Who doesn’t love pizza?! Fortunately for the grain-free groupies, we are able to find non-traditional, grain-free pizza crust in almost every store! Unfortunately for us SCD followers, these commercially made crusts all contain ingredients that are not allowed on the diet. Wellbee’s, the online SCD store does offer an SCD legal crust, but when the craving for pizza hits, we can’t wait for a shipment. We need a crust you can whip up at home. This SCD Legal Zucchini Pizza Crust is the solution!
Personal Pan Zucchini Crust Pizza
While you could make one large crust, I like to make mini crusts- personal pan pizzas. This allows everyone to choose their own toppings, and it ensures that the very center of the crust is cooked as well as the outsides. (This can be a challenge with larger crusts). This recipe makes 5 mini crusts, about 6-7 inches in diameter. We freeze the leftover crusts for an effortless pizza night 2.0.
Why this Zucchini Pizza Crust works
This zucchini crust has been my pizza Friday night go-to because:
It only requires 4 nutritious and protein packed ingredients (plus any spices you may want to add)
It holds together very well, and you can bend it like a wheat flour-based crust!
It uses coconut flour vs. almond flour.
The ingredients lend themselves to the taste of traditional pizza. The crust actually compliments the Italian flavors perfectly!
Three Crucial Steps for the perfect crust
Because zucchini naturally contains a lot of water, we need to remove as much of that liquid as possible. DO NOT SKIP THESE STEPS! Without removing the liquid, you will end up with a very watery and mushy crust.
Step 1:
Once you have shredded the zucchini, sprinkle it with salt and let it sit for a few minutes. The salt helps to draw out the water. Then SQUEEZE all of that liquid out of the shredded zucchini. I just use my hands for this (once washed, of course). Others use a thin dish towel or cheese cloth to wrap the zucchini before squeezing. Either method works. I just choose the “lazy man’s way” to avoid washing the towel or cloth afterward!!
Step 2:
Spread the squeezed zucchini on a baking sheet and pop it in a 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes. This will help to dry out the zucchini even more. Is this step absolutely necessary? No. I have made plenty of crusts with skipping this step. But oven drying does create a crust that holds together a little better than not.
Step 3:
Once you have mixed all of the ingredients together, your ‘dough’ should be moist but with no visible liquid. If you have visible liquid, add a bit more coconut flour to absorb it. Coconut flour is extremely absorbent so begin with 1/2 Tbsp and see if that does the trick. Add bits at a time until you arrive at a moist, not runny dough.
Easy, grain-free 4 ingredient zucchini pizza crust. It’s not mushy, holds all of your favorite toppings and you can actually pick it up! This is the best SCD legal crust we’ve tried yet!
Ingredients
Scale
1 lb zucchini- shredded
1 cup SCD legal shredded cheese (I usually use a combo of parmesan, cheddar and or provolone)
3 large eggs
1/2 scant cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp salt
Any other spices you may like: fresh basil, Italian seasoning, pepper, garlic powder
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper sprayed lightly with olive oil.
Shred zucchini and sprinkle it with salt.
After a few minutes, squeeze all of the liquid out of the zucchini.
Spread the zucchini shreds out evenly on a baking sheet and pop in the oven for 10-12 minutes, allowing the zucchini to dry out a bit. (This helps to eliminate even more liquid)
Combine the dried-out zucchini with the other ingredients. The ‘dough’ should be moist, but with NO visible liquid. If there is any visible liquid present, add more coconut flour 1/2 Tbsp at a time until it is all absorbed.
Separate into 5 equal portions for 6-7″ mini crusts or 2 portions for large 10-12″ crusts.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until the crust is firm and the top is golden brown. Flip the crusts and bake for a few more minutes to dry out the bottom side (if desired).
Top with pizza sauce and your favorite toppings. Pop back in the oven for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese melts. Enjoy!
Notes
These crusts freeze very well! Just seal them in an airtight container. To reheat, I usually just pop the crusts in the oven while it is pre-heating and I prepare my toppings.
