Beep beep! New crust coming through!
I know there’s a definite need out there for a more user-friendly crust for gluten-free vegetarians that won’t cause your insulin to skyrocket (thank you readers). My cauliflower crust has been a major hit, but the problem remains: Cauliflower is a higher-moisture veg and is prone to problems if as much of the liquid as possible isn’t removed. The chicken crust proves positively sinful, but it’s not vegetarian.
Want to bring it for the fungi in the room? Mushrooms are a nice addition to a pizza crust because they add an earthy flavor without being obnoxious in the process. They are also low fat, which allows the cheese to work its fabulosity in binding. Basically, they’re magically delicious.
Just a few tips and suggestions:
- Low moisture content veggies are easier to work with, which makes mushrooms so darned appealing.
- Mushrooms also lend an earthy, meaty feel without the meat.
- I went a little bit silly and used mozzarella and parm because I wanted more flavor and cheesy twang out of this crust. I am not sure if using grated Parm and shredded matters; it’s what I had on hand, so there you go.
- Make sure to mince mushrooms prior to processing with the cheese. I use my Ninja, but a food processor, an amazing blender, or a sharp knife can do the same thing.
- Don’t over-process. You just want a semi-coarse meal, not mushroom pate.
- You will use a processor twice for this recipe: Once to process the mushrooms into fine shreds, and again to incorporate the cheese into the blend.
- If you are dairy free, try using an egg and 1/4 cup flax seed meal (adjust as needed) instead of cheese as binding agents.
- Parchment paper is your friend in this process, so make sure to have some on hand. (Waxed paper melts, so don’t try to sub for that).
- I always season the top of the crust. If you want even more zhoozh with less effort, try Mrs. Dash’s Garlic Herb blend on top of your dough in lieu of the other spices listed below.
- This crust is gluten free and Atkins induction friendly.
These recipes are for personal, private use only. Please don’t publish any of my recipes elsewhere. If you make obvious changes to the recipe to call it your own (don’t just double the amount of ingredients or make a spice tweaks), please rename the recipe and link back here to give credit to the original.
Easy Vegetarian Pizza Crust
1 pint sliced button mushrooms, minced
1 cup packed mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp parsley, dried
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Process mushrooms and cheese together. Mixture will resemble a coarse meal.
Press mushroom/cheese mixture on parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
Top with parsley, basil, onion, and garlic powder.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes.
Top with sauce, cheese, and then toppings.
Place under a broiler just until toppings are heated and cheese is golden.
Let cool for five minutes.
Slice and serve.
Nutritional information per 1/8 pizza (sans toppings): Calories: 88.75, Carbohydrates: 1.5 g , Fiber: 0 g, Net Carbohydrates: 1.5 , Protein: 8 g, Fat: 5.7g.
What a great recipe Jamie! I’ll share this with my vegetarian customers at Whole Foods
Thanks so much, Misty! That is an honor. I am meeting so many people with different dietary needs. It has to be difficult to eat stringently and healthfully. I give it up for gluten free vegetarians who are still trying to keep their blood sugar/glycemic load in check, and for all you do for the community!
The chicken-cheese pizza crust looks like it rocks. My sis-in-law is T1 diabetic AND vegetarian so no help to her. Presently, she was going to try a soy-based chicken substitute but she was be really happy to get this one today. Thanks!
I am soooo not vegetarian! Yet I’m excited to try this crust, because for me to lose weight, I also need to count calories, not just carbs! And I see this crust has about half the calories per serving as the chicken crust.
And we just bought a sackful of mushies… can’t wait to try this. Thank you!
hi there have u tried anything other then mushrooms? im allergic to mushrooms lol please advise tks
Hi, CJ! I would think any “more dry” veg could be subbed in. Maybe if you squeeze the hell out of cauliflower you could use it, too! I never tried making the crust sand the egg…
As I’m a vegan who is addicted to carbs, (sigh), I am so going to try this with savoury yeast in the base to see if I can replicate the same result as your fab mushroom pizza above. Thanks for sharing.
I just tried this because it sounded so good. My crust came out soggy! I was more like a crepe. A really really good crepe. It seemed watery. Can you remove moisture from the mushrooms beforehand with salting similar how you do with eggplant?
Really? It did? Did you use fresh mushrooms? I know the canned would definitely be watery.
Yes. Trader Joe’s white mushrooms. I will give it another try though
Hi Jamie – just discovered your website and it’s fantastic! I just wondered if you could advise what is the difference between shredded cheese and grated? Our local supermarket sells grated mozarella which I was going to use, but not sure if I should instead purchase a buffalo moz. and cut it up – if the latter please could you advise what to do?
(sorry for such a stupid question – I love playing around with recipes, but struggle with the terminology)
Keep the recipes coming, you’re doing a fantastic job!
Hi, Emmylou! Thanks so much for your generous complement! That’s not a dumb question at. all. Grated cheese (depending on the cheese moisture and age and type) is generally more powdery than strippy, so grated Parmesan is going to look more like snow.
That said, grated cheese COULD be shredded cheese, especially if it’s mozzarella, since the terms are interchangeable. Is the grated mozzarella in a bag? If so, and it’s in shreds/strips, I’d likely buy that. However, some shredded cheeses contain added starches and chemicals to prevent sticking and molding, so it is technically best to buy the mozzarella whole and just shred or slice it yourself at home. I hope that helps.v
That really is helpful. The bagged mozarella is in strips, but it looks quite dry and feels quite powdery, so to be on the safe side I’m going to get a buffalo moz and muck about with it myself!
Thank you so much, am going to make some this weekend in preparation for a festival in a few weeks – assuming I would be able to freeze this. If not, will just have to get stuck in on Saturday night!
Thanks again.
Do you put both the grated and shredded parm in with the mushrooms to process (if so, why both types of the same cheese)? Sorry, just confused with all the cheese. Which cheeses are processed with the mushrooms?
Hi! I process both the cheeses with the mushroom for the crust.
Hey Jamie, I’m a newcomer so please excuse me if this is a silly question or if you’ve already addressed it. After preparing the crust the recipe just says add sauce etc.. just pizza sauce from a jar or do you have a recipe for sauce?
Hi, Ashley. I really like using a jarred pizza sauce with no added sugars. My favorites tend to be store brands, too, which tend to also be cheapest. I generally buy the Great Value brand (WalMart) or the Kroger/King Soopers store brand.
I made this last night and it was delicious! Thank you for the awesome recipe!