As much as I love my Cauliflower Pizza, there was one big problem with it.
Even after resolving all his IBS issues, my Irishman still has a big reaction to the humble cauli. No fun.
Then one day I was dreaming about cauliflower pizza and inspiration stuck. Why not zucchini?
Yes it would be green, but surely the texture would work.
And I was right! In fact in many ways I like this even better than the cauliflower original.
Zucchini Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini (courgette) (400g/14oz) grated
- 100 g parmesan cheese grated
- 100 g almond meal (almond flour)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- your favourite pizza topping
Instructions
- Turn your oven to 220C (425F). Line a tray with baking paper.
- Combine grated zucchini, parmesan, almond meal, eggs and salt in a medium bowl. Tip the zucchini mixture onto the lined tray then using your hands smooth into a pizza shaped circle about 31cm (12in) in diameter. I like to make a ‘crust’ by shaping the edges to be taller than the middle.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pizza is browned and feels springy when touched.
- Add your toppings and bake further 5-10 minutes or until you’re happy.
Nutrition
Substitutes
pantry-friendly – use frozen cauliflower ‘rice’ instead of the zucchini.
extra fiber – Add 1 tablespoon psyllium husks, if you have psyllium powder 1 teaspoon will be enough. The pizza is perfectly fine without the psyllium. The one in the picture is without psyllium. You could also use oat bran, ground chia seeds or ground flax seeds if you feel like more fiber.
dairy-free – just skip the parmesan. If you have some nutritional yeast lying around, a tablespoon or so wouldn’t hurt for extra flavour. Add some extra almond meal.
carnivore – add some proscuitto or salami to your pizza.
nut-free – replace almond meal with bread crumbs, finely ground sunflower seeds or extra parmesan.
different veg – replace zucchini with cauliflower or broccoli.
smaller pizzas – feel free to make into whatever size (or shape) you like. Smaller pizzas won’t need quite as long, so check after 20 minutes. I often make 2 pizzas so we can vary the toppings.
paleo (grain, legume & dairy-free) -replace parmesan in crust with extra almond meal.
more substantial (carb lovers) – serve with garlic bread or make regular flour based pizza bases. OR use pita bread as your base.
more substantial (low carb) – make more pizzas! Add some prosciutto OR serve with a substantial salad like this Kale Salad or my Best-Ever Broccoli Salad.
Low FODMAP – use half the zucchini. Your pizza will be thinner and will cook more quickly so be prepared for a quicker cooking time and serve with a more substantial salad or side.
egg-free – replace eggs with 2 tablespoons ground linseeds (flax) and 4 tablespoons water. I haven’t tried this so please let me know in the comments below if you do.
more fancy / for entertaining – make multiple pizzas with different toppings. Serve with green salad or a shaved cabbage salad.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
zucchini – will keep for 2 weeks or longer in a plastic bag in the fridge. To keep it even longer, cook sliced zucchini in a little butter until just soft then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
parmesan – wrap in baking paper and store in the fridge in a sealed paper bag or airtight container. Will keep for months. Can be frozen if you’re going away.
almond meal (flour) / salt – keep them in the pantry.
eggs – will keep in the fridge for weeks or use for another meal.
Problem Solving Guide
bland – next time use more salt For now grate over some extra parmesan.
too dry – the bases will dry out if over cooked. For now just drizzle with a little chilli oil or extra virgin olive oil. Next time check earlier.
no oven – you could cook the bases under the grill (broiler). Just grill until the top is firm and deeply golden then turn and cook for a few more minutes to brown the bases.
sticking – the baking paper is a must! And don’t use foil as it can stick too.
Prepare Ahead
You could cook the bases ahead and either fridge or freeze then add the toppings and finish the baking just before serving. Will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Can be frozen.
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
Made this for lunch today and we both really enjoyed it. I wasn’t as happy with my toppings (ricotta, Spanish chorizo, shaved parmesan). The crust was very thick, so I’m thinking about what I would do next time. If I made it bigger and therefore thinner, I think it would make 6 servings. I thought the parmesan over the top would add a spark to the flavor but it didn’t, so if you have any ideas (that have nothing to do with tomatoes), I’d be interested. Definitely a keeper recipe.
I made a cauli pizza with ricotta, anchovy, sage and some cheddar yesterday that was great (if you like anchovies)
Or you could bake the base without any topping and then when it comes out of the oven crumble over gorgonzola or other creamy blue so it melts on the warm base. And top with roast walnuts or pecans.
Thank you, Jules. I could probably sprinkle over some sage before reheating it, since it’s already made. Yesterday I looked in my flavor thesaurus, and discovered that capers (if I had any) would be a good addition. It would also be good made with goat cheese.
oh yay for the flavour thesaurus!
Made this again with a thinner crust and it browned nicely! Also, used a food processor this time to grate the zucchini which made the whole process 400 times faster 🙂
YES Claire – I’m all about the food processor for grating things – it’s extra clean up but so much quicker up front 🙂
From Simple Meal Plans member Lee Anne
I wanted to let you know that I finally made the zucchini pizza last week and it was absolutely scrummy! I can see why you don’t dry the zucchini – it needs that moisture. I used half pecorino-romano since I didn’t have enough parm, and threw some leftover roasted vegetables and some herbs on top. I ate it hot out of the oven for dinner, cold the next morning for breakfast (it was much like a frittata when cold), finished it up at lunch and was sorry there wasn’t more!
Thanks for posting this Caroline!
Quite nice, but more like a frittata than a pizza – my base, which was definitely spread out to 28cm diameter, was much thicker than the one in the pictures. If I make these ingredients again in about this configuration, I will just make a zucchini frittata with an almond meal and cheese shell.
Hey Mark
Would you be interested in trying it again as a pizza and spreading it thinner than the 28cm? I’ll measure my tray!
I made a Detroit style rectangular pizza this time, on a 33cm by 23cm tray, and gave it longer in the oven. It was fine, but I think I’ll still go with a flour base the next time I make one.
… and by ‘fine’, I meant ‘ignoring the gritty texture that almond meal gives most dishes cooked with it’.
Really Mark? I made one this week and my boys loved it – and Fergal is a hard core pizza lover – but maybe it was the ham and pineapple topping that convinced them 🙂
I measured my tray and it’s actually 31cm – have updated the recipe!
And I made it with a different variety of zucchini this week and the mixture was much wetter but it still cooked out in about the same time.
Totally love this. Topped it with ricotta, salami, Parmesan and olives with basil. (Inspired by your pizza Bianco recipe, Jules!). Friday night pizza night has never tasted so good x
So glad you enjoyed it Lisa!
I made this recipe tonight and got great feedback. However, the crust needed MUCH more time cooking (at least 15 minutes more) in order to adhere together. I look forward to reheating the leftovers in the air fryer as that should make the crust nice and crispy 🙂
Curious to hear how it goes in the air fryer Claire!
If it took a lot longer, maybe next time try a higher temp in your oven. Or flattening out the mixture more to make a larger pizza.
This was a challenge meal, 2nd time I have made it and we will definitely make it again. Absolutely delicious and so easy.
Wonderful Michele!
I made this as a challenge meal. I make cauliflower crust fairly often and was sceptical because the zucchini has so much more water, but this was amazing. I will be in my rotation from now on.
Excellent Catherine!
It’s about 2 years since I ate pizza so this felt very indulgent. Thanks for the inspo. Prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella with some fresh rocket was my topping. I’ll do this again
Oh glad you felt indulgent Martina!
Had this as last of challenge meals – wow – i’ve had the cauliflower version but this blew it out the water – yummy yum
Oh yay Ethel! And thanks for being part of the challenge 🙂
Keep the comments coming!
Wow …I can enjoy pizza my way with this quick and easy recipe. Creative twist on using zucchini. The topping options are endless.
Yay Julie!
I had time today to make the full crust! It’s sooo good. My toppings were: mozzarella cheese, italian sausage, salad greens, and pasta sauce. I also did the mixed green salad.
So glad you enjoyed Raelynn!
I really enjoyed this change from cauliflower in a pizza base, because there is no flavour to distract from the toppings. Kids weren’t convinced, but they are pizza officionados, so don’t take their word for it!
My kids are the same Kelly!
Challenge Meal #6 was a success. The “pizza” base was delicious. I added some pizza sauce, cheddar cheese and spinach as toppings and paired it with the Best Ever Broccoli Salad. Wonderful meal that I know is going to be a “go to” recipe with so many possibilities for toppings.
Excellent Hal!
Well, I must have not cooked the crust long enough. The pizza was flimsy and didn’t hold together to be able to have a typical looking slice. -Or maybe I should have spread it out on a larger pan. The one I used was round and measured about 12 inches across.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the flavor of the zucchini crust and I love that this recipe makes the pizza so very low carb!
My 4th recipe in this challenge!
I had the same problem recently Cynthia – I was in a rush and didn’t cook the base for long enough before adding the toppings – make sure it’s really well browned. I’ll measure my tray and report back 🙂
I made this using regular flour instead of almond meal and parmesan and it turned out great. I love the idea of adding veg to pizza crust! I’m excited to try this recipe with broccoli and cauliflower instead of zucchini (or all three?!). I love all the variations and continued inspiration with your recipes, Jules!
Thanks for sharing Katherine!
I made a recipe inspired by this, but did not actually make a pizza. Just decided to use whatever I had in the fridge already. I sauteed some cabbage and then added all the other ingredients and plus 2 fried eggs and some pasta sauce. I have since picked up some zucchini and still plan to make some pizza!
I love using what you already have Raelynn. Did you use egg and almond meal with the cabbage?
I added 2 fried eggs, but no almond meal
Good to know – thanks Raelynn 🙂
Challenge Meal 5: Tasty. Next time I will make half the crust and spread it thinner. Or maybe a zucchini casserole with pizza type flavors…
Like the idea of a zucchini casserole Meredith 🙂
Made this for the second time already (once before the challenge) – and watched out to not overcook the 2nd time around. Made two smaller pizzas so I’d have dinner nearly ready to go for another day, works great. Might make three smaller ones next time as I find them really nicely filling :D!
Excellent Sandra!
Dinner tonight! I made it … in a microwave so it was great but I eventually broke it all up (I wanted to be sure the eggs were cooked) topped it with mozzarella, melted it a little more and sprinkled on extra coarse salt. You must hear some weird cooking stories. I usually take pictures of dishes I’ve loved making lol so.. You’re welcome to see! lol
Love it Kris!
I need to figure out a way we can share photos here 🙂
This was yesterday’s Challenge meal. I used a bit over half the mix for the pizza base (we like it thin and crispy) and made some bread with the rest. I’ll have that for lunch today – can’t wait!
Nice idea to make the bread Keryl!
I love these veggie pizza crusts. It feels so amazing to splurge on pizza and have the crust made with amazing goodness. Have this today topped with fresh tomato, fennel pesto and a bit of parmesan. What a treat and my hubby appreciates the zucchini base as it’s easier on his digestion than cauliflower or broccoli. Definitely song to my favorite recipes.
Oh yay Sandy!
I’m curious about your fennel pesto. Or was it fennel and pesto?
I made this for lunch over the weekend. I enjoyed it because I love anything that feels like bread but my gluten loving family is not a fan. I made it with nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. That could have been it. So maybe I’ll try again. Regardless, I love experimenting with your healthy recipes.
Glad you’re having fun experimenting Rachel!
How much nutritional yeast did you use? I find a little of it goes a long way.
If you want to keep it dairy-free I’d just replace the parmesan with extra almond meal. And be generous with the salt to replace the salt that would have some from the cheese.
I’m going to try it again with parmesan but I used a tbsp of nutritional yeast. It felt more like a quiche for some reason.
I guess without the bulk of the parmesan the egg becomes more prominent Rachel. Good to know!
Made this tonight as my son gave me zucchini from his garden. No almond flour, so used quinoa flour, which is a unusual “flavor” to add, but I like it. Two pizzas with different toppings equaled dinner, and tomorrow’s lunch, and some in the freezer for the future. What could be better!
Nice one Karen!
And good to know that quinoa flour works 🙂
Made this tonight with proscuitto as a topping. Fergal first asked if it was healthy and then cleaned his plate. Win!
Was in a hurry though so rushed the base cooking. Tasted good but the bottom was a bit softer than usual. Definitely better to invest the time getting the base properly browned before adding the toppings.
And I have tried a carrot version which I liked but the rest of the family thought was too carrotty!
Made this last night and it was delicious and so much easier than cauliflower pizza base. I may not have cooked it long enough as we could not pick it up like you would a pizza but we will definitely be making this again.
Cooking longer will help Michelle. I’m having this tonight. Great minds 😉
Does the shape of the crust make a difference, in terms of baking time, crispness, etc? Thinking of making this, but shaping it to the cookie sheet.
Great question Mrinalini!
It’s not so much the shape (round vs rectangle) but the surface area and thickness will make a difference to the cooking time – so the larger surface area (and thinner base) the quicker it will cook because the heat will pemetrate more evenly.
So just check a little earlier to be sure 🙂
I made a combo of zucchini and cauliflower pizza base (with 6 cheese topping!!!)
I didn’t want such a thick crust, so I split the mixture and baked about a third of it on a separate sheet; it’s very similar to the Broccoli (/Cauliflower) Sandwich bread, which is a favourite here. The pizza was great, and the bread made a quick and tasty breakfast – toasted and spread with a my experimental porcini butter (sensational!), thanks Jules.
OMg I need to get myself some porcini mushrooms Keryl! Adding to my shopping list now
And nice idea to do a zucchini and cauli combo 🙂
PS. Thank you for the inspiration 🙂
I had the last of the ‘pizza crust bread’ with porcini butter for breakfast today, and it’s truly AWESOME! I’m making it again as my go-to snack, as it keeps so very well. What better way to start the day than with two (or more) vegetables disguised as a delicious treat. Also, I was amazed at how little dried porcini I needed to make the butter (with the addition of a small amount of parmesan as you suggested). Thanks again!
Wonderful Keryl!
I’m so excited about your porcini butter idea. 🙂
Hi again, I halved the recipe, topped the base with parcooked chorizo and flavoured up tinned tomatoes (puttenesca, reduced a bit). Delicious and enough for two if you have a small side dish.
Wonderful Deb!
Hi Jules is it necessary to remove the moisture from the zucchini prior to mixing with the other ingredients? Thanks
No Michele – I would tell you to do that if it was required 🙂
Thanks for asking!
Thanks Jules, I though so but after making a cauliflower pizza base I thought I should check, especially as Zucchini has so much moisture.
Always good to check Michelle 🙂
I made this for some friends that I had over for dinner last night, as one was gluten free and everyone loved it! I set it up where we all made little personal pan pizzas and added our own toppings. Super easy for hosting because you can make the crust ahead of time and prep all the toppings, then once your guests choose their toppings pop it in the oven for 5-10 minutes, and you have a fun and delcious meal. Everyone was asking for the recipe! Thanks Jules!
PS – I used a silicon baking mat and the crust came right off – no sticking.
OOH I love this idea for entertaining Crystal – Thanks for sharing 🙂
Always a good sign when your guests ask for the recipe!
Jx