If you are feeling ambitious go ahead and pair this loaded pizza with a side of this lovely Caprese antipasto 2 ways – avocado salad and bruschetta. and this Vegan Minestrone Soup. If you are hosting a dinner party then this creamy Spinach Sauce Penne Pasta will pair well with the pizza. For an extravagant feast do consider making my make ahead of time Eggless Tiramisu Poke Cake.
Pizza nights are the best!!! If I ask my son what he wants for dinner, he says “Pizza!!” every single day. Though I don’t make Pizza every day, it is on the menu once in 10 days. Sure you can get takeout but it is not healthy if you are eating pizza frequently. One thing I love about making pizza at home is that you have control over the ingredients. Isn’t that true for all recipes? I have the power to swap whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour. I can use multi-grain flour to make the pizza base. Use the best organic vegetables and cheese. It isn’t junk anymore when you make pizza from scratch using better for you ingredients. All this is only possible in a homemade pizza. I promise that making pizza dough at home is easier than rolling out rotis. If you have a stand mixer or a food processor, just put all ingredients in there. There is no mess and no sweat. If you don’t have these gadgets then making the dough by hands will take you just 10 extra minutes. So please try this recipe and make memories at your dinner table.
Let’s talk about Pizza Toppings
Classic Cheese Pizza is everyone’s favorite. My favorite is Caprese i.e tomatoes, a combination of fresh and shredded mozzarella cheese and basil on top. Quick tip – Just go to your favorite pizza restaurant website and see what combinations they have on the menu and use it as inspiration. You can make Speciality pizza like Hawaiian pizza with pineapple, jalapenos, onions, and cheese. OR Paneer Tikka Pizza for a desi touch. What about cheese? Mozarella is preferred by everyone. It melts well and is stretchy. You can use Mexican cheese blend, Amul or Britania cheese or any of your favorite cheese that melts well on the pizza.
Something special after baking
Once the pizza is out of the oven, consider adding extra flavoring like parmesan, Italian herb blend, garlic salt, chili flakes, a pesto drizzle or balsamic reduction to give that pro home chef touch to your creation. No one will be able to resist your tasty pizza!!
Step by step method to make a light and crispy whole-wheat pizza at home:
Heat up the water until it’s lukewarm on a stovetop or microwave. In a small bowl take out ¼ cup lukewarm water in which we will activate the yeast. Add the sugar to the water and stir well. Sprinkle one entire package of yeast on it and gently mix it with a fork to dissolve. Cover the bowl and let it stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile add 3 cups of flour, salt, garlic powder in a stand mixer with dough attachment or in a food processor. Give the dry ingredients a good mix for 5 seconds on low speed. Now add the oil. After 10 minutes check on the yeast mixture. The yeast is activated when the mixture is foamy, smells fermented and is ready to use. Add the yeast mixture to the flour. Turn the mixer onto low speed and gradually add the remaining water. Once all the water is added increase the speed to medium (No. 2 or 3 on a stand mixer) and continue to mix until a soft dough forms. Add more water if needed to form a soft dough, 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, and use your hands to shape it into a big ball. Grease it liberally with olive oil and place it back into the bowl covered with a moist towel to avoid the dough to dry out. Now place the bowl in a warm place like inside the oven with the oven light on. Do not switch on the oven for baking. Or near the window on bright sunny days. You can also place it in an Instant Pot, on yogurt mode for warmth. Close it with the lid (black knob on venting position). You may just cover the Instant Pot with any other external lid when it is on yogurt mode and not under pressure. Let it rise for 1- 2 hours until the dough has nearly doubled in size. Check at 1-hour mark. Meanwhile, prepare your pizza toppings. Once the dough is done proofing gently fist it down to deflate it. Whole Wheat Pizza dough is now ready to use.
Preheating the oven is very important
Adjust the oven rack one level lower than the middle section of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 F / 225 degrees C for 20 minutes at least. The oven needs to be very hot.
The best method to make whole wheat pizza crust
You may choose to roll the dough or gently stretch by your fingers. I feel rolling the dough makes whole wheat pizza base a bit tough as all bubbles are lost. Gently pushing it out with your fingers retains the light texture of the pizza base. This is how you will make it –
Prepare the pizza pan by greasing it lightly with oil and sprinkling some cornmeal or rawa. Place the dough flat on the prepared baking dish or a pizza pan. Dip your fingers in some oil and start flattening and pushing the dough out working from the center. Stretch the dough out gently using your fingers and palms to cover the entire baking tray like in the video.
Keep in mind –
Adjust the thickness of the pizza crust to your preference – Think thick, medium or thin crust! Remember the dough will fluff up, nearly doubling upon baking. Brush the crust with some olive oil, including the edges. At this point can choose to bake the pizza crust for 5 minutes before putting on the toppings. This will result in a crispy pizza too. Or just go ahead with the sauce.
The order of toppings matter.
Important!
Do not overload the pizza with sauce and toppings to avoid the soggy outcome.
The ideal temperature to bake pizza at home –
Baking at 450 degrees F works for me. Some like 475 degrees F too. For the thick crust, bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown, the cheese is melted. For thin-crust pizza, prick the base a few times with a fork or press in dimples with your fingers to avoid pizza to fluff up a lot. Bake for 15-16 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown, the cheese is melted and the toppings look cooked.
Once done, carefully remove the baking dish. Cut the pizza into slices and serve with some fresh basil, pesto drizzle or parmesan on the top.
Useful tips to make the best whole wheat pizza at home
Yeast is heat sensitive. Hot water will kill it and it won’t bloom if the water is cold. Use lukewarm water throughout the recipe. Adding sugar to the water is necessary to activate the yeast. Yeast needs to foam up. If it doesn’t then discard and start again. Proof the dough in a warm place. Preheat the oven for 20 minutes at least. The pizza bakes the best in a very hot oven. Bake on a rack lower to the middle rack of the oven, closer to the heating element. Do not overload the pizza with sauce or toppings. It will make the pizza soggy.
Things you need to know!
Best way to store Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Divide the dough into two balls, flatten it, coat it generously with olive oil. Then wrap it with plastic wrap and place it in a ziplock bag taking out as much air as possible and freeze it up to 3 months.
How to Thaw Frozen Pizza Dough?
Thaw the pizza dough in the refrigerator overnight or for 6 hours at least. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to rest over the counter just 30 minutes to 1 hour before you plan to bake it.
Best way to store leftover pizza slices
Leftover pizza slices make great lunch. I store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Next day I microwave the slices for 30 seconds and then cook them covered on low heat in a pan on a stovetop until cheese has melted and the base is crunchy. You can even freeze leftover pizza slices individually in zip lock bags, squeezing as much air out as possible. Stays good up to 1 month. Simply thaw them on defrost mode in a microwave and then cook them covered on low heat in a pan or a skillet on a stovetop until cheese has melted and the base is crunchy.
How to make vegan pizza dough at home?
The pizza dough recipe is completely vegan. Add vegan cheese. I haven’t tried making gluten-free pizza dough yet!
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Recipes that pair well with Pizza –
Restaurant style Alfredo pesto sauce pasta Meatless cheese balls with Whole Grain Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Vegan Pasta Primavera with roasted vegetables Mexican salad with kale and santa fe dressing (vegan + gf ) Asparagus strawberries goat cheese crostini with balsamic glaze Spaghetti Arrabbiata
Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Crust Recipe
