Don't let this recipe fool you. Here at double thyme, we love pizza (and flatbreads, and calzones, and cheesy bread, too). But every once in a while, we crave all the goodness of pizza without the indulgence factor. Enter: the quinoa pizza crust.
Alternative pizza crusts are everywhere. I've seen cauliflower, zucchini, eggplant, and polenta, and I'm sure that's only the beginning. This one, however, actually resembles pizza. After soaking, the quinoa combines with water in the food processor to create a pancake-like batter that bakes into a golden, chewy crust. A fiber-and-protein-packed crust, I may add.
Here's the batter, all ready for the oven.
As it begins to get nicely golden, we flip it like a pancake.
And then continue baking it to perfection. The quinoa needs to soak overnight, so set it out this evening and enjoy pizza night tomorrow. We topped ours with marinara sauce, sliced mozzarella, and fresh basil, but the toppings are entirely up to you!
Quinoa Pizza Crust
Makes: One 9-inch pizza crust
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/4 cup water + more for soaking
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- extra virgin olive oil
Place the quinoa in a small bowl and cover it with water. Let the quinoa soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain and thoroughly rinse the quinoa (this will prevent any bitterness in the crust). Place the quinoa, 1/4 cup water, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until a smooth batter is formed, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the food processor as necessary.
Line an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper (it may help to spray the pan with cooking spray first, so that the parchment sticks), and then rub a little olive oil onto the parchment. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth with a rubber spatula.
Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 425°F. Remove the parchment paper from under the crust.
Flip the crust over and return to the oven for 5-10 more minutes, or until golden and the edges are crispy.
Remove from the oven and add sauce, cheese, and toppings of your choice. I topped mine with 1/4 cup low-sodium pizza sauce, 2 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, and a handful of fresh basil leaves. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melty.
Cut the pizza into four wedges, and enjoy!
This recipe originally appeared on Simmer & Boil, and was adapted from Oatmeal with a Fork.
