Zucchini Pizza Crust

Whether trying to sneak more veggies into your meals or looking for lighter, low-carb options, this zucchini pizza crust is a delicious and nutritious way to shake up pizza night. Made with shredded zucchini, eggs, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, plus a bit of flour to hold everything together, the crust bakes up golden, crispy and flavorful. It’s a great option even if you’re not cutting carbs—especially if you don’t have time to make traditional pizza dough from scratch.

After baking, the zucchini crust is the perfect base for loading up with your favorite pizza toppings. This recipe includes instructions for building a sauceless pizza topped with garden-fresh veggies and plenty of melty mozzarella, but the options don’t end there. This zucchini crust pizza is super versatile, and we’ve included a few topping combination variations to inspire your next pizza craving.

Ingredients for Zucchini Pizza Crust

• Zucchini: Zucchini is full of moisture, so it’s essential to squeeze out as much liquid as possible so the zucchini dough pizza bakes up firm and crisp.
• Eggs: Eggs help bind the zucchini and cheeses together and make the crust sturdy. You can swap in 1/2 cup of liquid egg substitute—either traditional or a plant-based brand will work.
• All-purpose flour: This recipe calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which helps the crust hold together and crisp up in the oven. You can swap in almond flour or a gluten-free flour blend if needed.
• Cheese: We use two kinds of cheese in the crust—shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan—plus extra mozzarella for the topping. The combination adds rich, salty flavor and melts into the crust, holding everything together and creating a satisfying chewy texture.
• Veggies: We top the zucchini crust pizza with a colorful assortment of sliced tomatoes, chopped red onion and bell pepper strips. Firm plum tomatoes are a good choice to keep excess moisture from making your pizza soggy, and you can use any color bell peppers you like.
• Seasoning: We sprinkle dried oregano and basil over the pizza for a classic Italian flavor. We also love finishing the pizza with fresh basil for brightness and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the crust

TASTE OF HOME

Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, combine the shredded zucchini, eggs, flour and salt. Add 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and stir to combine.

Editor’s Tip: Squeezing the zucchini dry is key to avoiding a soggy crust. After shredding the zucchini, wrap it in a clean dish towel or a double layer of cheesecloth, twist the ends together and squeeze over the sink until all the water is released.

Step 2: Shape and bake the crust

TASTE OF HOME

Generously coat a 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. Place the zucchini mixture in the center of the pan and spread it evenly into an 11-inch circle. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Step 3: Top the pizza crust

TASTE OF HOME

Reduce the oven temperature to 400°. Sprinkle the baked zucchini crust with the remaining mozzarella cheese, then arrange the sliced tomatoes, chopped red onion and julienned bell pepper. Finish with the dried herbs and the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Step 4: Bake the pizza

TASTE OF HOME

Bake the pizza for 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted. If desired, sprinkle the pizza with chopped fresh basil and red pepper flakes before serving.

Allison Cebulla for Taste Recipes

Recipe Variations

Instead of veggies and cheese, try topping your zucchini pizza crust pizza recipe with one of these combinations for a memorable pie:

• Meat lovers: Tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, regular or spicy pepperoni, bacon and crumbled sausage.
• Brie and caramelized onion: Caramelized onions, Brie and balsamic glaze. If you’re a fan of sweet-and-savory pizzas, sliced peaches, pears or fig jam would be delicious with this combination.
• Margherita: San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
• Barbecue chicken: Your favorite barbecue sauce, chopped red onion, shredded rotisserie chicken and mozzarella.
• Meatball: Pizza sauce, thawed frozen meatballs (halved or quartered), and shredded mozzarella.
• Prosciutto and arugula: Pizza sauce, thinly sliced prosciutto, shaved Parmesan and fresh arugula.
• White mushroom: Cream cheese or white sauce, dollops of ricotta cheese and sauteed mushrooms.
• Breakfast pizza: Scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon or breakfast sausage, mozzarella or cheddar cheese.
• Mini pizzas: Instead of one large crust, divide the zucchini dough in half and shape it into two smaller circles. This kid-friendly option lets everyone customize their toppings, and the pizzas will bake a little faster too.

How to Store Zucchini Pizza Crust

Store slices of leftover zucchini crust pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat the pizza in a 400° oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

Can you freeze zucchini crust pizza?

Yes, you can freeze a pizza crust with zucchini. Mix the zucchini dough pizza, then shape and bake the crust as directed. Let the pizza crust cool completely. You can add your desired toppings before freezing or leave it plain, then wrap it tightly with aluminum foil and freeze it for up to three months.

When you’re ready to eat, unwrap the crust, add toppings if you didn’t already do so, and bake from frozen in a 400° oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted.

Zucchini Pizza Crust Tips

Allison Cebulla for Taste Recipes

Can you make zucchini crust without flour?

Yes, you can make a zucchini pizza crust without flour. A flourless crust will turn out softer, but you can omit the flour entirely and make the crust with just shredded zucchini, eggs and cheese. Try adding an extra egg or 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed for a bit more structure.

How do I prevent a soggy zucchini pizza crust?

The key to preventing a soggy zucchini pizza crust is squeezing out as much moisture as possible from the zucchini. After shredding the zucchini, sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and let it sit for about 10 minutes to draw out moisture. Then, wrap the zucchini in cheesecloth, a tea towel or paper towels. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can before continuing with the recipe.

Can you use frozen zucchini spirals to make pizza crust?

You could use a bag of frozen zucchini spirals (aka zoodles) to make this zucchini pizza crust, but you’ll have to do a bit of prep for the best results. Thaw the spirals overnight in the fridge and then drain them. Chop them into small pieces, about 1-inch long, so they’re similar in size to shredded zucchini. Squeeze them to remove excess moisture.

How many carbs are in a zucchini pizza?

Each slice of this zucchini pizza contains 9 grams of total carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 8 grams of net carbohydrates per slice.