A pizza crust made of quinoa, for a healthy take on a classic dinner.
Healthy pizza? Who even knew that was possible? I’ve been making this quinoa crust pizza for a while now and my boyfriend Zack actually told me he likes it better than regular pizza. Crazy, right?
I’m basically obsessed with quinoa, so of course I’m not hesitant to try any recipe featuring it. For those of you not familiar with quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”), it’s a quick-cooking and gluten-free food that is somewhat similar to rice, but actually a seed! It grows on a plant that looks like this:
Quinoa has a nutty flavor and there are several different types—red, black, white, etc. I usually choose white, which seems to be fluffier and also stickier than the others. It isn’t just tasty, but it’s super healthy for you too! It contains a type of complete protein that is common in meat, but rarely found in plant foods, and lots of fiber and iron as well.
You can find quinoa right next to the rice in most grocery stores or in the bulk section in health food stores (including Core Goods). Don’t be afraid of quinoa if you’ve never used it—it’s very easy to cook with! Depending on the brand you buy, you may find that there’s a light dust on the quinoa. All you have to do is rinse this off through a fine strainer! The dust is called “saponin” and is a naturally occurring chemical that actually protects the plant from insects.
Besides the crust recipe, I’ve also included a recipe for a homemade pizza sauce I make to avoid all the added sugars in store-bought sauce, but you can also just use a jar of sauce that’s already made!
I was getting a little tired of traditional pizza toppings, so I tried olive oil instead of tomato sauce and topped it with mozzarella, parmesan, and gorgonzola cheese, with spinach and onions, too. SO GOOD.
This recipe makes just one pizza, so make sure to double or triple it if you’re serving more people! It’s different than pizza you may be used to, but it’s just so good and definitely worth the try!
Quinoa Crust Pizza
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| Prep: | Cook: | Yield: 1 Pizza | Total: |
A pizza crust made of quinoa, for a healthy take on a classic dinner.
You'll Need...
- For the crust:
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa (about 2 cups cooked)
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (or ¼ teaspoon of each of the following: thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- For the sauce:
- 1 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or from a can)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon honey (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- For the toppings:
- 1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese (or mix of any cheeses)
- Additional toppings of your choice
Directions
- First you want to make your dough! Start by cooking the quinoa as directed on the package (add quinoa and water to a medium pan, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until most of the water is absorbed and quinoa is soft).
- Add the Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese to quinoa and mix. Whisk the eggs and add to the quinoa, too, and mix well until it forms a dough. You can always make the crust ahead of time and refrigerate until you're ready to make your pizza!
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a pizza pan or cookie tray with nonstick spray and spread crust mixture into the shape you want, using a spoon or your hands. Make sure you pack the quinoa mixture together well to help it stick together and form a crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes. While the crust is baking, start the sauce if you don’t already have it made and get your toppings ready.
- For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until mixture is smooth.
- Once the crust has baked for 10 minutes, remove from oven and add the remainder of the ingredients: sauce, cheese, and toppings of your choice.
- Bake for another 10 minutes, remove from oven, and let sit for 2 more minutes.
[…] you can add it to so many meals! (If you’re not familiar with quinoa, read more about it in my Quinoa Crust Pizza post). I’m also a huge fan of stuffed peppers, but I always make a mess assembling them and […]