We are a family of pizza lovers over here! I called this crust the “best-ever” because it does not disappoint! We make this more than any other recipe in the McJordan home. The crust is so delicious, you could just drizzle it with olive oil once it’s baked and eat it as flatbread. But adding toppings truly makes it a whole and fulfilling meal.
This pizza crust is gluten-free and grain-free. The almonds add good fat to make it very satiating.
Since we love this recipe, 5 years after I added it to the blog, we are still making it regularly so I decided to create a video with Vienna so you can watch how to make it. Just scroll down to the bottom for the full recipe. ENJOY!
7 Reasons this is the Best Pizza Crust Ever:
- The base of this crust is ground almonds which means a source of satiating protein, good fats and very low on the glycemic index. So you won’t be reaching for a piece of pie after eating this pizza.
- Almonds are full of antioxidant-rich vitamin E and stress-busting magnesium.
- FULL of flavour. The original recipe called for onion powder, since I don’t use onion powder (always use fresh raw onions) I just added in more organic garlic powder.
- Fiber-rich. The almonds are a great source of fibre, as is the garbanzo flour (chickpea) and the flaxseeds. Since I had a mixture of chia and flax in my freezer, that’s what I used. Fibre fills up your belly so you stay fuller longer. It also adds some nice bulk to your stools so you have joyous bowel movements. And of course, fibre slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream.
- It was a pick-up-and-eat crust!
- I loved it as much as I love cauliflower pizza!
- It doesn’t make you bloated!
I hope you try it out and love it as much as I did. It makes a 12-inch pizza crust so if you have a family to feed, I would suggest making 2. We had enough for two people plus lunch the next day. Or two adults plus a child would be well nourished from 1 pizza.
The inspiration for this recipe came from the Wheat Belly blog but I made some modifications to it.
Recipe not found.
Be sure to share your food photos with me on twitter or instagram, just tag me @joyoushealth. I love seeing how many people are eating joyously!! woohoo!
Joy
115 thoughts on “Best-Ever Gluten-free Pizza Crust!”
This looks fantastic! Is this the type of recipe where you could use an egg substitute, i.e. chia or flax eggs?
This looks delicious! Is this the type of recipe where you could use an egg substitute, i.e. chia or flax eggs?
Yummy! Always looking for healthier pizza – thanks for sharing!
I’d love to try this, what can I replace 2 cups ground almonds with? I have allergies 🙂
This recipe sounds and looks delicious! Will definitely make it this week.
Just curious – is there a particular reason why you stay away from onion powder? If for health reasons – would love to know why! 🙂
No not at all! I just prefer fresh onions 🙂
Hi, Joy! I just discovered your website and am very excited about it! This recipe looks great but I have a 12 year old with a dairy intolerance. Is goat cheese ok to eat or is there a substitute? Thanks!
Some people who cannot tolerate cow’s milk dairy can eat goat milk products just fine because the fat globules in goat are easier to digest, the casein protein is different than cow’s (the majority of children who react to casein in cow milk are reacting to Alpha s1 Casein — they are up to 90% LESS in goat) and there’s much less lactose. Plus goat’s milk is naturally homogenized. Hope that helps! I should write a blog post about this 🙂
haha a gluten free pizza is a great idea. Never even thought of trying it but i’ll try it!
Yes definitely. I haven’t tried it without eggs yet, but I’m sure it would work.
I would suggest you ground up another type of nut and use that to replace with the almonds.
Let me know what you think!
My pleasure! Enjoy!
Can I use shredded parm cheese or does it need to be granulated?
Hi Joy,
what if I can’t consume dairy, can I just omit that? Please let me know.
Thank you very much!
Yes but you will have to put something else in, in place of the goat cheese. You could do a vegan cheese like daiya?
Yes totally!
This pizza crust was amazing. I tried to attach a picture, but could not figure out how but it was so good. We put spinach, goat cheese, tomato, and chicken as the toppings. The crust had a bit of almond taste, but not in a bad way, a nice flavour! It tasted like a cheesy almond bread. I will definitely make this multiple times!
That’s awesome, Megan! Glad to hear it was a success!
Kate – Joyous Health Team
We LOVE pizza night and crave this constantly now!
Hi joy,
I have been looking forever for a yummy pizza crust and want to try your recipe. How do I make this without goat cheese? I have a dairy allergy.
Jen
Hi Jen,
Personally, I like sliced avocado as a “cheese” substitute on dairy-free pizzas because it still has a creamy texture.
Kate – Joyous Health Team
Hi Jen! Just to add to Kate’s comment, there is 1 cup of shredded goat cheese in this recipe so if you are going to sub it with something vegan/non-dairy then “daiya” cheese would be your best bet. They sell it at health food stores. Avocado could be added on top afterwards like Kate suggested but after it’s been cooked otherwise it will be kinda slimey.
If I don’t have garbanzo flour, can I just use almond flour or do you need another substitute? If so, what can be used in place of the garbanzo flour?
Hi Myra,
We’ve actually got a whole handy chart on flour substitutions, since the ratio of flour you’ll need will depend on the flours you’re swapping, up here on the blog: http://www.joyoushealth.com/blog/2015/01/12/flour-substitution-chart/
Please keep in mind that flour swapping is more of an art than an exact science, so we can’t guarantee that every flour will work as well for every recipe as the original flour suggested.
Kate – Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy,
Is it possible to make the crust and freeze it for later use?
Thanks!
Curious why you won’t use onion powder but will garlic powder when garlic could be finely grated on a grasp for use here?
You can totally use onion powder if you want. I just like to top it with fresh onions. I put garlic powder in the crust because it mixes well with all the dry ingredients for a more balanced flavour. I often roast garlic or slice it super fine and use it as a topping. This recipe is one that you can easily change up, so feel free to use fresh garlic in the crust if you like — have fun!
My sister has a gluten allergy, which means I have to be more creative in cooking her food. The pizza looks delicious, but my mouth is watering just hearing about this crust. I’m glad to hear that it is flavorful, as well as gluten free. I can’t wait to try this recipe for my sister and I, thanks!
We hope you both enjoy it, Petunia!
Heather- Joyous Health team
How many people does the recipe serve? One individual pizza?
Hi Emily! It makes a 12-inch pizza crust so if you have a family to feed, I would suggest making 2.Enjoy!
Heather- Joyous Health Team
This crust recipe sounds amazing! Has anyone tried to use the left-over almond pulp/grit from making almond milk to make crust? I’m trying to use up the grit but not sure if it’ll work like this!
Hey Stephanie!
We haven’t tried it ourselves, but I don’t see why not? 🙂 Just make sure it’s dried and course enough before you use it. If you try it, let us know what you think!
Rachel – Joyous Health Team
can yo uuse ground alomond flour instead ?
Hi Joy, I have tried saving a this recipe using your save button but i can’t sign in. It asks for my user name which I gave
Hi Joy,
I really want to try this recipe but I have a dairy intolerance. What can I use instead of goat cheese?
jen
Hey Jen!
You could use a vegan cheese like Daiya?
As a side note, some people who cannot tolerate cow’s milk dairy can eat goat milk products just fine because the fat globules in goat are easier to digest, the casein protein is different than cow’s (the majority of people who react to casein in cow milk are reacting to Alpha s1 Casein — they are up to 90% LESS in goat) and there’s much less lactose. Plus goat’s milk is naturally homogenized.
Definitely do what feels right for you, but just thought I’d weave in that tidbit as Joy typically doesn’t eat dairy either but responds well to goat cheese.
Hope that helps!
Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Hey Bea,
Sure, ground almond flour would work as well!
Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Hey Elizabeth!
Just confirming that this is now resolved for you 🙂 If you happen to encounter any other issues in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Rachel – Joyous Health Team
This recipe looks great although I’ve recently learned of a food intolerance wth almonds. Do you have any recommendations about substituting for almond flour? Thanks!
Hey Suzanne,
We would suggest you ground up another type of nut and use that to replace with the almonds 🙂
Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Hello, this pizza is looking stunning. My mouth is watering I want to eat it right now. But before this I want to know that which brand of almonds and flour is suitable for me, currently i am using https://www.anthonysgoods.com/. Is it good for my pizza or not? please reply me soon…
Hey Effie, We’ve never used that specific brand before but it looks to be pretty good! 🙂 I think you’re going to love this pizza recipe! Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Hello, This sounds amazing because I love pizza and can’t eat gluten or dairy, but I think I am ok with Goats milk anyways Just wondering why the goat cheese goes in the crust instead of just on top of the pizza. Thanks, Michele
Hey Michele, The goat cheese is a hard goat cheese so it actually shreds. It’s not like the soft goat cheese that you might be thinking of. This helps to hold things together nicely 🙂 Goats milk has a lower amount of casein in it that typically causes people with dairy intolerances the most trouble, so you should be okay! Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Tried the pizza crust tonight with tigernut flour in place of almonds and chia eggs. It needed a little extra cooking for turned out beautifully! Thanks Joy!
Hey Maeve, That sounds AMAZING! What a delicious swap! Hope you enjoyed it 🙂 Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Thanks so much for this insight into cooking, esp.gluten free items that are available. I had just made Cauliflower pizza crust,
and it is delicious and nutrional.ground almonds are easier to
digest; certainly, I am glad to try this recipe. Thanks Cheryl. S.
Hey Cheryl, That sounds delicious! Cauliflower Pizza Crust is another great option! Rachel – Joyous Health Team
This sounds great. I have a couple of pizza monsters here too. Hey, would be awesome if you posted a video for the recipe.
Hey Rachelle, Your pizza monsters will LOVE this recipe! Great idea re: the video! We’ll take that into consideration for sure 🙂 Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Is goat cheese healthier then cow cheese
It’s my preference, it has less problematic casein alphaS1 than cow dairy. You can read more about the differences here: https://www.joyoushealth.com/26725-blog-cow-vs-goat-and-sheep-s-milk-which-is-better Hope that helps!
Next on my list to try! Question . Are ground almonds, almond meal and almond flour all the same thing and are blanched almonds less nutritious than non-blanched? Thank you.
Yes they are all the same thing. Blanched almonds will be a little less nutritious because they are boiled but it’s quick way to remove the skins.
Not vegan 🙁
You can easily veganize this recipe by using a vegan mozzarella-like cheese and a flax egg. Many in my joyous community have done this and it worked amazingly well. The toppings are up to you. 🙂
Hi Joy: Have you ever made the crust without eggs?
I have not, but other people in the joyous community indeed have. You just need to combine the flax with the 1/2 cup of water before combining everything. If you’re still using the cheese, then you’ve got good sticking power!
Definitely going to try this…usually avoid pizza crusts and never never have I attempted one! This looks inviting,and really appreciate the video! Thanks! Vienna is quite good at cooking!
She’s showing some serious skills already,good job mom!😊
Thanks Caroline! I hope you love it as much as we do 🙂
Excited to try this! Could you use any type of hard, strong white cheese?
How would I make this pizza using a pizza stone. Since the texture is “pasty” what tips can you give for using a pizza stone and getting the dough on without it sticking to the stone
When I have used a pizza stone I put parchment paper underneath it and then it won’t stick. It works great!
Yes 100%. Enjoy!
Hi Joyous team,
I don’t like cheese, never have. Is there something I can use to replace it in the crust. I’ve read all the other comments and I understand there’s non-dairy cheese but is there something else I can use as I don’T like the flavour of cheese?
Not really, you need something with sticking power. I would suggest my Spelt crust from my first cookbook Joyous Health. It’s a cheese-free thin crust pizza and it’s amazing! Page 246
Ps. if you go to my Joyous Health Community FB page, I posted the recipe there if you don’t have a copy of my cookbook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/joyoushealthcommunity/
It was delicious!
Glad you loved it Marie!
Hi joy,
Can you use feta instead of goat cheddar ?
This pizza tastes amazing!! I will be making this again for sure! I am loving all of your recipes lately. Thank you!
Thanks so much Lisa! This is a huge fave in our home too.
I haven’t tried that before but I think it would work. If you try it out let me know how it goes!
Hi joy I just made it for my family lunch ( 4 people) and it was delicious
Thanks for the yummy recipe
And your quinoa cake is baking for valentine dessert as well
Just after enjoying the pizza, I want it to check the calories in my fitnesspal and it was a lot so I was a little disappointed 😔
Do you think the pizza is supposed to feed more than 4 people? Thanks again
Can I use feta instead?
As a topping? Sure! As the main cheese in the crust, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure.
Glad to hear it! You had the same Valentine’s dinner as my family 🙂
Re fitness pal — keep in mind that not all calories are created equal. Eating a white or whole wheat flour pizza may have less calories but it will be less nutritious than an almond flour crust. It will have an entirely different hormonal effect too, then a pizza rich with good fat and protein. If you were satisfied and felt good after eating it that’s the most important thing. I always say, focus on how food makes you feel as opposed to the scale or an app — just a different perspective for you. Hope that helps!
Hi joy
Thanks for the quick reply
It did tasted delicious and made me feel great and full that I could not eat anything for dinner but your quinoa cake
How many servings is this recipe anyway?
I find it serves 4 people but I guess it depends how hungry your group is. I can only eat one slice with a big salad and I’m full, my hubs eats 2 full slices.
Hi Joy,
I am not a huge fan of goat cheese. Would I be able to substitute something else in place of it? This pizza crust looks amazing:)
Thank you
Yes definitely, you could use any other hard cheese. However, my parents really dislike goat cheese as well, and I’ve made this pizza for them several times and they always love it! I find goat cheddar does not taste as strongly as soft goat cheese.
Hi Joy, your spices listed in the recipe are different than what you used in your video. How much Italian seasoning and parsley did you use in the video?
Oh yes that’s right, sorry for the confusion! I mix it up all the time. You could use 1 tsp of Italian seasoning and 1 tsp parsley.
Hello dear Joy, I don’t have daiya cheese in my grocery shops. I will try to make it but meanwhile what can be a substitute? I don’t consume any dairy. Thanks
Yes this will totally work. Enjoy!
We love love love this pizza crust and end up eating it about once a week! Thanks for the awesome recipe:)
Thanks Angela! Glad you are loving it!
I don’t know where to find hard goat cheese? Is there another type of cheese that can be used in this recipe?
It’s sometimes called goat cheddar. Not sure where you live, but big box grocery stores have goat cheddar. If not, you could use regular white cheddar or even a vegan cheese sub like Daiya.
Can you omit cheese out of the crust and not substitute with vegan cheese? Just leave it out. Will the crust taste good?
Probably not. You need the cheese to make it hold together. If you’re looking for a vegan crust that’s delicious, try this one: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27319-blog-quinoa-pizza-crust
What can I use instead of chickpea flour? I couldn’t find it in my local health food store. Thank you. Excited to try this recipe!
You can use any other flour because it’s a small amount. Enjoy!
if i use Almond meal instead of grinding the almonds myseld, does the quantity change or do i still use 1 3/4 cups of Almond meal?
It’s the same amount. Enjoy!
Also, I have just updated the recipe so it is more clear as I very rarely grind the almond and rather just buy almond flour aka almond meal.
Hi!! I am so excited to try this recipe tonight. I was wondering if you knew the calories:carb in this pizza?
Thank you!
I don’t sorry. Enjoy!
I made this without the cheese and it turned out great! I didn’t make any other changes to the recipe except for omitting the cheese. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh wow, thanks for telling me! That’s so great to know!!
Not vegan 🙁
And i also have an issue, when i eat this kind of food i usually get cough so for that i use https://www.herbion.us/products/cough-drops/
Is there
a way to make this dairy free?
Yes, many people have told me they simply omitted the goat cheese and the crust worked just fine!
Hi Joy! I love your cookbooks and make a lot of recipes. Our family loves them. I recently started cutting out eggs for myself, trying to feel better with all my autoimmune stuff:) what would be the best way to make this without eggs?
Thanks!
Yay! Thanks so much Heather! You could try it with flax eggs instead. If you don’t cut out the cheese, it will likely stick together well. But you’ll need to follow the instructions on how to make a flax egg here: https://www.joyoushealth.com/85-joyu-program-egg-substitution-chart
Hi Joy… if I leave out all the cheese is it likely the cruat would still turn out? Should I substitute it with something?
Thanks!
I haven’t made it without any cheese before, but if you try it, do let me know!
Hello :)..
Would these work at all if I removed the goat cheese? I want to make this from 16 month old who is on a gluten AND dairy free diet! 🙁
I’ve had people tell me they’ve made it without goat cheese and it works but I haven’t tried it myself. Have you see this recipe for a vegan crust: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27319-blog-quinoa-pizza-crust
Wow this is great! I’ve tried different GF flours and the crust isn’t crunchy. You don’t need yeast in this?
Nope! No yeast needed. This is nice and crunchy on the outside provided you bake it long enough. I’ve probably made this recipe 100+ times. It’s foolproof if you follow the exact recipe. Enjoy!!
This turned out great and sturdy enough to pick up to eat! Because of my toppings, I had to bake it a bit longer on the second baking
Happy to hear that!