Every so often, something gets dropped on your lap (or, in your mailbox, as it were) that is so wonderful that it doesn’t leave your side for at least a few days, and the cookbook from whence this grain free thin crust pizza came is one of those things. I took it to the gym to read on the elliptical; I read it in bed; I dreamed of this pizza. I’m completely serious.
I’m probably going to get kicked out of the midwest for this, but I am squarely in the thin crust pizza camp. Not too thin that it’s a cracker crust, but crispy-outside/tender-and-chewy-inside thin crust. OK YOU GOT ME. I’ll just come right out and say it: no pizza is better than a New York pizza. There. Happy now? I sure am!!
It’s been ages since I have had pizza, and I’ve had the most intense longing for it, one of the most perfect foods known to man. That’s probably why I ended up making two different recipes in about three days. I’m not even going to pretend I’m considering being ashamed about that.
Thank you, Bill Staley and Hayley Mason (plus Hayley’s sister, Caitlin Nagelson), for saving me from the throes of pizza withdrawal.
This grain free pizza* comes from Make It Paleo II, the newest tome from the team behind the Primal Palate website (the name of which might sound familiar because I guest posted for them a few weeks ago) and everything about it was exceptional. I don’t gush, I’m not a gusher, but I couldn’t (still can’t) stop carrying on about this book. After the second or third read through, I couldn’t stop thinking “this is the kind of work I aspire to”. Not only do they use real food in their recipes (no weird, unpronounceable stabilizers or thickeners, for example), and not only do they make your favorite foods from “the old days” before certain foods were enemies of the state (stomach), but their attention to detail is astounding. For example – and this is probably my favorite part of the book – they include an entire section in the book devoted to projects.
By projects, they mean foods that you probably don’t have the time or energy to make on a regular basis but once in awhile, it is fun and so satisfying to make and eat them. There are already an overwhelming number of beautiful and incredibly delicious looking recipes in this book, so by the time you get to the projects chapter, composed basically of bonus recipes like 10 spice mixes, cured salmon, ginger beer and coconut milk yogurt, that must have taken a lot of time and energy for the team to develop on top of the work that they had already put in, you are completely blown away by the amount of attention, passion and love that went into this book.
*note: in the book it is called Nightshade Free Pizza; it’s also nut free and dairy free.
Aside from this pizza, the book also contains a cauliflower crust pizza recipe, a pizza sauce recipe, and a nut free pasta recipe. Be still my Italian heart. And Hayley, Bill and Caitlin have generously invited me to give you a taste of the book by sharing their nightshade/nut/dairy free crust recipe here – lucky us! Admittedly, I made this pizza crust a little thinner than the recipe called for (see: I <3 New York style pizza) and I made a few changes to the toppings, but nothing that dramatically changed the final product. But if you prefer to stay true to the original, I have some good news for you: I’m giving you a chance to win your very own copy of this beautiful book between today and next Thursday. Just scroll down to enter! (And if you don’t want to wait a week, you can also pick up a copy on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.) But enough talk. Let’s skip right to the pizza!
The most amazing thing about this crust is not that it is such a wonderful consistency, or that it tastes great, or that it is free of nightshades, nuts and dairy. The most amazing thing is that the dough is actually doughy. Many gluten-free bread products are very batter-like, rather than dough-like and you basically have to just trust that they are going to bake up into something recognizable in the oven. This dough is thick, strong and versatile, almost like the gluten version, so you can afford to play around with it a little bit if you want – try making personal pan pizzas, or maybe even calzones with it.
Like most pizza crusts, gluten-y or not, the recipe calls for pre-baking the crust before you top it. That works great, and I always like to add this step, because that way, the dough is sturdy enough to hold its own weight in the oven if you want to take it off the pan and put it directly on the oven rack (so that the underside gets a little crispier). I did that for only about the last 5 minutes of baking, and you can skip that step entirely. As for the toppings themselves, the recipe calls for pesto, mushrooms, baby arugula, prosciutto, red onion and buffalo mozzarella (if you can eat it). I fudged it a little, because I wanted to use what I already had on hand, so my version was topped with pesto, spinach, mushrooms, sweet onion, and a sprinkling of mozzarella on half of the pizza. And then, as hard as I tried to resist, I ended up putting a few eggs on top of it while it was in the oven. If you haven’t tried baking an egg just until the white sets but the yolk is still runny, I highly recommend it. Imagine that silky runny yolk mingling with the crisp doughy crust….yeah, I thought so.
Grain-Free, Nightshade-Free, Nut-Free and Dairy-Free Pizza Crust
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups tapioca starch, divided + more for the pan
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly dust a pizza pan or stone with tapioca starch
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk 2 cups tapioca starch with the coconut flour, baking powder, sea salt, oregano, garlic powder, basil and black pepper.
- Dig a little well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the eggs into the whole. Then pour the water and coconut oil in slowly and stir gently until the mixture begins to come together into a sticky dough.
- Flour a clean surface with another 1/4 cup of tapioca starch and turn the dough out of the bowl onto the board. Use the heel of your hand to knead the dough and incorporate the tapioca flour, adding more as necessary to create the texture you're looking for. It should not be so moist that it sticks to your hand, but it should also not be so dry that it doesn't adhere to itself.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it onto the prepared baking sheet. Use the heel of your hand and your fingertips to gently work the dough into a disc by pressing outward from the center (moisten your hand with coconut oil if they are sticking to the dough too much). The dough will not rise much, so make sure you create a little crust around the edges if you want.
- Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until firm but not too golden. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450.
- Cover the crust with a thin layer of pesto, then the veggies and finally the cheese (if using). Bake for 10-15 more minutes until crust is golden and cheese (if using) is melted.
- Serve immediately or cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
This recipe is very slightly adapted from Make It Paleo II.
Tapioca Starch - Do not use more than you need to bring the recipe to a dough consistency. For example, the original recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups tapioca starch, but I only needed 2 1/4 cups before my dough came together.
Dried Basil - The original recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, but I didn't have it (and was planning to top the pizza with onions anyway) so I replaced it with dried basil.
Toppings - The original recipe calls for topping your pizza with pesto, mushrooms, arugula, red onion and buffalo mozzarella. Since I wanted to use what I had on hand, I used about 3/4 cup of my favorite dairy-free pesto (though it does contain nuts), 1 package of frozen spinach (defrosted and drained; about 1 packed cup), 1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms, 1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
cristina gaspar says
I just <3 to play with pizza dough, there are so many possibilities, that it is amazing!! I have been doing some simple experiments, adding herbs to the dough (which is so simple and turns out so amazing!), adding beetroot purée to the dough (you turn out with an amazing colour) or other veggie purée, trying different flours, mix them, with milk, with water, … So you can see I am a BIG fan of pizza, and healthy cooking! I would love to add your book to my kitchen books collection! And I just got in the mood to eat pizza, so I will try this recipe tonight 😀
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I love the idea of a vibrant purple crust dyed with beet puree!
Christine says
I love any pizza with a thin crispy crust!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Yum!
Amanda F says
I am definitely with you on the the thin crust, but not too thin haha. I am a hearty veggie toppings gal. I do not avoid nightshades so my favorites include: mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, spinach, and onions. I also like my pizza to me saucier than most.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
No, good point, not *too* thin. I’m with you on the veggie toppings!
Emilie says
I love simple pizza- dough, tomato sauce, CHEESE, and usually some spinach or other greens. I like to let the cheese stand out 🙂
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Mmm, cheese ….. 😀
Chris says
I love thin crust pizza with fresh tomato sauce, veggies, and dairy-free cheese!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Sounds DELICIOUS!
Antonia says
I love a realllly thick and dough-y crust! Topped with spinach and lots and lots of cheese! Or tuna! Or mushrooms! I love almost all toppings, but spinach is my favourite! And homemade is the best of course.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Tuna?! I love that idea!
Denise M says
i love BBQ Chicken Pizza
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
BBQ chicken pizza is definitely under appreciated. I’m glad you mentioned it!
Loretta E. says
Since we’re living in Milwaukee right now, Chicago-style is not too far away and always tastes like such a treat!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Oh, we’re practically neighbors! Which is your favorite Chicago pizza joint?
Katie G says
There’s a pizzeria near my house and they have an amazing pizza that’s actually cold. It has smoked salmon, spring mix, tomato / cream sauce, drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. SOOOOO good.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
You had me at smoked salmon 😛 (but seriously, I am going to try that next time I make pizza at home. It sounds AMAZING!)
Annette says
I love a vegetable pizza with cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, carrots, onions and a white sauce.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That sounds hearty and delicious!
Cindy says
Thin Crust with Sausage is my favorite…
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Yum! Sounds great.
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
This looks so delicious! I love that it’s dairy and grain free. Pinning!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thanks, Medha!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
YaY for pizza Nora! So excited for you and that you’ve found an ally of the state! (hehe!) Pizza is the ultimate comfort food and I think one EVERY body loves… it is a classic. Love your process photos… so enjoyable to read and see what you’re up to in the kitchen! And my fav pizza? Big open crumb with black charing on the crust, garlic scape or basil pesto sauce, mushrooms and pecorino. Cant get much simpler than that! Have a beautiful first weekend of Spring!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
haha! Ally of the state! I love that term. Pizza is so good for the soul, isn’t it? Your big open crumb, black charred crust pizza with those incredible toppings is making my mouth water. Please tell me you have a wood fired pizza oven at your house… and that i am invited for dinner 😉
Anya says
Looks delicious! May have to add this to my weekend to-do list…
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
If you try it, let me know what you think!
Christina @ Bake with Christina says
Thanks for sharing this, I’ve been wanting to make a 100% paleo pizza crust! I’ll definitely be giving this recipe a try!! Pinned 🙂
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Perfect! I’m glad it’s what you need!
Twila says
It’s hard to say what my favorite is, I make so many different kinds. I do like buffalo wing, but I also love plain old pepperoni with onions and peppers. Chicken bacon ranch is good as well.
Zainab says
This is just a beautiful pizza, grain free or not. Your prep photos are stunning too! All that coconut flour and oil makes me think I will love this!!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thanks, Zainab! I hope you get to try it!
Sharon says
I looove pizza with spinach, garlic, mushroom, corn, chilli, goat cheese or feta and mozarella! Yummy 😉
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That sounds delicious!
Monica says
Dang what a gem! This cookbook sounds amazing, as does this pizza. Haha I personally love Chicago’s deep-dish, but if you think about it, Italian pizza is usually thin crust, which I totally love as well…so basically, I guess all pizza is delicious in my eyes haha. “Nightshade Pizza” sounds so enticing, and the dough looks wonderful (:
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Good point: I think all pizza is good, and any pizza is better than no pizza!
Renee says
Ah! I’ve been craving pizza. I really want tomato sauce and cheese on it, but neither are an option. Anything loaded with lots of veg sounds fabulous – of course, olives.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I hear you about the tomato sauce (although, thankfully, I am becoming much better with tomatoes these days), but have you tried pesto in its place? That’s been my personal favorite for a long time. Another option is butternut (or other) squash puree. Both work very well with veggies and salty delicious olives!
Chantelle |naked cuisine says
Yay!!! My favourite pizza is thin thin thin crust sourdough wood fired oven style with fresh homemade cheese and local in-season homemade tomato sauce and basil. Someday I will build my own wood fired oven! This looks fab, thanks for sharing.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Wow, that pizza sounds OUTSTANDING!
Sarah W says
My favorite pizza would have to be home made with a nice thin crust with tomato sauce(extra garlic)! Topped with roasted chicken, spinach, sliced red onion, and a mixture of parmesan and mozzarella cheese!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I love the sound of those toppings!
Joanne says
Ha! I do agree that thin crust NYC pizza is the best (but being from NYC, you probably already guessed that). I love this paleo crust, though! Perfect for when we’re having GF guests over on pizza night.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hey, when you have good pizza all around you, it’s ok to be biased! 😉
Allie | Baking a Moment says
I am so glad you found a pizza recipe you love! My <3 was breaking for you before…! This sounds fantastic (with the egg and all), and the book sounds incredible too! Thanks for the giveaway, and PS- your pics are especially lovely in this post.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thank you, Allie! 🙂
Jenna @ BarbellsAndBaking says
I CAN’T WAIT to try this pizza recipe! And I would be ecstatic to win this book! I’ve hear SO many amazing things about it.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Awesome! It really is a wonderful book!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
OMG, this pizza looks amazing!! My favorite kind of pizza is inspired by a restaurant near my house – mozzarella, ricotta, lemon zest, red onion, and basil. It’s perfect. I’m drooling over this one though! Need to try that crust recipe soon and check out the cookbook.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Wow that pizza sounds TO DIE for. So much amazing Italian flavor. I wish I could try it!
Barbie says
Can I substitute almond or arrowroot flour for the tapioca starch? Thank you for the wonderful work you do for us all!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Barbie! Unfortunately, you can’t sub almond flour for tapioca (they behave different due to different starch/fat content) but I think arrowroot flour should work. I have not tried it in this recipe, but in my past experience, swapping in arrowroot for tapioca and vice versa has worked well. If you try it, please let me know how it goes! Thanks!
Lynn says
Checking out some of your recipes now online – look great. Just wondering how one could make this crust without using eggs? Would flax or chia eggs work and how would you compensate with extra water needed for flax eggs + what is called for in recipe?
Any suggestions? Thanks.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Lynn! I haven’t tried this recipe with egg replacements so I can’t say with certainty how it will turn out – just fair warning!
However, if you’d really like to try it, you could try replacing the eggs with 1 Tbsp chia or flax seeds (ground) + 3 Tablespoons water (this is per egg). Allow the mixture to set for 10-15 minutes until thick and sticky before using. You will likely find that the dough is wetter than you expect, and may require some extra baking time. I can’t say for sure if it will come out crispy, since a lot of that crispness is due to the eggs! But I hope you’ll still have a delicious pizza with this method. Will you let me know how it turns out? 🙂
Silva says
This sounds amazing! And it’s grain and nut free. I can’t wait to make it
Claire says
Was so excited to see a gluten free, tomato free pizza recipe. Then… I saw tapioca starch. It’s cross reactive with latex allergy and some of us are allergic. I’ve yet to find a gluten free pizza crust recipe without tapioca or psyllium. Glad others can enjoy!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
You can try this one: https://acleanbake.com/paleo-gluten-free-pizza-crust/