Is Friday night pizza night a thing in most homes? It's something I've done forever, because pizza never gets old! But pizza slices got boring, so I mixed it up. Enter pizza buns! These buns are fun to make, and to eat. They are fully customizable to your preferences. Not to mention, you'll be surprised at how easy they are to make.
Firstly, I know pizza has a bad reputation for not being 'healthy'. As a dietitian, I'm here to assure you, pizza can absolutely be healthy, and it can and should be enjoyed without being demonized. That goes for most foods.
Of course, if you ate only pizza for every meal for the rest of your life, we might need to have a chat. But enjoying pizza once a week (maybe twice a week, if you're like me and you have the leftovers for breakfast and/or lunch), isn't a big deal.
Especially if pizza is homemade, like these pizza buns are, you have full control over the ingredients you're using.
The crust/dough provides healthy carbohydrates (and if you use whole wheat flour, it will add some additional fibre). The cheese provides some protein (dairy-free cheese will provide smaller amounts), and if you add some olives or sun-dried tomatoes, you'll add some healthy fats.
Finally, to bump up the nutritional value, I like to enjoy pizza with a big salad. This will add some much needed colour, micronutrients, and fibre.
Anywho, enough about the nutritional value of pizza, let's jump into the recipe!
If you're looking for even more recipe ideas, with healthy, plant-based focus? Check out some of my other recipes here.
Pizza Buns FAQs
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance. Store it covered in the fridge, then let it come to room temperature before stretching and rolling.
Can I use store-bought pizza dough?
Absolutely. If you’re short on time, store-bought dough works great. Just roll it out into a rectangle and follow the same assembling and baking instructions.
What toppings work best for pizza buns?
Almost anything goes. Classic tomato sauce and cheese, pesto, olives, veggie bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted veggies, or dairy-free cheese all work well. Just avoid overly watery toppings so the buns stay structured.
How do I keep the buns from unrolling while baking?
Pack the slices tightly into the baking dish so they support each other. A serrated knife also helps keep the roll clean and intact when you slice them.
Can I freeze pizza buns?
Yes. Baked buns freeze very well. Let them cool, then freeze in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until warm and slightly crispy.
Pizza Buns
Equipment
- 1 9x9 Glass baking dish
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ¼ cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour (most for dusting)
Toppings
- black olives
- veggie bacon
- sun-dried tomatoes
- pesto
- cheese of choice, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon margarine, melted (more for greasing your dish)
Instructions
- Combine water, yeast, oil and syrup in a bowl. Wait 5 minutes for yeast to bubble.
- Add salt and flour. Mix by hand in bowl until most of the time flour is incorporated.
- Transfer dough to a lightly dusted surface, knead dough until it's elastic and smooth, and no longer sticky (a couple minutes).
- Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rest about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- While resting, prep your toppings. I did a pesto pizza, but you can make whatever you want - tomato sauce & cheese, or something more fancy.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F and lightly grease a 9x9 glass baking dish.
- Once dough has doubled in size, transfer to a lightly dusted surface.
- Stretch (or roll out with a rolling pin) the dough out into a rectangle (about 13" x 16"). You don't want it too thin. If your dough is ripping, stretch it as much as you can, and then let it rest for 5 mins. Come back, and stretch it the remainder of the way.
- Dress your dough with your sauce and toppings. Spread your sauce and toppings right to the edge.
- Starting at one of the shorter ends, roll your dough until it's rolled up completely.
- Using a serrated knife, cut into 1" slices and place in your greased dish. Pack them tightly. Any extras can go on a greased cooking sheet. The more toppings you use, the fewer will fit in the dish.
- Brush the tops with garlic butter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Rotate throughout the bake.
- Let cool 5-10 minutes in the dish, and then remove and let cool on a wire rack another 5 minutes.
- Serve with a salad, and a dip!
Nutrition
Do you want to become a more confident plant-based home cook? And learn how to eat plant-based in the ‘right’ way? My self-paced online course might be perfect for you! Plant-Based Cooking Made Easy provides a step-by-step guide to help you become a more confident plant-based home cook.
If you want to learn more about me and what I do, follow me on social media, @harvesttablenutrition on IG and Facebook. Follow along for plant-based nutrition tips & tricks, recipe ideas and much more!
My new favourite way to eat pizza! Give this recipe a try, and let me know if you love it!