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Heart Healthy Whole Grain Pizza Crust 4 Ways

This recipe for simple whole wheat pizza dough is so versatile! Plus it’s made in a bread maker so it’s easy and quick too.
Here I have compiled a Master recipe for five tried and true recipes including Marinara sauce! This makes enough for 2 12” thin Crust pizzas or 1 12” - 13”heavy pan pizza or 1 sheet pan pizza or 1 pan of breadsticks.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8

Equipment

  • You will need a Bread Machine with a pizza menu although you could easily knead this by hand. The Bread machine just does the kneading and resting for you.

Ingredients
  

INGREDIENTS

For the dough in order listed:

  • 1 cup Warm water 115 degrees
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened apple sauce
  • 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast

For the Sauce:

  • 28 ounces no salt added crushed tomatoes
  • 28 ounces no salt added diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsps dried oregano
  • 2 tbsps dried basil
  • 2 tsps onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tsps garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Chose Your Toppings:

  • mushrooms
  • green bell peppers
  • onions
  • artichokes
  • chickpeas
  • corn
  • sun-dried tomatoes
  • Cherry tomatoes halved
  • zucchini
  • eggplant
  • nutritional yeast
  • herbs fresh or dried

Instructions
 

Instructions:

    For the Dough:

    • Add the ingredients to the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer, mine are in order for an Elite Gormet.
    • Select the Pizza Dough cycle, mine takes 45 minutes.
    • Meanwhile make the marinara sauce.

    For the marinara sauce:

    • Place all ingredients in a large pot
    • simmer over medium to medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.
    • Reduce heat to low and cook for another 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Save leftovers for pasta or dipping sauce for breadsticks.

    For 2 Thin Crust Pizzas:

    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees
    • When dough is complete place in bowl and cut in half.
    • place one half in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. I use a silicone baking mat but you can use any smooth hard surface.
    • Sprinkle a dusting of stone ground yellow corn meal or whole wheat flour.
    • Roll dough out to a 12” circle
    • Using a fork poke holes evenly over crust
    • brush with a teaspoon of plant milk
    • sprinkle with garlic powder (optional).
    • transfer to pizza stone or pan, I use a pizza peel dusted with stone ground yellow corn meal.
    • bake for eight minutes
    • while baking prepare the other crust as directed above.
    • as they finish set to the side and get the toppings ready.

    Assemble

    • Spread sauce
    • Add toppings
    • Bake at 400 for 10 - 15 minutes

    For 1 Sheet Pan Pizza

    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees
    • Roll dough into a rectangle and little bigger than the sheet pan on parchment paper.
    • Transfer to the sheet pan
    • Fold extra over to form a crust.
    • Using a fork poke holes evenly over crust
    • brush with a teaspoon of plant milk
    • bake for eight minutes
    • set to the side until Sauce and toppings are ready.
    • Assemble:
    • Spread sauce
    • Add toppings
    • Bake at 450 for 10 - 15 minutes

    For 1 Thick Pan Pizza

    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees
    • Roll entire recipe of dough into a circle a little bigger than your choice of pan
    • Transfer to a heavy oven proof pan lined with parchment paper
    • Fold extra over to form a crust.
    • Using a fork poke holes evenly over crust
    • brush with a teaspoon of plant milk
    • bake for eight minutes
    • set to the side until Sauce and toppings are ready.
    • Assemble:
    • Spread sauce
    • Add toppings
    • Bake at 450 for 10 - 15 minutes

    For one pan of breadsticks:

    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees
    • Line a rectangle pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
    • Roll dough into a rectangle by rolling first into an oval
    • next fold the long rounded ends over and roll to form a rectangle
    • use a dough blade or spatula to score the dough roughly halfway through into sticks.
    • brush with a teaspoon of plant milk
    • sprinkle with herbs, garlic powder and nutritional yeast (optional).
    • bake at 450 for 12 - 15 minutes