The Best Chickpea Flour Pizza Crust
Craft a deliciously crispy and sturdy chickpea flour pizza crust with my easy recipe! Made with just 6 simple ingredients, it will satisfy all your cravings while you enjoy a naturally gluten-free pizza crust that’s packed with nutrients.
I’ve been playing around with several versions of this pizza crust for months now, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. This chickpea crust pizza is easy to make and is a great base to hold all of your favorite toppings. Whether you’re having a pizza party or just want to make one for the family, this pizza crust is undoubtedly a delicious gluten-alternative crust. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love It
- Easy-to-find ingredients. Everything you’ll need for this recipe is relatively easy to find in grocery stores.
- A healthy choice for making pizzas. Chickpea flour is amazingly good for your body! It’s packed with fiber, vitamins, and protein, lower in carbs and calories, and may even have antioxidant properties. It’s also vegan and gluten-free.
- Easy to make. Simple steps to follow so that even those novices in the kitchen can make this pizza crust.
- Versatile. This recipe is for creating a plain pizza crust that can easily be tweaked according to your preferences. You can do whatever you want with it. Some suggestions include:
- Infuse the dough with herbs like rosemary or fresh basil.
- Season it with either garlic powder or onion powder for more flavor.
- Add red pepper flakes to the dough to give the crust some heat, even without toppings.
Why Chickpea Flour?
Chickpea flour (a.k.a. garbanzo bean flour, a.k.a. gram flour) is a versatile ingredient for any recipe you have in mind. It is a great gluten-free flour to always have in your pantry (I always have it!) for making savory recipes like omelets and falafels to sweet desserts like cookies and bread.
It’s commonly used in many Pakistani and Indian cuisines but is also becoming popular in other countries. It’s fantastic to use in vegan recipes since it already has its own binding properties, so you won’t need to use eggs. And since it’s gluten-free, those with celiac disease don’t need to worry.
Chickpea flour offers a nutty and beany flavor that isn’t too strong or overpowering when prepared correctly. That’s why it’s perfect for making pizza crusts. You’ll still savor your delicious pizza toppings while they’re on a nutrient-dense crust!
Ingredient Notes
- Chickpea Flour (or Garbanzo Bean Flour): The main ingredient for making this pizza crust. It wouldn’t be a chickpea flour crust without using this ingredient so I do not recommend replacing it!
- Tapioca Starch: Helps make the crust pliable while holding the dough together. Starch helps mimic gluten in this recipe. If you do not have tapioca starch, arrowroot starch makes a suitable alternative.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Helps make your pizza crust crispier. It also prevents any pizza sauces from seeping into the crust, which might make it soggy later on. Any cooking oil makes a suitable alternative if need be.
- Baking Powder: Helps the pizza dough to rise.
- Salt: A touch of salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Water: Helps in the formation of the dough.
How to Make Chickpea Flour Pizza Crust
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and then set it aside.
- Combine the flour, starch, oil, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
- Add ¾ cup water, then stir the pizza dough batter until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the center of the parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Using wet hands, gently shape to the thickness you prefer. You can push inwards from the edges for a thick crust or spread the batter thinner for a thin crust.
- Bake the pizza crust for 10 minutes.
- Remove the chickpea flour crust from the oven and gently poke with a fork a few times.
- Top the crust with the toppings you like, then return the pizza to the oven to bake for another 10 minutes or until your toppings are cooked well.
- Slice and enjoy!
Topping Ideas
- Your favorite pizza sauce. Fresh tomato sauce is a staple for many types of pizza, but you can also try pesto, marinara sauce, alfredo sauce, or even hummus, to name a few.
- Veggie toppings like sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, red onion, mushrooms, olives, and eggplant.
- Greens like spinach, watercress, baby arugula, or kale.
- Cheese like mozzarella, Parmesan, goat cheese, or feta. If vegetarian, ensure the cheese you choose is rennet-free.
- This includes vegan options! For vegan cheese, I love Miyoko’s mozzarella and Violife’s feta.
- Spices like garlic powder, oregano, and thyme sprinkled on the pizza before baking can add depth of flavor.
- Sweet fruits like berries, bananas, or peaches paired with cream cheese or fudge sauce to make a dessert pizza.
What to Serve with Pizza
- Veggie salads such as Roasted Potato Salad, Mediterranean Cucumber Salad, or Chickpea Kale Salad pair well with pizza.
- Serve it with soups like Sweet Potato Soup, Three Sisters Soup Recipe, or Green Chile Potato Soup.
- Coleslaw, like Vegan Coleslaw or Cabbage Apple Slaw, tastes great when served with pizza.
- Enjoy pizza with a side of delicious air-fried mozzarella sticks, air fryer frozen french fries, or purple sweet potato fries.
- My 5-Minute Pizza Aioli is the perfect dip and drizzle to any crispy and light pizza crust!
- A drizzle of hot sauce is a must for spicy food lovers.
Storing and Reheating
Any leftover cooked chickpea flour pizza crust should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. If kept this way, it will be good for up to five days.
Reheat your pizza correctly in the oven by following these steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Add aluminum foil to the oven rack, then put the cold pizza on top.
- Reheat the pizza for 10-12 minutes, or a bit longer if you want to enjoy a crispier crust.
More Delicious Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Recipes
Thick and Chewy Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
Chickpea Flour Pizza Crust
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups chickpea flour also known as garbanzo bean flour
- 1 cup tapioca starch
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, starch, oil, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
- Add the water, then stir the pizza dough batter until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the center of the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Using wet hands, gently shape to the thickness that you prefer. You can push inwards from the edges for a thick crust, or you can spread the batter thinner for a thin crust.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
- Remove the crust from the oven and gently poke with a fork a few times.
- Top the crust how you would prefer, then return the pizza to the oven to bake for 10 minutes longer, or until your toppings are melted and golden.
- Slice and enjoy!
Using chickpea flour was a new one for me. I loved this recipe and the crust came together beautifully.
I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks for sharing. 🙂