Chewy Zucchini Pizza Crust

By Nicole Hunn | Published: August 14, 2024 | Posted In: Breads, Pizza

zucchini pizza crust slice being picked up

5 from 21 votes

Prep Time : 25

Cook Time : 20

This zucchini pizza crust bends and folds like "real" pizza, and it's made with just 5 simple ingredients—including 4 cups of shredded zucchini.

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This easy recipe for zucchini pizza crust is made with just 5 ingredients (grated zucchini, 2 cheeses, tapioca starch and an egg), and has the authentic chew that you want in a proper pizza.

Say no to zucchini slices topped with sauce that are nothing like real pizza. This zucchini pizza crust will change the way you look at veggies, pizza, and veggie pizza!

Zucchini pizza crust slices on brown paper with fingers folding one slice

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Why this is the best zucchini pizza crust recipe

This zucchini pizza crust is better than cauliflower crust pizza. Now, it may be that I make this pie differently from the way I make cauliflower pizza, adding some tapioca starch to the mixture. But the taste and the texture of this zucchini pizza has me literally daydreaming about a slice.

Like cauliflower pizza, my zucchini pizza crust is also relatively low carb, so you can feel a little less guilty about grabbing an extra slice or two. (If you're only looking for a recipe for “regular” pizza, try our gluten free pizza dough.)

When it comes to preparation, it couldn't be an easier: you only need a handful of ingredients, and prep time is about 10 minutes (15 if you count draining the zucchini after you grate it).

Despite being so different than conventional pizza, I promise you, that delicious, classic pizza taste is there.

Why use zucchini for a pizza crust?

A zucchini pizza crust may seem weird, but that's what people surely thought about cauliflower crust pizza, and look how popular that's become!

The truth is, there aren't a lot of vegetables that can mimic the taste and texture of zucchini. Zucchini has an extremely mild flavor, so it's easy for the pizza sauce, cheese, and other toppings to hide it.

Zucchini also does a wonderful job of contributing to this pizza crust recipe's light, chewy texture. And it's naturally gluten free to boot! If you want to try a veggie pizza crust recipe, this one is definitely the winner.

What about zucchini pizza bites?

I'm sure you've seen them, disks of sliced zucchini, topped with sauce and cheese, and then baked until they look… just like slices of zucchini with sauce and cheese!

Zucchini slices topped like pizza bites are nothing like pizza, and they are a sad alternative if you're craving a slice of real pizza. They don't have any of the texture of pizza.

So the next time you want pizza and and you're considering zucchini pizza boats, or any other variation that doesn't involve an actual crust, I hope you'll consider this zucchini pizza. Pull out the box grater, grab the tapioca starch and a couple of eggs, measure out some cheese, and do so much better.

Closeup of crust of zucchini pizza crust slices with tomato sauce and cheese on brown paper

How to make zucchini pizza crust

Shred & drain the zucchini

We begin by shredding fresh zucchini squash. Roll it up in a tea towel, and squeeze out the moisture. You should have 250 grams of drained zucchini.
Add 2 eggs, tapioca starch, shredded mozzarella cheese, and grated Parmesan.

Shredded zucchini on blue and white striped towel

Hand rolling tea towel over shredded zucchini

Mix the dough and shape the pizza

Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine everything into a dough.
It will be soft and sticky, but not very wet since the only wet ingredient is 2 beaten eggs.
Spread the dough out on a piece of parchment into a 13-inch round.

Ingredients for zucchini pizza unmixed in round metal mixing bowl

Yellow and green mixture of dough for zucchini pizza in round metal mixing bowl with mixing spoon

Bake the pizza and serve

Bake the crust at 450°F until it's golden brown on the top and bottom.
Add tomato sauce and cheese, or your favorite toppings.
Return the pizza back into the oven to melt the cheese.
Let rest briefly, then slice and serve hot!

13 inch round of raw zucchini pizza dough on brown paper

Baked 13 inch round zucchini pizza on brown paper

Recipe tips & tricks

Weigh your zucchini after, not before

Since the moisture in fresh zucchini varies so much from one vegetable to another, ignore the pre-grated weight of your zucchini and just squeeze out all the moisture and weigh the zucchini after you’ve squeezed it dry. You can measure by volume, but weight measurements are so much more reliable and the only way to be sure you’re on target.

Save some zucchini for later

Hate grating and squeezing dry zucchini? Do a ton of it at once, and then pile the dry, shredded zucchini into individual freezer-safe zip top bags and freeze flat. Defrost at room temperature, squeeze out any remaining moisture, and proceed with the zucchini pizza crust recipe—or use it to make gluten free zucchini bread or gluten free zucchini cake.

Use freshly-grated cheeses

Pre-shredded and grated cheeses, especially grated semi-hard cheeses like mozzarella, are sold with added starches and other anti-caking agents in the bag or container. These additives prevent the shreds from clumping together. In this recipe, it's best to avoid using pre-shredded and grated cheese if possible, since it calls for the right amount of tapioca starch when using freshly grated cheese.

If you do use pre-grated and shredded cheeses, you can modify the recipe to account for the extra dryness. Just add a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, mixing constantly, just until the mixture holds together properly.

Baked yellow and green zucchini pizza crust without toppings on brown paper

Storage instructions

If you have leftover zucchini pizza, you can store it in the fridge for three days or so. It makes the perfect snack or lunch item, and believe it or not, this pizza might even be better cold the next day than it is hot out of the oven. No joke.

If you do want to reheat your zucchini pizza slices, just place them on a pizza stone or baking sheet, and heat in the oven for a few minutes. If you're only reheating a slice or two, use the toaster oven instead.

In a rush? I don't recommend that you use the microwave to reheat, because just as with traditional pizza, you may end up with limp or soggy slices. But if you're in a pinch, go for it. The pizza will still taste amazing.

A bowl of shredded zucchini, a raw zucchini pizza, a baked zucchini pizza crust

Ingredient substitution suggestions

Dairy free zucchini pizza

To make this recipe dairy free, you have to replace both the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. I haven't tried this recipe with dairy free alternatives for those cheeses, but Violife brand dairy free cheeses are quite good and might be worth trying.

Our recipe for Paleo Pizza makes a Paleo (non-dairy) version of this recipe seem possible. I think perhaps using more tapioca starch for chew, and some almond flour to replace some fat in the cheese might work.

Egg free zucchini pizza

In this gluten free zucchini pizza crust recipe, the eggs serve as a way to bind all the ingredients together. They also impart a richer flavor and help with browning.

You can try to substitute “chia eggs” in this recipe, but I haven't tried it myself to say whether it will work. To make a chia egg, you combine 1 tablespoon of ground white chia seeds and 1 tablespoon of warm water, and then let it sit until it gels.

Image of a zucchini keto pizza crust with a hand taking a slice

Low carb keto zucchini pizza

To make this recipe into a low carb, keto zucchini pizza with 6 grams of carbs in the whole pizza, you will have to replace the tapioca starch, and add another couple of ingredients. Here are the changes you'll have to make:

In place of tapioca starch/flour, add 1/4 cup (24 g) coconut flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to help the pizza hold its shape.
When you add the beaten eggs, add 2 ounces of regular block-style cream cheese.
Made this way, without toppings, the whole pizza has 6 grams of total carbohydrates.

Overhead image of slices of zucchini pizza crust on brown paper

FAQs

Does a zucchini crust pizza taste like pizza?

Yes! This tastes like actual pizza. It does have a bit more texture than a pizza made with flour, but
zucchini is an extremely mild vegetable, so it doesn't take much to overpower its taste.

What happens if I don't squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini first?

If you don't drain the moisture from the zucchini first before mixing it with the other ingredients, the pizza dough will be gooey. You'll immediately see that it's not going to hold together well nor keep its shape. That's because there's way too much moisture.

Why won't my pizza dough hold together well?

Did you use preshredded cheeses? They can be drying. Try adding olive oil to the dough a little bit at a time, mixing well, just until it holds together well.

Can I make a gluten free zucchini pizza crust in advance?

Yes! Just pre-bake it without toppings until it's golden brown on both sides. Let it cool, then wrap it tightly and freeze. When you're ready to serve the pizza, unwrap the frozen pizza, top it with sauce, cheese, and any other toppings, and bake it for about 10 minutes at 450°.

Do I have to prebake my zucchini pizza?

Yes, for best results, you must pre-bake your zucchini pizza dough. Baking the dough ensures even cooking before you add your toppings, and gives you a chance to set the base first.

How do I prevent a soggy crust?

Prebake the crust before you add toppings. Then, take care not to over-sauce the crust or use excessively wet ingredients as toppings.

Why is my zucchini pizza crust gummy?

If you pull your zucchini pizza from the oven and find that it has a gummy texture, it's likely under-cooked. You may have used wet shredded zucchini, or spread out the mixture too thickly, so it takes longer to bake. Return the pizza to the oven, and allow it to cook for a few more minutes.

Fingers holding zucchini pizza crust showing underside of baked crust

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Zucchini Pizza Crust Recipe

This zucchini pizza crust bends and folds like "real" pizza, and it's made with just 5 simple ingredients—including 4 cups of shredded zucchini.

Course: Pizza

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 20

Yield: 8 slices pizza

Author: Nicole Hunn

Equipment

Standard box grater
Mesh nut milk bag optional, for draining zucchini

Ingredients

4 cups (440 g) grated fresh zucchini (from about 2 medium zucchini) (250 g when squeezed dry) (See Recipe Notes)
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese finely grated
8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese grated (on a standard-size grater)
2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
⅔ cup (80 g) tapioca starch/flour (you may need less if your cheeses are pre-grated)
A light drizzling of extra virgin olive oil (if necessary)(See Recipe Notes)

Optional spices

1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Optional toppings

tomato sauce
Additional mozzarella cheese
gluten free pepperoni
sautéed mushrooms

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a pizza stone or overturned baking sheet in the oven as it preheats. Line a pizza peel or other flat surface (like a large cutting board) with a sheet of unbleached parchment paper, and set it aside.
In a large bowl, place the dry grated zucchini, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, tapioca starch and optional spices.
Mix to combine well. The mixture will be thick but soft.
Transfer the mixture to the parchment paper. With a moistened silicone spatula or large spoon, spread it into a 13-inch round in one even layer.
With wet hands or the side of the spatula or spoon, even the edges around the perimeter.
Slide the pizza on the parchment off the peel or cutting board onto the pizza stone or overturned baking sheet in the oven.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the pizza is an even light golden brown color on top.
Remove the pizza from the oven, spread your desired pizza toppings on top, and return to the oven for another 5 minutes or until any cheese is melted, and the edges are crisp.
Remove the pizza from the oven and allow to set for 2 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving warm.
Any leftover pieces can be covered and refrigerated for at least 3 days and enjoyed cold or refreshed in a warm toaster oven or microwave before serving.

Notes

How much zucchini you will need.

You'll begin with about 440 grams of shredded fresh zucchini, but the important thing is that your zucchini pizza have 250 grams of drained zucchini. Some zucchini begins with more moisture, so you may need to begin with more freshly grated zucchini to get the full 250 grams, as drained. If yours begins with less moisture, you'll need less zucchini.

About draining grated zucchini.

I squeeze the liquid out of grated zucchini by placing it, about 2 cups at a time, in a fine mesh bag (like a nut milk bag) or tea towel, closing the bag or rolling up the towel and twisting it to squeeze out all the liquid.

About using packaged shredded cheeses.

If you use packaged shredded mozzarella or Parm-Reg cheeses, your mixture will be drier than if you freshly-grate your cheeses. Packaged shredded cheeses have added anti-caking agents added to them.

About adding extra virgin olive oil.

To counteract the dryness if you've used pre-shredded cheeses or more coarsely ground Parm-Reg cheese, you can add a very light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to the mixture and mix until it holds together well.

For a low-carb version.

In place of tapioca starch/flour, you can use 1/4 cup (24 g) coconut flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to help the pizza hold its shape. You'll also add 2 ounces of regular block-style cream cheese, at soft room temperature, when you add the beaten eggs. Made this way, without toppings, the whole pizza has 6 grams of total carbohydrates.

Nutritional information.

Nutrition information is per slice, assuming a large pizza cut into 8 slices, without toppings. It is an estimate only provided as a courtesy and created using an online nutrition calculator. It should not be relied upon.