Crispy, gluten-free chickpea flour pizza crust topped with fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Made entirely in a skillet and baked in the oven until super crispy and delicious. A healthier way to enjoy PIZZA!
Pizza! My absolute favorite food on the planet! I would eat it every day if I could and I think my kids are following in my footsteps. This Chickpea Flour Crust Pizza is my stand in version so I can eat pizza whenever I want with no guilt.
Get this, the crust has more protein than carbs. OMG! Plus its plant-based, gluten-free and has loads of fiber as well. I mean, could it get any better than that?
Why you will love this recipe
- The crust is crispy on the outside and perfectly soft and chewy on the inside.
- Very easy to make with no kneading or prepping the dough first.
- Simple, but crazy good!
- Lower in carbs than traditional pizza! Yippee!!!
- A pizza you can eat every day if you want!
- It is literally the perfect Friday night pizza recipe. Pair it with a nice salad and your favorite wine and you are all set!
Ingredients to make this Chickpea Flour Crust Pizza
- Chickpea flour
- Water
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Toppings: Tomato sauce, freshly sliced mozzarella cheese, basil, watercress, sliced red onion, red pepper flakes.
This pizza is made entirely in one pan, a cast iron pan that has some added nutrients from the iron in the pan. Bonus! The cast iron pan is the secret to the crispy crust.
Now, if you prefer a deep-dish pizza than this recipe is probably not for you but try it! Maybe you will discover a whole new healthier way to enjoy pizza!
What is Chickpea Flour?
Chickpea Flour is an ultra-fine flour made from milled chickpeas. You can use it as a base in many recipes and it can be found in almost all grocery stores. It’s inexpensive too, costing about $3 for a 16oz bag!
Wow! It has loads of nutrients like Plant-based protein, fiber, iron, folate. It’s also lower in carbohydrates and calories as compared to other flours.
Chickpea flour is also low on the glycemic index, which is a measure of how much a food raises your blood sugar as it’s digested, which makes it heart-healthy and a much better alternative than white or whole wheat flour.
What can you make with Chickpea Flour?
You can use chickpea flour in place of white flour in so many recipes like pancakes, muffins, pizza crust, bread or even homemade pasta. Chickpea Flour Omelets is one of my go-to recipes in a pinch since I can add in some veggies and it becomes a complete meal.
How to make Chickpea Flour Crust Pizza
- Start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees F. While the oven is preheating, place the cast iron pan in the oven to warm it up. This is the secret to the crispy crust.
- Then whisk the batter together which is just the chickpea flour mixed with warm water, salt and olive oil.
- Once the pan is ready, remove it from the oven, brush it with some olive oil, pour in the batter evenly (be careful, the pan will be very hot!) and place it back into the oven to bake for 15 minutes. The batter will sizzle as you pour it into the pan and start to cook immediately. It’s amazing, and a sign that you know it’s going to be good!
Whisk the batter Pour the batter into the hot pan brushed with olive oil
4. Remove it from the oven, spread on the tomato sauce and layer on the freshly sliced mozzarella cheese.
5. Place it back into the oven for 12 more minutes, until the top and edges are nice and golden brown. If you like an even crispier crust, then remove the crust from the oven after 10 minutes and brush the edges with more olive oil. Place it back in the oven for 2-3 more minutes.
6. Remove, let cool for a few minutes, top with fresh basil, watercress, sliced red onion and red pepper flakes, slice and serve.
I love to eat this with an arugula and tomato salad dressed with a squeeze of lemon, balsamic vinegar, salt,
What to serve with chickpea flour crust pizza
- Salad! Check out this Easy Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing, or this Autumn Chopped Kale Salad with Quinoa.
- Eggplant Meatballs
- Wine of course!!!! Haha!
- Arugula Tomato Salad
Recipe Tips
- Use a cast-iron pan. If you don’t have a cast-iron pan then go buy one. They are very inexpensive and will last you a lifetime. Making this pizza in a cast iron pan is essential since it results in a super crispy, perfectly cooked pizza crust.
- Only use chickpea (Garbanzo bean) flour. Do not try to attempt making this recipe with any other gluten-free flours. This recipe especially uses chickpea flour and will not work with other flours.
- Make sure you preheat the pan while the oven is preheating. Heating up the pan before adding the batter gives it that golden brown, uber-crispy edge, crust we all want in a pizza like this.
- Don’t overload the pizza with too many toppings. This crust is thinner than traditional pizza, so too many toppings will make this crust soggy and not as firm. Opt for simple toppings like pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil or you can add sliced chicken, pepperoni, or sauteed veggies as well.
Chickpea Flour Crust Pizza
Equipment
- Cast-Iron Pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1 cup room temperature water
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce or pizza sauce
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsps torn basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place a cast iron pan in the oven for 10 minutes while it preheats. This is one of the secrets to the super crispy crust.
- While the pan is heating up, add the chickpea flour to a medium-size mixing bowl with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and whisk. Continue whisking the flour while you slowly pour in 1 cup of warm water. Let that sit on the counter for a few minutes.
- Once the pan is ready, brush it with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Be careful, the pan gets very hot! Add the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the chickpea flour and whisk lightly.
- Pour the chickpea batter evenly into the cast iron pan. Listen to the sizzle. Place the pan back into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Until the edges start to get nice and golden brown and crispy.
- After 15 minutes remove the pan from the oven, and top the crust with the tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Place it back into the oven to bake for 10- 12 more minutes, until it is nice and golden brown, and the cheese is nice and melted.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Carefully lift it from the pan and transfer it onto a cutting board. Slice and serve. Top with the fresh basil and ENJOY!!
Notes
- You can use any toppings you like for this pizza. You can also use vegan cheese to make this vegan.
- This pizza is best eaten right away since the crust tends to get slightly dry as it sits.
- To successfully remove the pizza from the pan, run a spatula around the edge and carefully lift it out of the pan and place it onto a cutting board to slice.
Nutrition
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