Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Keto Zucchini Pizza Crust
If there’s one thing I could never give up, no matter what my dietary requirements, it’s pizza! I’ve already shared multiple gluten-free pizza recipes, including a simple gluten-free pizza crust, sweet potato pizza crust, and a vegan deep-dish pizza. Now it’s the turn of this zucchini pizza crust! The recipe is not only gluten-free, but it’s also completely flour-free and cheese-free, and instead uses either nuts or seeds for a delicious keto pizza crust. Lots of the low-carb pizza crust recipes I’ve seen rely on cheese as a binding ingredient. While they might be tasty, they contain a lot of extra fat and calories. This healthy pizza crust is basically 90% wholesome zucchini and nuts/seeds- and yet still tastes amazing, especially when topped with marinara sauce, a little vegan cheese, and your toppings of choice! Best of all, it takes just minutes to prepare with no ‘resting’ before baking. You can then experiment with other simple keto recipes like these keto crackers or keto almond flour tortillas!
Vegan Ingredients
Zucchini: The star of the show! Make sure to use ripe, green, firm zucchini (courgette). You may also be able to use yellow squash instead. Psyllium husk powder: I’ve only used the powder for this recipe. If you have whole psyllium husk, you can grind it with a grinder/blender or use more of the whole husk (see recipe notes). Sunflower Seeds: I used an electric coffee/spice grinder to grind the seeds into a floury consistency (a blender should work too). Alternatively, use 100g store-bought sunflower seed flour or almond flour. Italian Seasoning: This is technically optional but recommended! Nutritional yeast: Will add a savory, cheesy flavor to the crust. Salt: Just a little, for seasoning.
How To Make A Zucchini Pizza Crust
Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, ingredient measurements, and nutritional information.
Step 1: Prepare the zucchini
First, grate the zucchini on the regular side of a grater. Then squeeze out all the excess liquid from the zucchini. I do this by placing it in a nut milk bag or layers of cheesecloth.
My zucchini weighed 230g before squeezing and 170g after.
Then, preheat the oven to 360F/180C and line a baking tray with a well-oiled parchment paper (or silicone mat).
Step 2: Mix the gluten-free pizza crust
If you’re starting with whole sunflower seeds, then first grind them into flour. Then add them to a small bowl along with the psyllium husk powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and nutritional yeast, and stir to combine. Add this mixture to the zucchini, using a spoon to thoroughly mix, before mixing it by hand until the gluten-free pizza dough holds together.
Step 3: Bake the vegan pizza dough
Spread the dough across the lined baking sheet and bake it in the oven for around 15 minutes or until the edges begin to turn a golden brown.
You can shape it any way you like; round, square, rectangle, or even mini pizzas rather than one larger one.
Step 4: Prepare the toppings and bake once more
Meanwhile, as the crust bakes, prepare all your favorite pizza toppings. I used a combination of tomato sauce, mushrooms, corn, and homemade vegan cheese sauce. Once the crust is ready, top it with the toppings and place it back in the oven for 10-15 minutes – enjoy!
How To Make Ahead and Store?
Make-Ahead: You can prepare this zucchini pizza crust ahead by preparing and baking the crust. Then, allow the crust to cool entirely and, rather than adding toppings, wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap or foil and freeze for between 1-2 months. If you’ve made several ‘personal size’ pizzas, you can freeze them with layers of parchment/wax paper in-between, so they don’t stick. You can then cook the pizza from frozen, adding your sauce and toppings, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 375F/190C. Alternatively, you can also prepare the unbaked crust up to a day in advance and refrigerate it, covered, until you’re ready to bake it. Store: Once fully baked with toppings, I recommend eating the pizza immediately for the best results. However, any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave (will be soggier) until hot.
Recipe Notes
The baking time will vary: Based on the shape and thickness of the keto pizza crust. Using frozen zucchini: If you have bags of grated zucchini in the freezer, then you can use this. Allow it to thaw and squeeze out all the excess water before continuing with the recipe as written. Optional seasonings: Feel free to season the vegan pizza dough further with a bit of garlic powder or even cayenne/chili powder for a little heat. Save the zucchini juice: There’s no need to throw away all that zucchini juice. Add it to smoothies or juices to pack in extra nutrients!
Other Vegan Pizza Recipes
Mexican Pizza Recipe With Refried Beans Vegan Calzone Pizza Crescent Ring Avocado Chickpea Pizza
If you give this low-carb zucchini pizza crust recipe a try, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.
