Crispy Zucchini Pizza Crust

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I have some good news for those of you who are gifted a massive zucchini and just can’t say no! This Crispy Zucchini Pizza Crust recipe uses 6 cups of shredded zucchini per crust, so it is perfect for using up those monsters. It can also be made gluten free, (just by switching up the flour), which is an added benefit to those with sensitivities. Of course it is plant-based! Thank you to Karen, a volunteer at the Vibrant Veggie Garden who sent me her recipe. It called for eggs and cheese, so that was easy to “veganize”.

Can you believe that one pizza crust used up this whole zucchini?! Yup. Seriously. You can also make a couple, (or a few) crusts, bake them and then freeze them for later. I tried that strategy my first go round and it worked great. Just know it will be slightly less crispy if it has been frozen then thawed.

Grate the zucchini, mix up the flax eggs, add all ingredients to the bowl and mix by squeezing with your hands.

Flatten the zucchini mixture onto a parchment lined pizza pan. It will seem very wet compared to regular pizza dough. Spread until it makes a half inch thick circle.

Bake the crust at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes, remove from the oven, let cool slightly. Place another piece of parchment paper over the pizza. Then place a second pizza pan upside down on the pizza. Carefully turn it over, peel the parchment paper off the top and place the pizza back into the oven for 10 minutes or until crispy.

I added my Basil Pesto Sauce to the baked crust, then topped the Crispy Zucchini Pizza Crust with sliced baby tomatoes, red peppers, kale, artichoke hearts, capers, fresh garlic, mushrooms, vegan cheese (Daiya) and a slices of a plant-based sausage for interest! You can really add anything you like to your personal pizza.

I then baked it at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes until the toppings looked cooked and the cheese was melted.

This is a great crust for people who are looking to add more veggies to their diet and reduce the amount of processed, simple carbohydrate foods (such as white flour) that they consume.

This pizza would be great with a salad. You might like this Kale and Cabbage Salad with Almond Butter Dressing.

Crispy Zucchini Pizza Crust

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Serves: 3 people per pizza crust Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes 40 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 6 cups grated zucchini (1 teaspoon salt mixed in and as much water removed as possible)
• 3/4 cup vegan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup flour (white, whole wheat, spelt, etc.. or gluten free)
• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax seeds mixed into 6 tablespoons of water. Allow to sit and coagulate while working on the recipe.)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• A few twists of a pepper grinder

Instructions

1. Wash and grate zucchini and place into a large colander.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt to zucchini and stir.  Place colander in the sink to drain, or in a large flat bowl to save the liquid. (Tastes great on it’s own, or add to a smoothie or green drink.)
2. In a small bowl, mix together the flax eggs and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes as you assemble the remaining ingredients.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place a piece of parchment paper on a pizza pan/stone.
4. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
5. Squeeze out the zucchini using gloved hands, or a potato masher. 
6. Once the zucchini water has been removed, (you should squeeze out about 2 cups of water), mix the zucchini, flax eggs and cheese into the large bowl of dry ingredients. Use your hands to properly mix flour mixture into the cheese and zucchini. 
7. Spread the zucchini dough onto the parchment paper lined pizza pan.  It should fill the entire pan and be about half an inch thick. 
8. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes checking frequently to make sure it is not getting too browned.  Adjust the temperature if it is.  
9. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and allow it to sit and cool.  Then, place a piece of parchment on the pizza crust and invert a pizza pan on top to flip the pizza over.  Carefully remove the parchment paper from the top and put the crust back into the oven for 10 minutes.  This will make the pizza crust extra crispy. 
10. Once baked, you can remove the pizza crust from the oven and top it with your choice of toppings.  Bake for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 
11. Some great choices for toppings are;  tomatoes, kale, artichoke heart, capers, vegan sausage, vegan cheese, chickpeas, mushrooms, peppers, etc..

                                                                        www.thevibrantveggie.com

 

 

Notes

Make sure to really squeeze out the water from the zucchini to avoid a wet crust.