Zucchini Pizza Crust - This delicious, low carb pizza crust is a great option for those with diet restrictions, and it's high in natural protein! No cheese needed for the crust!
What we're making
Oh mama, this is a great low carb pizza option!
I created this in 2012 as my answer to the popular cauliflower pizza crust, which I didn't like at the time. (Note: I now have a cauliflower crust recipe that I love, if you're interested!)
I wanted to employ a veggie that I could squeeze the moisture/water out of, and zucchini was the perfect choice!
Be sure to squeeze the zucchini well!
This step allows the crust to become more stable and 'crisp' up a bit.
One of the main issues I had when I initially tried the cauliflower crust was that it tasted 'spongy' and wet. Removing the excess water from these veggies helps to create a more believable crust. You can actually pick it up instead of having to use a fork!
FAQs
Can I make this with an egg replacer?
When I initially created this recipe, I tried a chickpea egg, which worked very well!
I do believe a flax or chia egg would work, but I haven't personally tried it.
Can I use another flour?
I haven't tried anything other than almond flour/meal for this recipe. I do have a Nut-Free Zucchini Crust if you prefer one without almonds.
Other pizza recipes you might enjoy
Zucchini Pizza Crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups zucchini finely grated, lightly packed
- ½ cup almond meal/flour
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the grated zucchini in a strainer.
- Sprinkle the zucchini with some salt (about 1/4 teaspoon), toss to disperse.
- Place the strainer over a large bowl, and let the zucchini drain for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the grated zucchini into a dry dish towel, and wring the towel over the sink until the water from the zucchini is squeezed out.
- Mix the zucchini with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
- On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread the zucchini mix out into a circle shape. I use wet hands to do this.
- Place the pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden.
- Remove the crust.
- Top the pizza as desired.
- Place the pan back into the oven on the bottom rack and bake for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted to your liking.
- Remove and let cool for five minutes to let everything set.
- Slice and enjoy!!
Notes
Nutrition
If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!
Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, What's For Dinner
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
I love this idea!! SO much more flavor than cauliflower! Thanks for Sharing at the What's for Dinner party! Hope the last weekend of summer is going fantastic!
Lynn Sullivan
Has anyone tried to freeze the pizza crust (minus toppings)? It would be a life saver!
MBAY
Yes— it’s too labor intensive so I make a big batch, bake as individual pizzas, cool and freeze in sealed ziplock with waxed paper between. When you want pizza, pull crusts from oven, top and bake 500° about 5-10 min. She’s modified this recipe a bit from the original I had which has you flip and bake some more, which I do if I’m freezing.
Poonam
We tried your zucchini crust today and it was amazing! It was similar to a bread consistency and tasty. My 5 year old son enjoyed it. Will continue to use this recipe. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Alice
I've made yellow squash pizza crust so will definitely try your zucchini crust! How do you think this recipe would work with frozen grated zucchini? I suppose the dough itself would not freeze well?
Lauren
Hi Alice, I'm not sure as I haven't tried that. Sorry I couldn't be more help!
Nicole
So for the almond meal can you use just the leftover pulp from making fresh almond milk?
Lauren
I'm not sure as I've never tried...you may be able to, but I think the pizza will be far lacking in flavor.
Jocelyne
Hi Lauren,
Can't wait to try your zucchini pizza crust as I have more than a few in the fridge! Just wondering if almond meal can be replaced by cornmeal?
My son is allergic to tree nuts and myself to all glutens.
Thank you!
Lauren
Hi Jocelyne,
I haven't tried that, so I can't say for sure...you might have better luck with something like oat flour (ground from GF oats). Hope that helps!
Ebba K
So interested in this recipe! Loving the idea of zucchini in the crust. Just one question about the nutritional info, i'm just a bit confused. Is it 223 kcal for the entire recipe?
Lauren
Hi Ebba,
The nutrition facts are for 1/3 of the pizza. 🙂
stephanie
I made this tonight and it hit the spot. It was really good! Next time i'll only use 1/2 cup almond meal instead of 3/4 cup.
Kimberly
Do you think coconut flour would work just as well as the almond meal? I have somewhat of an aversion to almonds.
Lauren
Hi Kimberly,
Coconut flour is a bit more absorbent than almond, so you'd have to play with the amount a bit. You may only need as little as 2-4 tablespoons! You could also try an equal amount of ground oats, if you eat grains. 🙂
Ellen
I am glad I stumbled across your blog and this entry! I happened to have some left over zucchini from making Kung Pau Chicken with Zucchini noodles the night before. I used the leftover zucchini for this recipe and it worked out wonderfully! I would suggest to constantly check on the crust within that 20 minute cooking period because mine ended up browning within that 20 minute time and I did not need to flip it or add more time because both sides browned nicely. Next time I will flatten my dough out more to get more surface space. Delicious, simple and nutritious. I cannot wait to try this again!
Lauren
That's great Ellen, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂
Alyssa
I made this tonight and it was super delicious! I topped with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella cheese and caramelized onions. I won't lie, I ate the whole thing myself!
Lauren
Haha, that's awesome Alyssa! I'm so happy to hear it! 😀
Heather
HI Lauren, Thank you for getting back to me ...however, I can't have chickpea either and I'm not really a fan of cauliflower crusts. I'm so trying to figure out what to replace the "egg & Almond flour" with in the zucchini one to try, but oh well. I appreciate your help. 🙂
Heather
Hi Lauren,
A couple of weeks ago I made this and I loved it! thank you! I LOVE zucchini and it was perfect.....HOWEVER, since then, I have been going to DRs and having tests done and found out I have food allergies to more things than I thought (been feeling really horrible)...sadly this includes tree nuts, coconut, eggs, wheat/gluten, among other things. I am stumbling with how to make this minus the egg and almond flour with a substution that will actually work and cooking times...I failed miserably last night using a flax egg and small amount of buckwheat flour. It didnt feel right, taste right or cook right. In tears I threw it away. Sooooo, any genius ideas!?!? Thank you for any guidance or ideas for those replacements/cooking so that I can once again enjoy this crust. -Heather
Lauren
Hi Heather,
First off, that stinks about having so many allergies! I can definitely relate to the frustration you must be feeling. As far as the pizza goes, I'd recommend trying my Cauliflower Pizza found here: https://www.oatmealwithafork.com/2013/06/10/personal-pan-cauliflower-pizza-crust-dairy-free/, and for the egg, I'd try using 1/4 cup of chickpea flour mixed with 1/4 cup of water. I've been meaning to try it myself, but haven't yet, so if you try it let me know how it comes out! I hope it works *fingers crossed*!
Susie
I made your zucchini pizza crust tonight. I have tried several different types of gluten-free pizza crusts and yours is by far my favorite. I subbed an Italian herb blend for the oregano, but that is really the only ingredient change I made. I will definitely make this crust again. Thank you!
Lauren
Thank you for the comment Susie! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the pizza! 😀
Kristen
Hmmmm...I'm allergic to all nuts...wondering what I can use to sub the almond meal because I can't believe I can make a crust I can have!! Perhaps oatmeal? Ground roasted pumpkin seeds? Thank you!
Lauren
I think either of those would be worth a shot!
Scott
Hello Lauren,
This recipes rocks and this is from a chef!
I have made it two times now and tonight for the third time as a triple batch.
The only modification I made is to use all basil instead of oregano.
It tastes great ans has a wonderful texture. The 1/2 cup of almond meal works every time.
I am going to try it like a Sicilian crust and then use as a sandwich bread.
Thank you for the recipe.
Lauren
Thanks Scott! I'm sincerely flattered. 😀
Dawn
Just made this zucchini crust and it was fantastic! Used a silpat sheet to avoid the sticking problem which turned out just great. Pizza is one thing I've sorely missed since going grain-free, this is a great alternative. It even got a positive review from my fairly picky pizza-loving 5 year old son. I'm thinking I'll try the same recipe to make some zucchini "crackers". Thanks so much for posting this recipe!
Lauren
Thanks Dawn! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! 😀
Mary Anne
Just a few questions for clarification....do you peel the zucchini first or leave the skin on? Also, should the zucchini look "riced" like your cauliflower crust recipe or just thin, stick like grates? Thanks so much for posting!! Can't wait to try this 🙂
Lauren
Hi Mary Anne,
I don't peel the zucchini, and it should be finely grated (the small grating holes, not the large ones). I hope you enjoy it! It's one of my favorite recipes on the blog. 😀
Kris
Awesome! I will give it a try! Thank you 🙂
Kris
The pizza crust recipe is absolutely delicious! This turned out to be one of the most flavorful pizzas I have ever had! Quick question: I used a flax egg and baked on a parchment paper; however, the crust stuck to the paper. Any suggestions?
Lauren
That's so cool Kris! For the parchment paper, it may be that the flax egg is making it a bit more soggy, so you could spread a little oil on top of the paper before transferring the 'dough' onto it. Thanks for the comment! 😀
Miz Helen
Hope you are having a great week and thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Natalie
This was better than any other crust I have made! Just found your website, too! My husband and I own a CrossFit gym. I plan on letting our athletes know about this website!
Lauren
Thanks so much Natalie! Your comment made my night. 😀
amber
Hey Lauren,
How did I miss this one!!! I am sooo trying this. It look just beautiful! 🙂
EmIly
I made this tonight. It turned out perfect! So good, and really hard to screw up. My husband is a construction worker who eats junk food and pizza with the guys for lunch all week and doesn't like when I try to "healthily" things. He said to make it again! Thanks!
Lauren
Oh Emily, that's awesome! I always love hearing good things about this particular recipe, as it's one of my favorites on the blog. Thank you! 🙂
KC
Last week I had a bunch of zucchini and came across this recipe, so I made it. I have an autistic child that barely eats anything and will no longer eat pizza. I told him we could try this and see if we like it. Well, he tried it, ate it all and was asking for more! Unfortunately I didn't have any more zucchini! Thank you for this creation! I will definitely be making it again!
Lauren
Yay! Thanks for the feedback, I'm so happy it turned out for you. I really love this recipe too! 🙂
Jessy
So, have you ended up posting that quinoa casserole recipe? It looks great but I can't find the recipe!
Lauren
Haha, I never did! I tend to get sidetracked with things, but now that you've reminded me, I'll try to get to it soon! 🙂
Sharon M
My husband has nut allergies, can I replace the almond flour with coconut flour 1:1?
Lauren
Coconut flour is much more absorbent than almond meal, so a 1 to 1 ratio wouldn't work here. You could try ground oats?
Chris
How many does this crust serve? What are the nutrient stats?
Dawn
Does this recipe make enough for one single-serve pizza crust? I'm just curious because I'd like to make two, and I'm guessing I'll have to double the recipe?
Thanks!
Lauren
I can eat about 3/4 of it, but I top it lightly (just sauce, cheese, and a few veggies). You'd probably want to double it if you're sharing it with a guy! 🙂
Khuloud
Hi, It sounds declicious and want to try it. Can you tell me what oil I can use instead of avocado oil? canola???
Lauren
I only site avocado because it can be heated to a high temperature without degredation, but any oil would work if you're not worried about it! I just recently read on oils and smoke points, so I'm trying to adhere to the correct temperatures. Safflower is another high smoke point oil you could try. Again, this doesn't affect the taste at all.
Lou (@fridgescrapings)
Awesome! I'm going to try the vegan version.... I'm trying to avoid grains so this is perfect for me. I love HEAPS of olives and pesto on my pizzas. Thanks for the recipe!
Kassidy
I am eating the zucchini crust as I write this and it is delicious! The flavor of almond flour with the spices is wonderful, I will definitely make it again!
Lauren
So glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for the feedback!
Chelsa
I am so making this. I don't eat grains and I could really go for some pizza. I've seen quite a few other grain-free dough options but they have too many ingredients. The simpler the better 🙂
Lauren
I hope you give it a try!
Shannon (Healthiful Balance)
What a great pizza crust idea! We have a bunch of zucchini from my grandparents (they have them in their garden) so we'll have to make this pizza crust!
We dont have any almond meal. Do you think whole wheat flour (or another kind) would work??
Lauren
I think so! I just stuck with the almond meal to keep it gluten and grain free. You could even throw some protein powder in, if you're into it!
Katherine @ Green Thickies
Wow, that looks amazing. I love the idea of any wheat free pizza bases and this looks easy to do.
Ha ha, in my house the chocolate wouldn't have just been nibbled it would have been eaten by me. I can't stop once I've got the taste of chocolate. So I just can't buy it!
Lauren
Thanks Katherine! I've recently visited your blog and have one of your 'thickies' written down to make. They all look so delicious!
Min
I love the idea!! Zucchini crust! Not sure if I'll be a HUGE fan since I love the crusts for their doughy, chewy texture. I'm a crust nazi hehe. But def going to try! And I just made a casserole the other day that was very similar to yours! I'm working on the recipe as well since it was more like dump and bake kind of a day 😉
Marisa
Would flax meal be a good substitute for almond meal? I have that on hand, I know almond meal can be a little pricey...
Lauren
I've not tried it that way, so I'm not sure. I might come out a bit gummy. If you're not gluten intolerant, you can use flour, or maybe ground oats? Let me know if you try something different and how it goes!
Marisa
Thanks I will! And one last question....How many servings does this make? Like how big of a pizza?
Lauren
I can eat just about all of it...but then I'm stuffed, so I'd say two girls or one big guy! 😉
Marisa
gotcha 🙂
milkandspoon
I was thinking about different pizza crusts I could do, i ve tried cauliflower and love it! May have to try zucchini..im also thinking about broccoli!
Lauren
Sounds very healthy! 🙂
caloricandcrazy
I don't think there is anything wrong with too much chocolate :P!
Lauren
Haha....I concur!
StoriesAndSweetPotatoes
I'll have to try that crust. I've been making zucchini pancakes like everyday lately.
Amanda Fraijo-Tobin (@FraijoManda)
Looking forward to the quinoa recipe! That's so funny about the chocolate. My husband steals my TJ's chocolate too.... a mouse might have to move into this house 😉
Lauren
Haha! It totally works!
kcragget
I love your photography! And that pizza crust looks deeee-lish:)
Lauren
Thank you Kelsey, and thank you for visiting my blog!
Danielle (@Clean Food Creative Fitness)
That crust looks amazing! I've seen cauliflower pizzas but have yet to see a zucchini crust! I'm going to have to try this for sure! I love how you mark your territory on your chocolate! so funny !
Alex @ therunwithin
zucchini crust! gah I'm in love.
Kaitlin @ A Taste of Bulmer
I love that zucchini crust idea! I may just make that for dinner! I also got a kick out of your chocolate photo. Such a good idea! My dad is always snatching up my chocolate 🙂
Lauren
Let me know if you try it out!! 🙂
Dana @ Conscious Kitchen Blog
This pizza recipe is so unique - I really want to try it out. Parfait looks delicious too! Great eats.
Lauren
Thank you! I hope you try both!
Amanda (@PicklesNHoney)
I love this idea! And I got a kick out of that dark chocolate photo. Hey, whatever works, right? 😉
Lauren
Haha! When it comes to chocolate, that's my philosophy!
Rachel Jacobs (@rachelkyle0402)
I love the idea of zucchini crust. I've seen cauliflower and like the use of other veggies in it. Yummy food indeed.
http://www.mynaturallyfrugalfamily.blogspot.com
Rachel Jacobs (@rachelkyle0402)
Zucchini crust very cool. I have seen the cauliflower crust around, but will have to see what the zucchini tastes like.
Some delicious eats for sure!
http://www.mynaturallyfrugalfamily.blogspot.com
Gabby @ the veggie nook
Oh wow I just love the idea of that pizza crust! I am totally trying that asap!
I love how you have to mark your territory with chocolate- that is an issue in my house too. I do believe I'm going to take your tip and nibble all around the edges. If that doesn't work I don't know what will.
Can't wait to see that quinoa casserole!
Have a lovely Wednesday 🙂
Kat @ a dash of fairydust
Wow,that pizza sounds fabulous! My body doesn't like bread somehow and cauliflower gives me pain as well,which is why cauliflower crusts aren't an ption for me either... Zucchini,though,should be just fine. I need to try that very soon,thanks! 🙂
Lauren
That's great! I know how frustrating allergies can be, so I hope you have luck with this!
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
Your parfait looks insanely good as does you pizza. such a great idea!
Theresa
That zucchini crust looks awesome! I have seen some cauliflower/chicken ones out there as well but yours looks like it actually resembles a pizza! I must try this soon 🙂
sprint2thetable
That looks delicious! I do a cauliflower crust that I'm addicted to, but have been talking about trying it with other veggies. Zucchini is on my list!