients to make a full pizza crust. Or, you just want an easy recipe that’s similar to a pizza but is gluten-free and vegan. Or maybe you just want to try something new. Either way, you’ll definitely want to make this recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Vegetable Air Fryer Tofu Crust Pizza
High-Protein: The tofu crust in this Vegan Vegetable Air Fryer Tofu Crust Pizza is not only incredibly delicious but also packed with protein. Tofu is a fantastic plant-based protein source, making this pizza a satisfying and nutritious meal option that will leave you feeling full but not tired. It’s a great way to fuel your body while also getting in pizza – who said we can’t be indulgent and healthy at the same time?!
Mess-Free: Since this crust is just one ingredient – tofu – it doesn’t require any mixing of homemade pizza dough ingredients, or any time to let the dough rise.
The tofu crust cooks directly in the air fryer basket, reducing the need for additional pans or cleanup. It’s a hassle-free cooking method that allows you to enjoy your pizza without worrying about a messy kitchen.
Plus, because of the lack of a hard crust, you can easily eat this pizza with a fork and knife, or cut it into small pieces for children. It’s mess-free to cook and to eat!
Substitutions
Mushrooms & Bell Pepper: This combination went well on the pizza, but you can use any other vegetables you wish. I avoided using veggies that may take longer to cook, so they aren’t still cooking while the tofu is getting too crispy (like eggplant or broccoli). Mushrooms and bell peppers cook very easily as toppings, and don’t contain much water (like pineapple or cherry tomatoes would).
Fresh Cilantro (Coriander): Use other fresh herbs as desired, like rosemary, basil, parsley, mint or other.
Sauce: Check the ingredient label to make sure there are no animal products in the sauce. For example, eggs, seafood, dairy or other. You can use pasta or pizza sauce. I prefer a tomato garlic marinara sauce instead, for more flavor rather than just a plain pizza tomato sauce.
Tofu: Make sure to buy extra firm tofu. This is the tofu with the least water content and is the best type for pizza. Firm tofu may work instead of extra-firm, but it may not hold together as well.
Cheese: Use any brand of vegan cheese. Alternatively, you can skip the cheese and make sauce and vegetable-only pizza! There’s a ton of vegan cheese brands out there now, from Daiya, Kite Hill, Babybel, Violife (their mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese options are both my favorites for pizza) and more!
Tofu Crust Pizza Recipe Notes
- To switch it up, try brushing on vegan garlic butter or vegan white sauce instead of a pizza sauce base.
- This is a great way to use up fresh herbs from the garden, like basil or spinach!
- Add extra flavors! For example, red onion, green olives, black olives, red pepper flakes or other toppings. Drizzle on sriracha sauce, hot sauce or barbecue sauce to make a BBQ tofu pizza!
- To make the tofu even crispier, place tofu in a tofu press or wrap it in a paper towel and place heavy books on it for a few hours to drain excess moisture. This step isn’t necessary, but it makes for a crispier pizza if time permits.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Sweet Potato Lasagna with Homemade Tofu Ricotta
Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo (No Nuts)
Brown Rice Pizza Crust with Homemade Tapioca Cheese
Gigi Hadid Pasta (without Vodka)
If you make this vegan Vegetable Air Fryer Tofu Crust Pizza recipe, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
Vegan Vegetable Air Fryer Tofu Crust Pizza
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- oil for greasing
- 1 block extra-firm tofu
- vegan pizza sauce or vegan pasta sauce
- vegan cheese grated
- green pepper sliced lengthwise
- mushrooms sliced
- fresh coriander chopped
- pink salt if desired
Instructions
- Note: I didn't count exactly how much of each ingredient I used when making the pizzas, so you can eyeball it. Make sure the layers for the sauce and vegetables aren't too thick, or they won't cook properly.
- First, cut the tofu into medium-thick slices, as in the photos.
- Add on the sauce. If extra salt is desired in the pizza sauce, sprinkle on some pink salt.
- Add on the vegetables and then the cheese on top. Reserve the coriander for later.
- Grease the bottom of your air fryer with a little bit of neutral- or mild-tasting oil (eg. avocado oil, olive oil) or vegan butter.
- Arrange the tofu slices in a single, even layer in the air fryer. You may have to do this 2-3 times depending on how much space is in your air fryer at once.
- Air fry it at 375F for 7-8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and tofu is golden brown.
- Sprinkle on the chopped coriander when serving the pizza. Add on any additional seasonings if desired.
- Enjoy warm!
Notes
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Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat in the air fryer at 375F for a few minutes. Stop and air fryer often until the tofu reaches the desired temperature.
