BBQ Tofu Pizza

Prepare this simple and delicious vegan BBQ tofu pizza in minutes with a smoky BBQ sauce, and a versatile spiced tofu, tomato, and pineapple topping! Enjoy with a pre-made pizza dough/crust, flatbread, or make your own for a fuss-free, low-budget BBQ vegan pizza!

The Ingredients for BBQ Tofu Pizza

This BBQ sauce pizza recipe requires very few ingredients, most of which are highly versatile, including:

• Pizza dough: There are plenty of base options to choose from for this vegan pizza recipe. Use gluten-free if necessary. You could use:
  1. Pre-made pizza dough
  2. Par-baked pizza crust
  3. Flatbread vegan pizza (using naan or Greek pita)
  4. Homemade pizza dough (i.e., this vegan calzone dough or this rapid rise pizza)
  5. Low-carb cauliflower pizza crust
• BBQ sauce: Use the barbecue sauce of your choice or make your own.
• Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu (pressed and diced) as it holds its shape. Alternatively, you could use your choice of vegan ‘chickn’ alternative as chunks, strips, or even shredded.
• Cajun seasoning: To season the tofu for this veggie BBQ pizza.
• Tomato: Use a diced regular tomato OR cherry/grape tomatoes halved or quartered.
• Spinach: It’s best to use baby spinach for this veggie BBQ pizza.
• Pineapple: I recommend using fresh pineapple for this vegan pineapple pizza. If using canned, drain it as well as possible and pat dry. If you’re not a fan of pineapple on pizza, you can also omit it entirely.

Optional Vegan Pizza Toppings:

This vegan BBQ pizza is incredibly versatile. Here are just a few ways to adapt or add to the recipe.

• Other vegetables: Here are some of my top veggies for a delicious veggie BBQ pizza.
  1. Sweet corn
  2. Diced bell pepper
  3. Finely chopped red onion
  4. Caramelized onion
  5. Sliced mushrooms or roasted mushrooms
  6. Grilled/roasted zucchini
  7. Grilled/roasted eggplant
  8. Chickpeas (seasoned or tossed in BBQ sauce)
  9. Roasted cauliflower
• Vegan Cheese: If you have some, add a melty vegan mozzarella or a smoked vegan cheese like Follow Your Heart smoked gouda.
• Vegan ham: Swap out the tofu for vegan ham (or vegan bacon) for a ‘Hawaiian’ vegan BBQ pineapple pizza. Alternatively, try using smoked seitan.
• Cumin: Add a pinch to the BBQ sauce to add depth. Smoked paprika is also delicious, and/or some cayenne pepper for heat.
• Herbs: You could sprinkle the baked BBQ pineapple pizza with finely chopped fresh parsley, green onions, or fresh cilantro.
• Spice: Add thin slices of jalapeno across the pizza for more of a kick. Alternatively, mix a little sriracha/chili sauce with BBQ sauce.
• Smoked tofu: If you want to omit the spicy tofu seasoning, you could use smoked tofu instead to add another layer of smokiness to the BBQ sauce pizza.
• Vegan ranch dressing: Drizzle the BBQ pineapple pizza with the ranch before serving.
• Avocado sauce: A drizzle of creamy avocado dressing would also pair well with the sweet and smoky flavors of the BBQ tofu pizza.
• Vegan garlic butter: With a combination of garlic, vegan butter, and parsley, brush the edges of the crust before baking the homemade vegan pizza for extra flavor.

My favorite additions building from the base recipe are a combination of red onion slices, sweet corn, and a sprinkle of finely chopped cilantro after baking, with or without a dairy-free cheese. However, experiment with the toppings however you please.

How to Make Vegan BBQ Pizza?

If you’re planning to make the vegan pizza dough from scratch, then you’ll need to do that first. Otherwise:

For a vegan BBQ ‘shredded chickn’ pizza, shred the tofu using the large holes on a box grater.

Toni’s Recipe Tips and Notes

• Ensure the dough isn’t too thick: If you’re using dough rather than a par-baked crust, make sure that you shape it nice and thin (¼-inch maximum) so it crisps up in the oven.
• Experiment with toppings: There are many ways to adapt this recipe to your liking. Adjust the crust, base, toppings, etc. I’ve included a list of possibilities.
• Distribute the toppings evenly: That way, you won’t end up with any softer, ‘wet’ patches or dull, empty patches. It’s also important not to overload the veggie BBQ pizza with toppings, or it may not cook through properly.
• If you have a pizza stone, use it: This will help achieve a super crispy base.
• To reduce carbs: Experiment with low-carb pizza crusts like a cauliflower pizza crust.
• For more BBQ flavor: Marinate the tofu in BBQ sauce, too, for a more traditional ‘BBQ chickn’ style topping, rather than the Cajun spices.
• For a soy-free vegan pizza recipe: Substitute the tofu for shredded jackfruit, chickpeas, or more veggies like cauliflower (either seasoned with the Cajun seasoning or tossed with BBQ sauce).

FAQs for Vegan BBQ Pizza

Enjoy the homemade vegan pizza alone as a hearty meal or enjoy a slice or two with sides such as:

• Salad: Like this simple chickpea kale salad, shredded Brussel sprout salad, a simple vegan Caesar salad, etc.
• Fries: i.e., baked sesame fries, carrot fries, zucchini fries, garlic parsley fries, etc.
• Sides: Serve up with dishes like potato salad or coleslaw.
• Game Day: You can also enjoy the BBQ pizza on game days as part of an appetizer spread with other dishes like buffalo cauliflower wings, onion rings, and other vegan finger food.

Storage Instructions for Vegan BBQ Pizza

Fridge: Once baked, store any leftover BBQ pineapple pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Reheat: You can reheat the cheese-less pizza in the microwave in 1-minute increments until heated through. Alternatively, reheat them in the oven at 300C/150C until warm (7-10 minutes).

More Delicious Vegan Pizza Recipes

Vegan Dinners

Mediterranean Hummus Pizza without Cheese (+ Multiple Topping Options)

Vegan Dinners

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

Vegan Dinners

Vegan Thai Pizza Recipe

Vegan Lunches

Vegan Pizza Rolls

If you tried this BBQ tofu pizza recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla