Rice Crust for Pizza

Three ingredients and you’ve got a gluten-free pizza crust with actual crunch. Cooked brown rice mixed with beaten eggs and grated mozzarella gets pressed into a pizza pan and baked at high heat until it firms up into a crispy, cohesive base. The eggs bind everything together while the cheese melts and creates those golden, lacy edges.

The crust bakes for 20 minutes before any toppings go on. This pre-bake is what gives it structure. Skip it and you’ll have a soggy rice pudding with pizza sauce on top. After that initial bake, add your sauce, toppings, and more cheese, then back in the oven for 10 more minutes.

Day-old cooked rice works even better than fresh for this. Cold rice is drier and stickier, which helps it hold its shape in the pan.

Chef Tips

• Press the rice mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. Thin spots will crack and thick spots won’t crisp
• Use leftover rice that’s been refrigerated. Fresh, steaming rice has too much moisture and won’t hold together
• Grease the pizza pan well or line with parchment. The cheese in the crust will stick aggressively
• Keep toppings light. This crust can’t support the same load as a yeast dough. A thin layer of sauce and moderate toppings are all it needs

Variations

• Use white rice or jasmine rice for a milder, less nutty crust
• Mix Italian seasoning or garlic powder into the rice mixture for a more flavorful base
• Try this with cauliflower rice blended in for an even lower-carb option