Best Vegan and Gluten Free Pizza Crust & Olive Tapenade (a quick & easy Meatless Monday dinner)

Free of gluten, soy, nuts, dairy, eggs

I almost feel guilty about how easy this pizza crust is to make. When I first started the blog I posted a recipe for an awesome pizza crust. I still love that crust. However, this one is just about as good and takes half the time (and half the bowls, meaning less dishes to clean!)

So if I'm going to feel guilty, I might as well enjoy it. Therefore, I smother the crust in easy homemade olive tapenade and some steamed veggies - both of which I can do while the crust is rising and baking.

The best part? I get two pizza crusts out of this recipe and I can freeze one for an even simpler dinner another night :)


If you like this crust, you'll like the the boozy beer pizza crust in my upcoming cookbook Cooking and Baking with Gluten Free Beer even more. That's right. Those of you who follow me on Facebook might have noticed that over the summer I posted several pics of food that I was making that were steeped in GF beer. Well later this fall you can expect to see that book! 


But more on that later. For today, here's my favorite pizza crust with olive tapenade.

And as a tip, I've played around with the flours in this recipe based on what I have in the kitchen and used things like 1 cup sorghum and 1 cup millet flour, or a mix of brown rice and quinoa flour, and it's turned out fine, just keep the ratio of 2 cups mixed flour to 1 cup tapioca starch. I haven't tried it with potato starch so can't speak to that.


Ingredients for Vegan, Gluten Free Pizza Crust (makes 2 average sized pizza crusts)


1 Tbsp organic brown sugar (or other sugar)
1 packet active dry yeast
1 cup warm water

1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp baking powder
* Optional: 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 Tbsp onion flakes, 1/2 Tbsp dried rosemary

3 Tbsp milk of choice (i.e. rice milk or others)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp warm water OR for a non-vegan option, use 1 egg)



Directions:


1. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, yeast, and warm water. Let sit 5-7 minutes to proof yeast.

2. Mix together the flours, starch, gum, baking powder, and optional seasonings. Make a well in the flours and mix in yeast mixture, milk, oil, and egg substitute. The dough will be gooey and unlike regular glutenous dough.

3.  Coat 2 pizza pans with oil and a layer of parchment paper. Divide batter and spread dough over the pans using a wet spatula or moist hands, about 1/4" thick. Let rise in a warm place about 30 minutes. I do this by turning my stove on to warm while I'm mixing the ingredients, then turning it off before I put the pizza in.

4. Heat oven to 350F. Bake pizza for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Remove pizza from stove. From here, you can cool then freeze the crusts, or add toppings (like my olive tapenade below).  Add the toppings and cook pizza at 375F for 10 minutes, until crust is browned and toppings are heated through.


Ingredients for Olive Tapenade (makes about 1 1/2 cups)


1 - 15oz can kalamata olives, drained (or 1 cup fresh pitted kalamata olives)
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp capers (I often cheat and use 1 Tbsp white vinegar instead)
3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1.5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste


Directions:


In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth. Spread over pizza and cook at 375F for 10 minutes.  I also add spinach, kale, or mixed greens before baking, then serve with steamed broccoli and carrots or other veggies.


How do you like your pizza?

Have you checked out my gluten free pasta book  Recipes for Unusual Gluten Free Pasta: Pierogis, Dumplings, Desserts and More! ? Get yourself a copy and start making GF won tons, pierogis, dumplings, and orzo today :)  

This post was shared on the following great link parties: Real Food Recipe Roundup, The Hearth and Soul Hop, Gluten Free & DIY Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Hop,