I’ve had a tremendous zucchini harvest this year.
For the past four weeks or so, I’ve been harvesting this many zucchini every few days.
I’ve been using them in any way that I can. I chop them up and throw them into any and everything that I’m cooking, I eat them raw in salads, and have even shared a post on 20+ nourishing zucchini recipes, some of which I’ve made.
I was honestly just about done with zucchini, until I heard about a zucchini crust pizza. It sounded like an amazing way to use up my harvest.
When I made it, it was good; however, the crust was too soft and quiche like for my tasting. It had to be eaten with a fork. I wanted a pizza crust that would withstand a lot of toppings and that I could pick up with my hands.
So, I revamped the process of cooking it and…voila.
Pizza, the way I like it.It’s a really scrumptious crust that tastes amazing especially with the added, cheese, herbs, and spices.
What I love most about this recipe is how easy it is to make.To make the crust, all you need to do is mix up all your ingredients in a bowl and pre-bake it for 8 minutes until the top and bottom starts to brown.
The secret to the beautiful golden crust on the bottom is to bake it on a pre-heated baking stone at a high temperature of 550F.
This process is essential to avoid a soggy, eggy crust.It’s exactly the same process of how I bake my regular pizza, but I don’t have to wait for dough to rise. It’s brilliant!
After the crust is pre-baked all you need to do is top it with your favorite toppings and bake it on the preheated baking stone in the oven for a few more minutes.
It’s so simple and quick to make.
After developing this recipe, I think I’ll have to double the zucchini plants I grow next year. Yeah, it’s that good.
One thing to remember, the season is winding down. If you like this recipe, I’d like to encourage you to stock up on zucchini soon to to freeze and preserve for the winter ahead. All you need to do is shred the zucchini into 8 cup portions and freeze it.
Also, this crust can be made gluten free by substituting the flour for rolled oat flour.
The Best Zucchini Recipe Ever – Zucchini Crust Pizza
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: Makes 1, 14\" pizza
The best zucchini recipe ever - zucchini crust pizza. It's super simple to make and tastes simply scrumptious!
Ingredients:
Zucchini Crust
- 8 cups shredded zucchini
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2/3 cup flour (sub almond flour)
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 3 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 tsp salt
Homemade Pizza Sauce
- 4 large tomatoes, quartered
- 2 tbls olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 tbls fresh oregano (sub 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tbls fresh tyme (sub 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp salt
Method:
Zucchini Pizza Crust
- Preheat oven to 550F with a pizza stone pre baking in it.
- In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and set aside for 15 minutes. Squeeze the excess moisture out of the squash by wrapping it up in a clean tea towel or piece of cheese cloth and wringing it out, discarding the water.
- Once all of the excess moisture has been wrung out and discarded, place the shredded zucchini back into the bowl and add the cheddar cheese, flour, garlic, oregano, basil, eggs, and salt.
- With your hands, incorporate all of the ingredients together.
- Place the zucchini mixture onto a piece of parchment paper at least 15” in diameter, set on something solid that will make it easy to transfer into the oven.
- Using your fingers, spread the zucchini crust mixture to form a circle about 14” in diameter, 1/2" thick. Pinch the edges up so that it forms a nice crust.
- Once the pizza crust has been shaped, transfer the crust on the parchment paper onto the heated pizza stone in the oven. Bake for 8 minutes or until the crust starts to brown.
- Once the zucchini crust has baked for 8 minutes, transfer the pizza on the parchment paper out of the oven, onto the solid surface you used before.
- Top the pizza with sauce and any additional toppings that you'd like.
- Once the toppings are on, transfer the pizza on the parchment paper back onto the heated pizza stone in the oven and bake for an additional 4 minutes.
Homemade Pizza Sauce
- In a large heavy bottomed sauce pan, add the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme, and salt.
- Bring to a boil, breaking up the tomato. Lower the heat, then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Once simmered, puree all of the ingredients in a blender.
https://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2013/09/best-zucchini-recipe-ever-zucchini-crust-pizza/
©Copyright, A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
Have you ever made zucchini crust pizza? Share with me in the comments below any other pizza crust ideas I should know about!
FAQs
Then I peeled the mini zucchini with a vegetable peeler and marinated the thin strips in a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. The raw marinated zucchini goes on top of the cooked pizza along with lots of fresh basil, fresh thyme, generous scoops of pesto, and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.
How many carbs are in a zucchini pizza crust? ›
This low-carb zucchini pizza crust contains just five simple vegan ingredients with no flour, oats, cheese, or egg! Instead, this delicious keto pizza crust relies on a simple zucchini base with a fraction of the fat and calories. Just 2.6 g net carbs per slice!
What are 3 pizza crust alternatives? ›
Save time by swapping your regular pizza dough for simple substitutes. Our alternative bases include pitta bread, naan, puff pastry, wraps and polenta.
How to blind bake pizza crust? ›
Pick the top of the dough a few times with a fork and pre-bake the dough in the pizza pan, or slide onto a hot pizza stone to pre-bake for 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven and add pizza sauce and toppings. Return to oven and bake for 8-15 more minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
How do you keep zucchini crisp when cooking? ›
Slice and salt zucchini in advance of cooking to draw out some of the vegetable's excess moisture (while also seasoning it more thoroughly). To do this, cut up a pound of zucchini and toss it with ½ teaspoon of table salt. Let it drain in a colander for about 30 minutes before patting it dry and cooking it.
Does zucchini need to be peeled for baking? ›
Nope! There's no need to peel zucchini. In fact, the skin is a big source of zucchini nutrition (the deep green color is a dead giveaway) so you definitely want to leave the skin on.
Which pizza crust has the least carbs? ›
Shredded Chicken Pizza Crust. This pizza crust alternative is known as a “no-carb” pizza crust. True, containing only 1 gram of net carbs, this crust is the lowest carb pizza crust you can make.
Is cauliflower crust pizza good for a low carb diet? ›
Cauliflower pizza crust can fit gluten-free, diabetes-friendly, low carb, or weight loss diets. Cauliflower has recently skyrocketed in popularity since it can be used to lower the carb and calorie content of many traditionally high carb foods, such as pizza.
Why does my cauliflower pizza have so many carbs? ›
A single slice could have anywhere from 2 to 29 grams. That's a huge range, especially because cauliflower isn't carb-heavy (a cup has 5 grams). Why the difference? Crusts may include rice or brown rice flour, sugar, tapioca starch, and corn starch, which supply carbs.
What is the healthiest dough for pizza? ›
7 Healthier Alternatives to Traditional Pizza Crust
- Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Mix. Many organic and all-natural brands have a gluten-free pizza crust mix for purchase (quick snapshot below). ...
- Cauliflower. ...
- Zucchini. ...
- Eggplant. ...
- Wholegrain Sprouted Flatbread. ...
- Polenta. ...
- Sugar Cookie.
Some popular options include garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and fennel. Pepper adds some kick to the mildness of a white sauce and if you're fond of heat, red pepper flakes are a good option as well. BBQ sauce – Barbeque lovers are likely to enjoy a pizza sauce alternative with a smokier flavor.
Is pizza dough better with or without olive oil? ›
Adding oil to your pizza dough makes it crispier once baked. The oil creates an impermeable layer that moisture, such as that present in tomato sauce, cannot easily penetrate. In other words, olive oil in pizza dough prevents sauce from absorbing into the dough and making it floppy.
Should you prebake pizza dough before adding toppings? ›
If you're topping your pizza with something that's moist or wet (like fresh mozzarella), you want to partially bake the crust before proceeding with the add-ons. Bake it until it's just firm enough to stand up to the extra weight, then make your pizza pretty.
What not to do to pizza dough? ›
The Most Common Mistakes When Making Pizza
- Not Letting the Dough Rest. ...
- Not Kneading the Dough for Long Enough. ...
- Using a Rolling Pin to Form the Dough. ...
- Overloading Pizza Toppings. ...
- Not Letting the Pizza Cook for Long Enough.
Bottom line: Raw or cooked is fine. It's safe to eat raw zucchini. Try it with your favorite dip; leave the skin on so you get the extra fiber. It's possible to be allergic to raw zucchini, but cooking it might help some people.
Should veggies be precooked for pizza? ›
Consider grilling, roasting or sautéing vegetables before putting them on the crust; this not only adds another element of flavor to the toppings, but releases much of the moisture. Be sure to use a slotted spoon when removing them from the pan and place them on a paper towel at room temperature.
Should zucchini be cooked before eating? ›
Yes, it's safe to eat zucchini raw. Just gently wash your zucchini first, then slice it up and enjoy. Just like with any food, there are potential side effects to eating a lot of it. Consuming a large amount of raw zucchini may lead to bloating.
Does raw zucchini taste like raw cucumber? ›
Tastewise, cucumbers have a fresh taste and are juicy due to high water content. On the other hand, zucchinis have a heartier flavor and may even tend to be slightly bitter. When cooked, zucchini holds its shape better than cucumbers that wilt easily.
