MOD Pizza vegetarian options are easy to find, because the whole chain runs on a build-your-own model. Almost any pizza can be made meat-free. You pick your crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings, so a vegetarian or fully vegan pizza is just a matter of leaving off the meat and choosing the right add-ons. This guide walks through what to order, what to skip, and where the hidden animal ingredients hide. For more meat-free restaurant guides, check out What’s Vegetarian.
A Quick Look at MOD Pizza
MOD Pizza opened in Seattle, Washington, in 2008. Husband-and-wife team Scott and Ally Svenson founded it, and Wikipedia also credits James Markham as a co-founder. The name “MOD” stands for “Made On Demand,” and the format is exactly what it sounds like. You walk a Chipotle-style assembly line and build a personal pizza from a row of fresh toppings. That build-your-own approach is the single best thing about the chain if you don’t eat meat.
The company has changed hands recently. In July 2024, Southern California-based Elite Restaurant Group acquired 100% of MOD’s equity after the chain faced bankruptcy concerns and a round of store closures. MOD closed more than 40 stores in 2024 and counted roughly 460 US locations as of December 2024, plus two in Canada. The real number today may be a touch lower. Either way, you’ll find MOD in most major US markets, and the menu and ordering style stay consistent across them. New ownership rolled out a tiered, value-priced menu in 2025, but the build-your-own model still applies.
MOD Pizza Vegetarian Options: What to Order
Every pizza is built to order, so the table below focuses on the components you’ll choose from rather than fixed menu items. A check means it works for that diet. An X means it doesn’t. A warning flag means it depends, or needs a question at the counter. Vegan is marked only where sources confirm an item is free of dairy and egg.
| Menu Item | Vegetarian | Vegan |
|---|---|---|
| Original (classic) dough | ✅ | ✅ |
| Gluten-friendly crust | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cauliflower crust (milk + egg whites) | ✅ | ❌ |
| Red Sauce / signature tomato sauce | ✅ | ✅ |
| Spicy Red Sauce (Calabrian chili) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sweet BBQ Sauce | ✅ | ✅ |
| Garlic Rub | ✅ | ✅ |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil base | ✅ | ✅ |
| Garlic Pesto sauce (dairy) | ✅ | ❌ |
| Creamy Alfredo sauce (dairy) | ✅ | ❌ |
| Regular MOD mozzarella / cheese blend | ✅ | ❌ |
| Daiya dairy-free cheese | ✅ | ✅ |
| Plant-based Italian sausage crumble | ✅ | ✅ |
| Fresh veggie toppings (mushrooms, peppers, onions, etc.) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Build-your-own salad (no meat/dairy) | ✅ | ✅ |
Crusts and Sauces That Work
Start with the crust, because that’s where one big trap lives. The original (classic) dough and the gluten-friendly crust are both vegan, so either one keeps your options open. The cauliflower crust is the exception. It contains both milk (mozzarella) and egg whites, which makes it vegetarian but off-limits for vegans and anyone with an egg or dairy allergy. Don’t assume “cauliflower” means plant-based here.
For sauces, you’ve got plenty of meat-free and dairy-free room. These bases are confirmed vegan:
- Red Sauce, MOD’s signature tomato sauce (marinara)
- Spicy Red Sauce, also called Spicy Calabrian Chili Red Sauce
- Sweet BBQ Sauce
- Garlic Rub
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Finishing drizzles reported as vegan include balsamic or fig balsamic glaze, hot buffalo sauce, and a BBQ swirl. Two sauces to skip if you’re avoiding dairy are Garlic Pesto and Creamy Alfredo. Both contain dairy, so they’re fine for ovo-lacto vegetarians but not vegan.
Toppings, Cheese, and Plant-Based Protein
This is where MOD shines. The vegetable lineup is long and fresh, and all of it is vegan. Load up on artichokes, arugula, basil, black olives, banana peppers, roasted broccoli, chickpeas, cilantro, roasted corn, cucumbers, roasted garlic, Greek olives, green bell peppers, jalapeños, Mama Lil’s sweet-hot peppers, mixed greens, mushrooms, oregano, pineapple, red onions, roasted red peppers, romaine, rosemary, serrano peppers, spinach, and tomatoes.
For cheese, MOD carries Daiya dairy-free plant-based cheese at all locations, reportedly at no extra charge. It’s built on an oat-creme blend of water, gluten-free oat flour, and pea protein, with tapioca starch and coconut oil. Here’s one catch worth knowing. The cheese itself uses gluten-free oat flour, so it’s both dairy-free and gluten-free, but MOD’s shared prep line means no pizza there is truly celiac-safe. If you’re managing a gluten issue, ask about cross-contact before you order.
If you eat dairy, MOD also stocks crumbled feta and shredded parmesan alongside its regular mozzarella, so ovo-lacto vegetarians get a few cheese choices beyond the standard blend. One caveat for strict vegetarians: hard cheeses like parmesan sometimes use animal rennet, and MOD doesn’t publish its source, so confirm at the counter if that matters to you.
MOD’s one plant-based meat is a Plant-Based Italian Sausage crumble. It’s pea-protein based, soy-free, and seasoned with fennel, oregano, and thyme, and it launched in August 2021. VegNews and PETA both report the brand is Plantly, not Beyond or Impossible, and MOD’s current allergen page still lists that pea-protein formula. One 2026 third-party guide claims MOD switched to Beyond Meat, but no second source backs that up, and the claim conflicts with MOD’s own ingredient list. If the exact brand matters to you, ask your location or check the allergen guide before you order.
Salads at MOD Pizza
Salads follow the same build-your-own logic as the pizzas, so you control what goes in. Skip the regular cheese and any dairy-based dressing, and you’ve got a vegan salad built from the same fresh produce as the pizza toppings. The dressings confirmed vegan are balsamic vinaigrette, extra virgin olive oil, Greek vinaigrette, lemon vinaigrette, red wine vinegar, sherry Dijon vinaigrette, and zesty tomato vinaigrette.
One small note for anyone with a soy allergy: the vinaigrettes contain soy oil. That keeps them vegan, but it’s worth knowing if soy is a problem for you.
What’s Vegan at MOD Pizza?
Plenty of vegan options exist at MOD, and they all come down to building the pizza right. Start with the original or gluten-friendly crust. Pick any of the vegan bases, such as red sauce, spicy red, BBQ, garlic rub, or olive oil. Add Daiya cheese, pile on vegetables, and finish with the plant-based Italian sausage crumble if you want protein. That combination gives you a fully dairy- and egg-free pizza without any special-order gymnastics.
A couple of vegan builds have shown up in recent menu snippets. One is a garden-style pie: original crust, garlic rub, red sauce, Daiya, mushrooms, roasted corn, broccoli, and tomatoes. Another is a buffalo-style build: original crust, BBQ or buffalo sauce, Daiya, plant-based sausage, jalapeños, and red onions. Treat these as starting points, since pre-built combos rotate. The items to avoid are simple: the cauliflower crust, regular mozzarella, and the Garlic Pesto and Alfredo sauces. And heads up, there’s no dairy-free or vegan dessert at MOD right now.
Special Dietary Requirements and Allergies
MOD offers a gluten-friendly crust, usually for a small upcharge, and it’s vegan as well as wheat-free. But “gluten-friendly” isn’t the same as celiac-safe. MOD prepares every pizza on a shared line, so no build there is guaranteed gluten-free. If you’re managing celiac disease, plan your toppings carefully and ask staff about your specific order.
Cross-contact is the other thing to keep in mind. Grills, prep surfaces, and any fryers may be shared with animal products, and toppings are assembled on a common line. MOD trains staff on allergen protocol and stores the Daiya cheese separately, but it can’t guarantee an allergen-free pizza. If you have a serious allergy, ask staff to change gloves and use clean utensils, and check MOD’s allergen guide before ordering. There’s no evidence of lard in the dough or anchovy in the marinara. MOD hasn’t published whether its regular mozzarella uses microbial or animal rennet, so strict vegetarians who avoid animal rennet may want to verify that detail.
Tips for Vegetarians at MOD Pizza
- Choose the original or gluten-friendly crust if you want to keep a vegan option open, and skip the cauliflower crust, which contains milk and egg whites.
- Ask for Daiya dairy-free cheese instead of the regular mozzarella to make any pizza vegan at no reported extra charge.
- Stick to the vegan bases (red sauce, spicy red, BBQ, garlic rub, or olive oil), and pass on Garlic Pesto and Alfredo, which contain dairy.
- Add the plant-based Italian sausage crumble for protein, and ask about the brand if it matters to you.
- Load up on vegetables freely, since the entire produce lineup is vegan.
- For a vegan salad, drop the cheese and pick a vinaigrette, but know the vinaigrettes contain soy oil.
- If you have an allergy, ask staff to change gloves and use clean utensils, and review MOD’s allergen guide first.
MOD Pizza Vegetarian Options: Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
MOD Pizza is one of the friendlier fast-casual spots for meat-free eaters, mostly because you control every layer. Pick the right crust, lean on the vegan sauces and Daiya cheese, and skip the cauliflower crust and the creamy sauces. Then you can eat vegetarian or fully vegan without much fuss. Watch the cross-contact details if you have an allergy, and ask questions at the counter when something isn’t labeled clearly.
Want more help eating out? Start with our guide to eating vegetarian and vegan at restaurants, then browse all our restaurant guides. If you like build-your-own chains, you might also enjoy our breakdowns for Chipotle and Blaze Pizza.
