This Paleo pizza crust tastes just like the real thing, but is made without gluten, grains, or dairy. It’s the perfect primal canvas for all your favorite toppings!
What's different about this gluten free pizza
Cauliflower and other veggie-based crusts are great, but sometimes you need something a little closer to classic pizza to satisfy your cravings. This Paleo pizza dough bakes up into a gorgeous pie with just the right amount of crunch around the edges.
The middle of the pie is more chewy than crispy, but holds its own well enough to not sag under the weight of whatever toppings you choose. You’ll just need two Paleo-style flours to make this Paleo pizza crust, and it will fool your friends with how close it tastes to traditional pizza.
How we achieve that traditional pizza crust chew and flavor in a Paleo pizza crust
Almond and tapioca flours work together to mimic all-purpose flour for this recipe, and yeast gives the dough that characteristic pizza crust flavor. Instead of sugar, honey is mixed with the yeast to get the process started.
Olive oil provides a hint of richness and the egg, coupled with the tapioca flour, gives the dough plenty of elasticity, so it’s easy to work with. The dough only requires one forty-five minute rise, making it a viable option for weeknight dinners.
Once the dough has risen, it’s easy to pat out by hand on a piece of parchment—no rolling pin necessary. Preheat a baking sheet (use the back to give the pizza more room), brush the dough with a little olive oil, and pop the crust in the oven.
Which pizza toppings are Paleo?
After baking for eight minutes, the partially-baked pizza is ready for toppings. The photos above are taken by Becky of A Calculated Whisk (she developed this recipe for me).
Above, you can see that Becky used marinara sauce, pepperoni, thinly sliced red onion, and dollops of cashew ricotta. The red onion and basil leaves look like they were added after baking, so they're still raw.
Since I've started Paleo baking, the rules seem to have changed a bit and some dairy seems to be allowed. If you eat traditional cow's milk dairy, just use your favorite cheese or other pizza toppings. Anything you might use for a traditional gluten free pizza crust will work just as well here.
Dairy free, Paleo-friendly cheese options for your Paleo pizza
I've used everything from store-bought dairy free cheese, like Miyoko's Kitchen brand dairy free mozzarella-style cheese, to my own homemade version. In the how-to video in this post and in the image above, the shredded cheese is one I made using using Nora Cook's recipe for shreddable vegan mozzarella cheese.
If you'd like to make Nora Cook's or Miyoko's homemade vegan cheese, you'll need something called kappa carrageenan. It's a vegan gelling agent that is used frequently to make nondairy cheese, and it's relatively easy to order online.
Kappa carrageenan doesn't add any taste or odor to the homemade vegan cheese, and it does an amazing job of creating a cohesive texture for your homemade cheese. I'd like to try using it in place of xanthan or guar gum in gluten free baking.
After adding toppings, the pizza goes back into the oven for five more minutes. Once out of the oven, you can add a handful of fresh basil leaves and a few grinds of black pepper before slicing and serving.
Paleo pizza crust: Ingredients and substitutions
Since this a Paleo recipe, it's already necessarily dairy-free, gluten-free and even grain-free. There are a few additional potential allergens, though.
Almond flour
If you can't have nuts, then I don't recommend making this recipe. Try our recipe for dairy-free cauliflower pizza.
If you simply can't have almonds, I think the recipe would work with blanched, finely ground hazelnut flour. Be sure that whatever nut flour you're using, it's not a nut “meal,” which is made with nuts that still have their skins, and are coarsely ground.
Egg-free Paleo pizza
Since there's only one egg in this recipe, you should be able to replace it with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel).
In the comments to this post, you can see that others have had success replacing the egg with a “flax egg.” Generally, I don't like flax eggs unless they're made by boiling flax seeds and extracting the gel. That method eliminates most of the flavor of the flax seeds, which is strong.
Can you replace the tapioca starch/flour?
Tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour) is essential to the success of this recipe. It's the bulk of the flour used in the recipe, and it provides stretch that almond flour simply can't.
There is no Paleo replacement for tapioca starch. If you aren't Paleo but you'd like to make this recipe without tapioca starch, try using superfine sweet white rice flour (also called “glutinous” rice flour, made from short grain white rice) in its place.
Paleo pizza with instant yeast versus active dry yeast
You can't make this recipe without any yeast. It calls for instant yeast, which is also called breadmaker or rapid-rise yeast.
If you would like to replace the instant yeast with active dry yeast, multiply the number of grams of instant yeast by 1.25. Here, that means 6 grams x 1.25, or 7.5 grams.
I recommend just using 8 grams of active dry yeast. It has a thicker coating around the grains, so you'll need to soak it in the water in the recipe first. Once it's bubbling, proceed with the recipe and add the yeast and water when the instructions call for adding the water alone.
How to make authentic Paleo pizza, step by step
Authentic Paleo Pizza
Equipment
- Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (optional)
- Pizza stone (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) finely ground blanched almond flour
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) tapioca starch/flour plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup (2 ⅔ fluidounces) fluid ounces warm water
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) extra virgin olive oil plus more for brushing
- 1 tablespoon (21 g) honey
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- Pizza toppings as desired
Instructions
Make the pizza dough.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, place the almond flour, tapioca starch, and instant yeast. Whisk to combine well with a separate, handheld whisk. Add the salt, and whisk again to combine.
- Add the water, olive oil, honey, and egg, and mix until a sticky batter forms. If you’re using a stand mixer, mix until a uniform batter forms with the paddle attachment and the mixer on medium-high speed.
- If you're not using a mixer, switch to a spatula or wooden spoon, and mix until a uniform, but shaggy, dough forms.
Set the dough to rise.
- Dust your hands with a little tapioca flour and press the dough into a ball, kneading it a bit to get any floury bits mixed in. Return the ball of dough to the bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap.
- Set the dough in the covered bowl in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until the dough swells to about 150% of its original size.
- Place a pizza stone or large, overturned rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat your oven to 375°F.
Shape the dough.
- Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface, and, with lightly tapioca floured hands, transfer the ball of dough to the parchment.
- Pat the dough out into a circle about 12 inches in diameter, pushing out toward the edges to form a puffy rim of crust.
- Drizzle the top of the raw dough with olive oil and brush or spread it with clean hands evenly across the top of the crust, including the edges. Pierce the top of the dough (excluding the crust) with the tines of a fork.
Bake the dough.
- Carefully transfer the parchment with the dough onto the pizza stone or sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes or until the pizza dough is set and just beginning to brown.
- Remove the dough from the oven and add your desired toppings. Return to the oven and for about 5 minutes more or until your toppings are melted and/or bubbling and the edges of the pizza are golden brown.
- If desired, set the oven to broil and broil the pizza for up to two minutes until browned. Remove from the oven, slice, and serve hot.
Notes
Authentic Paleo Pizza
Equipment
- Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (optional)
- Pizza stone (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) finely ground blanched almond flour
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) tapioca starch/flour plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup (2 ⅔ fluidounces) fluid ounces warm water
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) extra virgin olive oil plus more for brushing
- 1 tablespoon (21 g) honey
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- Pizza toppings as desired
Instructions
Make the pizza dough.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, place the almond flour, tapioca starch, and instant yeast. Whisk to combine well with a separate, handheld whisk. Add the salt, and whisk again to combine.
- Add the water, olive oil, honey, and egg, and mix until a sticky batter forms. If you’re using a stand mixer, mix until a uniform batter forms with the paddle attachment and the mixer on medium-high speed.
- If you're not using a mixer, switch to a spatula or wooden spoon, and mix until a uniform, but shaggy, dough forms.
Set the dough to rise.
- Dust your hands with a little tapioca flour and press the dough into a ball, kneading it a bit to get any floury bits mixed in. Return the ball of dough to the bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap.
- Set the dough in the covered bowl in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until the dough swells to about 150% of its original size.
- Place a pizza stone or large, overturned rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat your oven to 375°F.
Shape the dough.
- Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface, and, with lightly tapioca floured hands, transfer the ball of dough to the parchment.
- Pat the dough out into a circle about 12 inches in diameter, pushing out toward the edges to form a puffy rim of crust.
- Drizzle the top of the raw dough with olive oil and brush or spread it with clean hands evenly across the top of the crust, including the edges. Pierce the top of the dough (excluding the crust) with the tines of a fork.
Bake the dough.
- Carefully transfer the parchment with the dough onto the pizza stone or sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes or until the pizza dough is set and just beginning to brown.
- Remove the dough from the oven and add your desired toppings. Return to the oven and for about 5 minutes more or until your toppings are melted and/or bubbling and the edges of the pizza are golden brown.
- If desired, set the oven to broil and broil the pizza for up to two minutes until browned. Remove from the oven, slice, and serve hot.
Becky Clark says
I also doubled the recipe tonight. I’m paleo but my husband is not. He is raving about the one with marinara sauce and other toppings. I’m not going to share the pesto one w/him. He hates pesto. This really is an incredible pizza crust. Thank you so much for sharing Becky’s recipe. I couldn’t find this on her website.
Nicole Hunn says
It’s not on her website, Becky! I hired her to create it for me. :)
Sharon Kilkeary says
Looks great but your video does not match the directions
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Sharon, I explain in the post that I changed the method slightly. Please see the text for details.
Dawn says
Thank you so much for this recipe it looks delicious. I love your recipes and I am super excited to try them! Thanks again!
Shana says
Nicole – thank you for sharing so many amazing gluten free recipes!
On the pizza crust I was wondering how it would if rolled out a little thinner so it’s closer to a thin crust pizza? Would it work or fall apart?
Nicole Hunn says
That’s kind of a tough one, Shana. I’ve rolled it thinner than you see in the photos and video, but if you try to roll it too thin, the dough just breaks. And it’ll burn quite quickly if it’s too thin as well. I’d stick with the slightly thicker crust!
Kris Angelo says
Hi Nicole,
Can’t wait to try this crust, hoping that I can substitute regular sugar instead of the honey as I cannot have honey. If so, would the amount of sugar be the same as the honey, 1 tablespoon?
Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
I honestly don’t know, Kris. Maybe try using another liquid sweetener, like maple syrup? You’ll have to experiment!
Zoe says
So glad you are focusing on flourless recipes!
Jana says
I made this last night and WOW was it amazing!! I was skeptical at first, even though the photos made it look so good, but I doubled the recipe and made 2 12-inch pizzas (and honestly I wasn’t even all that careful about measuring and it still turned out!) and we all agreed it was the BEST non-gluten, non-grain pizza we’d ever had! I used real mozzarella and made one with organic pepperoni, sauteed mushrooms, and fresh basil, and the other with hot Italian sausage, black olives, and thinly sliced sweet white onion. This is going to be a regular around here from now on! Thank you so much for this incredible and easy recipe!! :)
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad, Jana! It really is such a great recipe, I just had to make that video to hopefully convince even more people to try it. So glad you loved it!!
Mare says
Unfortunately, I have yet to try this. I now have to wait until the AIP elimination phase is over and I can add back both nuts and nightshades, and hopefully cheese too. But if no cheese, I will use Nicole’s suggested recipe for meltable vegan mozzarella. I have it teed up to go as soon as I am given the green light!
Nicole Hunn says
It’ll be waiting here for you, Mare! That meltable vegan mozzarella is actually really really good. Even my girls like it, and I tried a bunch of vegan cheese recipes. Most were awful and they wouldn’t touch!
Mary says
What can be used in place of almond flour? A member of family is highly allergic to nuts and don’t want to chance a reaction. Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
I haven’t tested this recipe with any substitutions, Mary, so I’m afraid I just don’t know. Sometimes, sunflower seed flour can be a substitute for almond flour, so maybe you can experiment with that.
Sherry F Larson says
Can this dough be frozen?
Nicole Hunn says
I never recommend freezing raw anything with yeast, but I think you could parbake it, let it cool and then freeze it. It is a bit fragile after parbaking, though. You can refrigerate the dough in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 days after making it, and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator, and then bake.
Kayel says
Hi. I’m new to gf, but I’ve done a few paleo recipes before. Do you have any recommendations for almond flower substitute or is it absolutely necessary like the tapioca flour. I am [technically] allergic to almond.
Nicole Hunn says
You can try substituting another nut flour, or even sunflower seed flour, Kayel, but I haven’t tested the recipe with any substitutions.
Kait says
Oh my gosh, this was amazing! I’m not sure we’ve EVER been able to actually PICK UP a slice of gluten free pizza. It’s thick and puffy and HOLDS TOPPINGS. Two thumbs up and two full bellies here!
LEC says
This pizza crust is delicious AND easy! Thanks. My family loved it, and I’m the only celiac. We topped it with mozzarella, pepperoni, and black olives. The ends/edge crust was SO good- browned nicely and developed great flavor. This recipe is a keeper.
Nicole Hunn says
So glad you loved this recipe, Lauren. It’s quickly become a favorite of my family (and mine!) too!
Meredith Frauzel says
This is a great recipe! Made it tonight and everyone agreed that is delicious! Thank you so much! Can’t wait to go through your flour course.
Karen Wilk says
WOW….My daughter asked if I was sure it was gluten-free! Excellent taste and texture, best GF pizza crust we’ve had from any source, and not too much time in the kitchen. Bravo!
Maria says
Have you tried it with an egg substitute? Would love to know! Looking forward to testing this recipe out
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Maria,
I’ve never made this recipe with an egg substitute, but since it’s only 1 egg, it should work fine. I recommend a “chia egg.”
Let us know how it goes!
Becky says
I made this with a “flaxseed egg” for my son’s vegan girlfriend. Came out great!
Nicole Hunn says
Glad to know it worked, Becky!
Emilie bruno says
Can I make the dough ahead and freeze?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Emilie,
I don’t recommend freezing unbaked yeasted dough, no. You can try shaping and parbaking it until not browned but just “set” at about 250°F, and then cooling and freezing it until you are ready to use it.
Marisa says
Do you know if the uncooked (but already risen) dough freezes well? I’m hoping to make five crusts at once, then freeze a few to use the following week. Or could I bake for the first 8 min and freeze from there?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Marisa,
I don’t recommend freezing unbaked yeasted dough. You can try shaping and parbaking it until not browned but just “set” at about 250°F, and then cooling and freezing it until you are ready to use it.
Becca says
Would cassava flour also be an option rather than tapioca flour? Thanks!!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid not, Becca. Cassava flour is actually very different from tapioca flour. Tapioca flour is the starch of the cassava plant. Cassava flour is the entire root, peeled, dried and ground and is very fibrous. They are not at all interchangeable.
Suz in Kelowna, BC says
Reheat the leftovers?! Bwahaha!! You’re kidding, right? Who has leftovers from 1-12″ pizza ? Seriously, I’d make double just to have cold puzzle for breakfast?. Thanks, Nicole! Making it tonight!
Suz in Kelowna, BC says
Oops, PIZZA not PUZZLE (darn auto write)
Nancy says
Do you think you could use arrowroot in place of tapioca flour?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Nancy,
I’m afraid there really is no effective substitute for tapioca starch, as it has stretchy qualities that nothing else really has. Sorry!
Katie says
Great recipe, Nicole! Thanks for this :) I went classic (and non-paleo) with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. Gave it about 8 minutes with toppings, thereof two under the broiler. Awesome crust that was super easy to handle and the smell in my kitchen was heavenly.
Becky Winkler says
That sounds great! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Katie!
Sandie says
Thanks, Nicole! This was a great success! Although I do have a digital kitchen scale (Bed Bath & Beyond) and use it often, I was lazy and just measured by volume for this pizza. I used King Arthur Flour almond flour because it’s finely ground and I think it’s a great product. The crust is crunchy and chewy and just delish–this will be my go-to for pizza. I did bake the assembled pizza for an extra 6 minutes since it didn’t look done, but I did load on the toppings! Delish!
Becky Winkler says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the pizza, Sandie! Would love to hear what toppings you used :).
Sandie says
I’m afraid the toppings weren’t exactly paleo! Mozz, pizza sauce, mushrooms, spinach and pepperoni. :-) Thanks for the great recipe!
Becky Winkler says
Sounds delicious, though!
Jen says
What if you don’t have a kitchen scale ?
Nicole Hunn says
If you’d like consistently good results in your baking, Jen, you’ll need a simple digital kitchen scale. It takes up very little space and often costs less than $15. This scale costs less than $13 right now (aff link—feel free to shop around!). Approximate volume measurements are provided in the recipe, however, if you’d prefer, but your results will vary.
Mare Masterson says
Oh I really hope this tastes as good as it looks! I have been bad and have been eating grains. Good Paleo recipes, like this one (hopefully), will make it easier for me not to eat the grains. Oh, cheese is my favorite food, so I will be using real cheese on this one!
Nicole, thanks for inviting Becky to share with us here on your blog.
Nicole Hunn says
I think you’ll love it, Mare. The key is that it’s a blend of almond flour and tapioca flour/starch. I’ve tried other Paleo crusts that are mostly just almond flour, and they taste, well, like flat almonds. ?
Becky Winkler says
I sometimes use real cheese, too, so no judgment here. Would love to hear what you think if you get a chance to give this crust a try!