This zucchini pizza crust has just renewed my long time affection for pizza. I will likely be making this once a week for the next year or two. This personal size pizza is full of veggies, low fat dairy, and some added protein with hemp hearts! I have tried a few version of zucchini crust pizza and I kept getting upset with the flimsy crusts. But I have finally perfected my recipe and I just had to share with you! The addition of hemp hearts and ground flax gives this pizza crust a nice 10 grams of protein, that is also low in carbs!
You might not know that deep down I am a pizza lover at heart! However, I got so tired of feeling so sluggish and uncomfortable after eating pizza made the traditional way. When I first became a vegetarian 15 years ago, I had no idea how to eat vegetarian, but I knew I wasn’t going to eat meat anymore. Well that made me a carb lover – pasta, pizza, baked potatoes, and cereal. All the usual culprits.
Well as you can imagine, I was always sluggish, even though I was happily eating pizza and pasta all the time! Now, I rarely have these treats. I have found new ways to enjoy these favorites, like this zucchini pizza, homemade marinara with spaghetti squash, and baked sweet potatoes loaded with veggie chili. Eating meat free has led me to a life of finding the beauty in vegetables, fruit, and beans/lentils. As an aside I do now eat fish, but I stick to a mostly vegetarian diet.
By the time I was in college, I was making more and more of my own food, planning meals around vegetables, eggs, beans, tofu and even started making my own veggie burgers. If you are interested in eating more of these foods, check out some of my favorite recipes! Crustless Quiche, Two Bean Chili, Crispy Baked Peanut Tofu and Sweet Potato Lentil Burgers!
Back to this zucchini pizza. It’s also going into my list of vegetable based favorites that I can enjoy whenever I like, since it’s such an easy recipe to throw together! I love to make pizza on thin lavash wraps, but this is a great change for me, as the crust is the perfect texture, full of veggies and it holds up well to toppings!
Zucchini is full of vitamin C! I don’t know about you but I’m always looking for a way to get my daily recommended dose of Vitamin C! I have found that every little action helps when it comes to keeping my immune system in tip top shape.
Zucchini is often recommended to people on a weight management plan, as it is low in calories and full of fiber. I love zucchini for how filling it is. There is no question why zoodles (zucchini noodles) have become all the rage, zucchini has a very mild flavor and can easily take the place of pasta; or in this case flour in pizza crust.
I try to make sure my food has a decent amount of protein, which is slowly digested by the body and thus helps you stay full longer. Well my secret to protein in this recipe is the addition of hemp hearts! I am pretty much obsessed with them, and highly recommend you get a bag to try. It won’t be long before you are sprinkling them in and on everything! Don’t believe me, check out this awesome Spinach Basil Pesto with hemp hearts – its vegan!
To shred the zucchini, you can either use a hand grater or a food processor with the shredding attachment. Either way you will find that there is quite a bit of water in the zucchini. You will need to ring out the water either in a few paper towels stacked together or using a mesh strainer and a wooden spoon. Either way you want to get as much of the water out of the zucchini as possible. This is the trick to a crispy pizza like crust!
Top this pizza with anything you like! I happen to love margarita style pizza, so I went for simple cheese and some roasted tomatoes and added parsley for a bit of color contrasting and flavor.
- 2 large zucchinis, shredded
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup skim milk mozzarella cheese
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tbs. hemp hearts
- ½ tbs. ground flax seeds
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Shred zucchini. Remove excess liquid from zucchini by pressing it into mesh strainer or ringing it out with paper towels.
- Once zucchini is as dry as possible, spread out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
- Remove the zucchini from the oven and place in a bowl.
- Add egg, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, hemp hearts, and ground flax seeds. Stir until everything is combined.
- Spray the parchment paper with coconut oil. Add the dough to the parchment paper and press the dough out into a pizza shape crust. The crust will be thin but should not have any holes or gaps.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Take out of the oven.
- CAREFULLY flip the crust to the other side, and bake another 5 minutes.
- Take out of the oven, add toppings and bake another 5 minutes at 400 degrees.
What About You
- Have you ever made zucchini pizza crust?
- Were you ever a vegetarian? What was your favorite dish to make?
- What is your favorite pizza topping?
We are linking up!
Obviously I love the idea, through I would do mine without the cheese. I wonder if it would work as well as my cauliflower crust did. Hmm. will have to experiment with that!
Yes please experiment and share with me!! I’m working on a vegan version so we will see how that goes.
I’ve never made an “alternative” pizza crust before. Someday when I am feeling inspired maybe 🙂
I’ve tried making zucchini crusts before but they never seem to work for me…I need to find a vegan version. Or maybe I should get experimenting and make my own! I am a total pizza lover. Cheese-free vegan pizzas of course though 🙂
I’m working on a vegan version as well! If you come up with one, please do share!! Love your blog by the way!
This looks incredible! I am in love! I have been eating spiralzed zucc. every night for dinner with different toppings, and can’t wait to incorporate it into something new!
xx Jill
Latest post: Oui Oui for Black and White Prisoner Stripes!
JIll spiralized zucchini is so wonderful too! I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!!
Wow! I never even thought of using zucchini for crust. I’ve heard of using cauliflower for pizza crust. This actually looks really good! I am going to have to try this. Living in Chicago and being surrounded by pizza joints makes it incredibly hard to skip out on the occasional pizza slices when I go out with friends. I wish restaurants would make healthier options.
On occasional slice is great, I normally just eat too much and feel terrible afterwards. I’m sure if I had awesome pizza around me, I would be in the same boat. But yes, it would be so nice to have restaurants offer more healthy options.
This looks so yummy! I’ve just gone gluten free but I love pizza so I will definitely be trying your recipe. Thanks 🙂
Oh this will quickly become one of your favorite recipes!! Enjoy!
I’ve never made a non-flour pizza crust (shame on me). I LOVE zucchini errythang though, and this looks delish!! Thanks for sharing!!
Well shoot, you just made my day! Thanks so much for sharing and perfecting your recipe! I have forgone pizza for awhile (hello dairy and carbs overdose…and often sugar with the sauce), minus some outings to a restaurant called, Sizzle Pie, that I LOVEEEE. But this solves my woes. I am so excited to use this. And, I know the hubs will love it too! YAHOOZLE
You are so sweet!! Love that you you and the hubs will both enjoy this recipe! Sizzle Pie sounds interesting – I’m sure it’s fantastic!! Your comment put a big smile on my face xo
I love Zucchini! I will pin this so I can try it later!
So glad you like this Chelsie! Enjoy it 🙂
I’ve been craving pizza in the worst way lately–this looks delicious, and hooray for it being super-healthy too! <3
Farrah you and me both on that pizza craving! Yes I love a good healthy alternative 🙂
This sounds great just time consuming! I would like to try though on a Sunday perhaps when I have more time to dedicate to it. I love making homemade pizza too!
Lindsay, you can skip the first batch of baking the zucchini and you could coat the crust with cheese after you flip the crust. This was just the tried and true method I used, since previous attempts left me with a less crisp crust. Either way enjoy it and thanks for stopping by!!
ooh love the addition of the hemp hearts! I’ve made cauliflower pizza but not zucchini yummy
Deborah – aren’t you in love with hemp hearts now!! I just can’t get enough of them!
What a great idea!! I’ve tried cauliflower pizza crust and it was a huge fail, but this doesn’t look like it would get nearly as messy 😉 Thanks for sharing!
Hi,
I host a healthy recipe link up every Wednesday if you would like to add this recipe and others. Here is this week’s link. http://baddgoddess.com/the-healthy-eating-habit-4/
oohhh! looks so wonderful! Thank you for sharing with us at VMG206 Brag About It this week!
I love this idea. I’m trying to eat healthier, but don’t want to give up the foods I love. This is a great alternative! I’m a new food blogger and found you on a link party. I’ve followed your social sites and hope we can connect on those. Can’t wait to read more of your blog. Becky
I had heard of cauliflower crusts before, but never a zucchini crust. This sounds like a great idea!
I have seen a zucchini pizza crust recipe floating around on Pinterest, but they never explained about getting all the excess water out… So I really appreciate this! You mentioned paper towels to strain out the water… How would you do that?
Your recipe comes right on time for me. We are going to go vegetarian one day a week and I really need some tasty recipes. Your zucchini pizza sounds very delicious. Zucchini is easy to grow so this comes handy for a gardener. I added your recipe to my Pinterest collection. I think it would be a great Friday dinner!
Oh man this look delicious! I never tried zucchini or the famous cauliflower pizza. I need to get on that. I was vegetarian for a year (still most of my meals are meat free) and I loved making homemade tomato basil soup, which I have a recipe for on ze blog 🙂
I have tried a cauliflower crust before but my kids didn’t care for it. Zucchini’s flavor is more subtle so I think this might be more successful. Thanks for linking up the recipe at This Is How We Roll Thursday.
Yes, this is certainly more subtle. I hope the kids like this better!
Hi Sam,
I am a big fan of healthy, veggie topped pizza but I have never tried zucchini pizza crust, so thank you for sharing this healthy and delicious recipe with us at the Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop! I’m pinning and sharing!
What a great healthy alternate!! Love!! Thanks for linking up on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday!! Hope you come back this Thursday and share some more!! I love having you! Pinned!
I’ve heard of cauliflower crust before, but not zucchini! This looks SO cool! Excited to try it 🙂
Josie, awesome! I hope you love it – I’ve had other reviews and they were all so positive! Let me know!
Yum, what a great idea! This is a great recipe! I would love for you to share this at my party Making Memories Mondays going on now! Hope to see you there!
Cathy
I’m a pizza lover too – When I went Gluten free that was really the only thing that I missed. I’m going to have to try this recipe. I’ve got Zucchini growing in the garden so this is going to be dinner hopefully sometime soon. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Carole
Super interesting idea!!! Might have to try this myself. 🙂 I love that you shared this with us at Snickerdoodle Sunday- see you again this weekend I hope?
Sarah (Sadie Seasongoods)
This looks absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for sharing and joining our Oh My Heartsie Girl Wordless Wednesday Link Party.. Have a great day, co-host Evija @Fromevijawithlove x
Hello Gorgeous! This looks incredible! Thank you so much for sharing it with us. Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see you tonight at 7 pm, so we can party with you! Lou Lou Girls
This recipe looks awesome! I love it that it’s not a carb which I try not to eat cause it makes me gain weight, lol..
Thanks for sharing,
FABBY
Fabby – yes, I know I have my fair share of foods that make me gain weight too – pizza is certainly one I’m careful of 🙂 Enjoy this!