Artichoke Mushroom Homemade Pizza
This artichoke mushroom homemade pizza pairs a soft, easy yeast base with marinated mushrooms, canned artichokes, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, and gorgonzola plus raclette cheese. The base is 100% vegan, so swap in vegan cheese for a fully plant-based pizza. It bakes at a minimum of 250C in about 10 to 15 minutes.
Confession time. I decided to change things on the blog a little and start posting ALL those everyday recipes I make for lunch or dinner, the ones I loved but never photographed properly because I was just TOO hungry to stop and set up my camera. I have so many recipes like this that I never shared because I felt the visuals were “not worthy” with no props, no proper light, and no fancy plating. I won’t let that stop me ever again.
So for this one, I only have a couple of photos taken with my phone, but what matters here is the taste and the actual recipe. I know most people get intimidated by making pizza, but trust me, doing it at home CAN be easy and fun. I was craving something more exotic and special than your regular salami or mozzarella pizza, so I started digging through my fridge and pantry to find ingredients that would pair well. That is how I ended up combining wild marinated mushrooms from a jar, tomatoes, artichokes, a few fresh basil leaves (mandatory when I make homemade pizza!), and some gorgonzola and raclette cheese.
This Recipe Works If You Need
- A weeknight dinner that uses pantry and jar ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- A pizza that feels more special than a basic salami or mozzarella pie without extra fuss.
- A base that happens to be 100% vegan, so you can make it plant-based by swapping the cheese.
- An easy way to use up canned artichokes, marinated mushrooms, and canned San Marzano tomatoes.
- Proof that you can bake real homemade pizza in any oven, electric or gas.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The flavor combo wins. What I love most about this pizza is how marinated mushrooms, tangy artichokes, sweet San Marzano tomatoes, and salty cheese play off each other. If you are a fan of artichokes like I am, your mind will be blown.
- The base is my go-to. I have experimented with different pizza base recipes over time, and this is the only one I use now. It comes together in a food processor and rises in 30 to 40 minutes.
- It is flexible on diet. The dough is fully vegan. Keep the dairy cheese as written or swap in vegan cheese for a vegan pizza.
- It works in any oven. I baked mine at 280C in an electric oven, but a gas oven capped at 250C does the job too with a couple extra minutes.
- It is forgiving with toppings. Do not like one of my picks or allergic to mushrooms? Omit it or swap it for something else and the pizza still works.
Ingredient Notes
Pizza flour is the backbone here, and I use 450 g (about 3 ½ cups). I recently discovered a flour from La Molisana made specifically for pizza, and if you can find it (the one with the red packaging) where you live, I totally recommend it. A flour with a bit more protein gives the dough the structure it needs to stretch without tearing. If you only have all-purpose flour, it still works, just handle the dough gently.
Dry yeast is what makes the base soft and airy. I bloom one packet with the brown sugar in warm water first. The water should feel warm to the touch, not hot, because water that is too hot kills the yeast and your dough will not rise. You know the yeast is alive and ready when bubbles start forming on the surface after a few minutes.
Brown sugar does more than sweeten. It feeds the yeast so it activates faster and gives you a more reliable rise. One tablespoon is enough.
Cornmeal gets sprinkled on the edges of the pizza, and it is the detail that makes a homemade base feel like the real thing. It adds a little crunch and a rustic golden edge. I use 2 tablespoons.
Olive oil goes both into the dough and onto the tray. Spreading 2 to 3 tablespoons over the baking paper helps the bottom crisp up and keeps the dough from sticking. A little oil on your fingers also makes spreading the dough in the tray much easier.
Marinated mushrooms from a jar are the heart of the toppings. I reach for wild mushrooms marinated or packed in olive oil because they bring a deep, savory flavor straight out of the jar with no extra cooking. Drain them well so they do not make the pizza soggy.
Artichokes from a can or a jar add that tangy, slightly briny bite that makes this pizza special. Drain them, then quarter or halve them so they sit flat and crisp at the edges in the oven.
San Marzano tomatoes are my sauce. I take 4 to 5 peeled San Marzano tomatoes from a can and crush them with a fork until they reach a sauce consistency. They are sweeter and less acidic than ordinary canned tomatoes, which is exactly what you want for a quick, no-cook pizza sauce.
Cherry tomatoes cut into quarters add fresh pops of sweetness and a little juice on top. Four or five are plenty.
Fresh basil is mandatory when I make homemade pizza. I add it on top after baking so it stays bright and aromatic instead of wilting and turning dark in the oven.
Gorgonzola and raclette cheese are my picks for this version, used according to taste. Gorgonzola brings a sharp, creamy tang and raclette melts into that gooey, nutty stretch. This is what makes the recipe vegetarian rather than vegan. You can replace both with vegan cheese if you prefer.
Tips
- Check the bloom before you commit. After mixing the yeast and sugar into the warm water, wait for bubbles to form on the surface. No bubbles means the yeast is dead or the water was too hot, and it is far better to start over than to wait 40 minutes for a dough that never rises.
- Let it rise in a warm spot. I move the food processor bowl somewhere warm and cover it with a kitchen towel for 30 to 40 minutes. A warm, draft-free spot makes the dough almost double, which is what gives you that soft, airy base.
- Oil your fingers to spread the dough. The dough is soft, so grease your fingers with a little oil and press it evenly into the tray. This stops it from sticking to your hands and tearing.
- Do not skip checking the base before it comes out. I strongly advise you check your pizza base before you take it out of the oven. With high-moisture toppings like jarred mushrooms and tomatoes, the center can stay undercooked even when the edges look done. Lift an edge and make sure the bottom is firm and golden.
- Add basil after baking, not before. Fresh basil burns and goes bitter at pizza-oven temperatures. Scatter it on the moment the pizza comes out for the best aroma.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it vegan. The base is already 100% vegan, so just swap the gorgonzola and raclette for any vegan cheese you like. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even make your own stretchy vegan mozzarella.
- Skip the mushrooms. If you do not like one of my recommended toppings, or you are allergic to mushrooms, just omit it or replace it with something else. The pizza is forgiving that way.
- Swap the cheese. Gorgonzola and raclette are my picks, but any good melting cheese works according to your taste. If you want more ideas, see my vegan cheese recipes.
- Try a different crust. In the mood for something lighter or grain-free? My cauliflower pizza crust takes the same toppings well.
Storage and Make Ahead
This pizza is best fresh from the oven while the base is crisp and the cheese is still melty, but leftovers keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. Reheat slices in a hot oven or a dry skillet rather than the microwave so the base crisps up again instead of going soft.
To get ahead, you can make the dough and let it rise, then prep all your toppings while it does, since the topping ingredients come together quickly. If you want more homemade pizza inspiration, I have a whole collection of vegan pizza recipes on the blog, plus my quick and easy skillet pizza for nights when you do not want to turn on the oven. If you make this one, please come back and leave me a comment below. I am always curious to hear your opinions!
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Artichoke Mushroom Homemade Pizza
Ingredients
- For the homemade pizza base:
- 450 g 3 ½ cups wheat flour for pizza
- 350 ml 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1 packet dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- ⅔ tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp cornmeal
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- For the toppings:
- a few mushrooms in a jar, marinated or in olive oil
- a few leaves of fresh basil
- 4-5 peeled San Marzano tomatoes from a can crushed with a fork until they get a sauce consistency
- a few artichokes from a can or a jar
- 4-5 cherry tomatoes cut in 4
- gorgonzola or raclette cheese according to taste – you can replace with vegan cheese
Instructions
- Add the yeast packet and sugar in the warm water and mix using the tail of a wooden spoon. Leave for a few minutes until bubbles begin to form on the surface.
- Add the flour to a food processor (use the bread kneader accessory). Pour the yeast and water mixture and add the salt.
- Mix in the robot for 10 minutes.
- Move the robot dish in a warm place and cover with a kitchen towel. Leave it to rise for 30-40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, you can prepare the topping ingredients.
- Add some baking paper to an oven tray. Add the olive oil and spread it well on the tray.
- Pour the raised dough in the tray. Grease your fingers with a little bit of oil and spread the dough evenly in the tray.
- Sprinkle the edges of the pizza with cornmeal.
- Add the sauce and the toppings.
- Bake the pizza in the preheated oven at min. 250C for 10-15 minutes depending on the chosen temperature (I baked it at 280C but most gas ovens have a limit of 250C).
- Make sure to check the dough before taking the pizza out of the oven to ensure that it’s cooked.
- Serve the pizza with some fresh basil on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
As written, this recipe is vegetarian because it uses two dairy cheeses, gorgonzola and raclette. The pizza base itself is 100% vegan, so you can make the whole pizza vegan by replacing the dairy cheese with any vegan cheese you like.
A flour made specifically for pizza, with slightly higher protein, gives the dough the structure it needs to stretch without tearing. I recently discovered La Molisana pizza flour (the red packaging) and recommend it if you can find it. All-purpose flour also works if you handle the dough gently.
Bake at a minimum of 250C for 10 to 15 minutes. I baked mine at 280C in an electric oven, but most gas ovens cap at 250C, which is perfectly fine. Just leave the pizza in for a couple more minutes and check that the base is fully cooked before taking it out.
The most common reason is water that was too hot, which kills the yeast. Mix the yeast and sugar into warm, not hot, water and wait a few minutes. If bubbles form on the surface, the yeast is alive. No bubbles means you should start over with fresh yeast and cooler water.
Yes, and this recipe is built around them. Use artichokes from a can or jar and wild mushrooms marinated or packed in olive oil. Drain both well so they do not release liquid and make the base soggy. They bring deep flavor straight from the jar with no extra cooking.
Add fresh basil on top after the pizza comes out of the oven, not before. Basil burns and turns bitter at high pizza-baking temperatures. Scattering it on at the end keeps it bright, green, and aromatic.
Perfect pizza base! ❤️