Pour the water into a large mixing bowl. Stir in sugar and yeast, then set aside for 5 minutes so that the mixture can become frothy and form bubbles.

Add olive oil, flour and salt. Mix with a large spoon until a sticky ball begins to form. Adjust the consistency of your dough by adding more flour as needed.

Transfer to a clean, floured surface and knead it for 3-4 minutes or until you’ve created a smooth dough.

You’re looking for a soft dough that bounces back slowly when poked with your finger! If you’re not at this point yet, keep kneading.

Transfer the dough ball back into your large bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow it to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until it has doubled. If your kitchen is too cold, preheat your oven to 150° F (65º C), turn it off, and place the covered bowl with the towel inside it with the door slightly ajar.

Once you’re ready to make your pizza, preheat the oven to 475 °F (250 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease a pizza pan.

Get your risen dough and place it back onto a floured surface. Decide whether you make one large or two smaller pizzas! If the latter is the case, divide the dough in half — you can even freeze one half of the dough or store it in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Using lightly floured hands, gently flatten the dough into a disc. Take a rolling pin to create an even pizza crust, about ½ inch thick. Lift the edges of the dough to create a lip if wanted!

Cover again with a clean kitchen towel while preparing the pizza toppings!

Combine all ingredients for the marinara sauce in a medium-sized bowl. Stir well with a spoon and adjust to taste preferences.

You can also put it into a blender and blend until smooth!

Spread your marinara sauce on the risen pizza dough in the pan. Spread enough to cover the pizza dough fully, and store any leftover sauce. Sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs.

Add the toppings: red onion, bell pepper, tomato, artichoke, olives, spinach and mozzarella cheese. (Note: with vegan cheeses, it’s best to put on top of all the toppings so it can melt better)

Place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the crust is slightly brown and crispy on the edges and the cheese has melted.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm!