Delicious Vegan Sloppy Joe Pizza

Two comfort-food classics collide in this hearty vegan pizza: the saucy, savory spirit of a sloppy joe piled onto a homemade crust. It’s proof that plant-based pizza can be every bit as satisfying as the meaty kind.

The star is the BTB, or ‘better-than-burger,' topping, a crumble of tofu and rolled oats seasoned with soy sauce, then browned with onions and the sloppy-joe flavors of ketchup, mustard, and molasses. It crisps and browns like seasoned ground meat.

The crust is made from scratch with a whole wheat and bread flour blend and a clever vegan buttermilk (non-dairy milk soured with vinegar) for tenderness. Par-baking it before topping keeps it from going soggy under the saucy load.

Spread on meatless tomato sauce, scatter sauteed onions, peppers, and mushrooms, crown it with the crumble, and bake until the crust is golden.

Kitchen Tips

• Par-bake the crust before topping so it crisps and doesn’t turn soggy under the sauce and crumble.
• Let the tofu-oat mixture sit 15 minutes so the oats hydrate and bind the crumble before browning.
• Brown the crumble well in a sprayed pan for that meaty, savory texture.
• Use any meatless marinara, and saute the vegetables first so they’re tender on the finished pizza.

Variations

• Add vegan cheese shreds for a melty, classic pizza finish.
• Stir barbecue sauce into the crumble for a smokier, sweeter sloppy-joe flavor.
• Use a store-bought crust to save time.