Easy Vegan Italian Flatbread Pizza (Plant-Based Italian Ground)

Crispy crust, melty vegan mozzarella, savoury Italian crumbles, and a handful of peppery arugula on top. One package, two flatbreads, one easy pizza night.

Some nights you want to cook, and some nights you just want pizza on the table fast. This one is firmly in the second camp. We start with store-bought crusts, pile on the good stuff, and let the oven do the heavy lifting. The hero is The Better Butchers Italian Ground, pan-fried until golden and crisp before it goes on. It is already seasoned, Italian-style, so it does most of the flavour work for you.

It is also endlessly flexible. A full package of Italian Ground makes enough crumbles for two flatbreads, so it is a brilliant base for an easy weeknight dinner or a casual weekend spread where everyone builds their own.

The finishing move is fresh arugula added after baking. It stays bright and peppery against the warm, melty cheese, and it makes the whole thing look like it came from your favourite pizzeria. If you make it, we would love to see it. Tag us.

Easy Vegan Italian Flatbread Pizza

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 18 minutes
• Total time: 33 minutes
• Serves: 4 to 6 (makes 2 large flatbreads)
• Diet: Vegan, plant-based, dairy-free (gluten-free option)

Ingredients

• 1 full package (about 1 cup and a half) of The Better Butchers Italian Ground
• 2 store-bought pizza crusts or large flatbreads
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 2 to 3 cups shredded vegan mozzarella
• 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil, for pan-frying
• 3 to 4 cups fresh arugula
• Optional: drizzle of olive oil or balsamic, pinch of chilli flakes, fresh basil

Instructions

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 450F (230C). If you can fit both flatbreads on separate racks, great. Otherwise plan to bake them one at a time.
2. Crisp the ground. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble in the full package of Italian Ground and pan-fry until golden and crisp at the edges, 6 to 7 minutes. It is already seasoned, so there is no need to add much more.
3. Sauce the bases. Place both crusts on baking trays or pizza pans. Divide the pizza sauce between them, spreading it evenly and leaving a small border around each edge.
4. Add cheese and crumbles. Divide the vegan mozzarella between the two bases, then top each with the crisped Italian crumbles.
5. Bake. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the crust edges are golden. If baking on two racks, swap their positions halfway through. If baking one at a time, keep the first warm while the second bakes.
6. Finish fresh. Top each flatbread with a generous handful of arugula and a drizzle of olive oil or balsamic if you like. Slice and serve straight away.

Tip: Add the arugula after baking, never before. The residual heat softens it just enough while keeping it fresh, peppery, and vibrant green.

Why This Works

• Pizza night without the wait. Store-bought crusts plus pre-seasoned Italian Ground means two flatbreads on the table in about half an hour.
• The ground does the seasoning. It is already herby and savoury, so there is nothing extra to measure.
• A crisp-then-bake trick. Pan-frying the crumbles first gives you golden, crispy edges instead of soft, pale bits.
• A base everyone can build on. Set out toppings and let the table make their own. Great for casual nights and kids.

Substitutions & Notes

• Already seasoned: The Italian Ground brings its own herby, savoury flavour, so skip the extra dried herbs unless you really want them.
• Crust options: Naan, pita, ciabatta, or a par-baked pizza base all work. Choose gluten-free crusts to keep it gluten-free.
• Make just one: For a single flatbread, halve everything and use half the package. Freeze the rest of the ground for next time.
• Extra veg: Sliced mushrooms, red onion, or roasted peppers are all welcome under the cheese.
• Cheese: Any good melting vegan mozzarella works. A little vegan parmesan over the arugula at the end is lovely.

Pizza night, properly upgraded, and enough for the whole table. If you make it, tag us. We want to see your flatbread.

More Recipes to Try

• How to Cook Plant-Based Ground Meat: The Complete Guide
• Turkish Pizza (Lahmacun)
• Quick and Easy Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

Shop The Better Butchers Italian Ground →

Recipe developed and photographed for The Better Butchers by Rosslyn Sinclair.