This quick gluten-free pizza crust is easy to make, sturdy, crisp-edged, and tender-chewy inside. The dough is perfect for pizza, flatbread, and calzones!
I’m no stranger to serving up delicious gluten-free pizza crusts, like sweet potato pizza crust, Keto zucchini pizza crust, and low-calorie potato pizza crust. However, if you’re craving traditional pizza, this gluten-free pizza dough recipe delivers!
Made with a carefully tested flour and starch blend (no gums!) that mimics the job of wheat flour and gluten, this homemade gluten-free pizza dough provides consistent results every time. It’s vegan, freezer-friendly, and easy to customize in flavor, size, and thickness—perfect for pizza night.
You might also enjoy my gluten-free, vegan deep-dish pizza or vegan calzone.
Gluten-Free Pizza Dough Ingredients
For the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.
- White rice flour: Use finely ground flour for a light, crisp, neutral base without grittiness.
- Tapioca flour: Adds stretch, chew, and browning to this quick gluten-free pizza dough. Potato starch or arrowroot starch may work but gives less chew.
- Cornstarch: Adds lightness and crispness. Potato starch (not potato flour) also works, producing a softer crust.
- Psyllium husk powder: Mimics gluten, binding the dough and adding elasticity and chew. Use 2 tsp powder or 4 tsp whole husks.
- Salt: To season the dough.
- Warm milk: I used plant milk, like soy (which adds more body), almond, cashew, or oat milk, to make a gluten-free vegan pizza crust. Make sure it’s lukewarm (35-40C/95-104F).
- Active dry yeast: This provides rise and classic fermented pizza flavor. Instant yeast also works and doesn’t even require proofing, though you’ll only need 1 ¼ tsp.
- Olive oil: Adds moisture, tenderness, and flavor. Extra-virgin olive oil adds maximum flavor, though regular olive oil or avocado oil will work.
- Sugar: I use maple syrup/agave, though granulated sugar also works, to feed the yeast.
Pizza Toppings
Most pizzas contain three topping elements
- Pizza sauce: Tomato-based, cream sauce, avocado pesto, keto BBQ sauce, etc.
- Cheese: Like vegan mozzarella cheese, quick vegan cheese sauce, or a blend of melty cheeses.
- Toppings: Protein (vegan pepperoni, shredded ‘chicken’, tofu, etc.), vegetables (mushrooms, peppers, onion, olives, spinach, tomatoes, etc.), jalapeños, fresh basil.
How to Make Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
For the consistently best gluten-free pizza crust recipe, weigh the ingredients with a kitchen scale.
- Warm the milk to 95–104°F/35–40°C. Mix with active dry yeast, oil, and maple syrup; proof 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Whisk the rice flour, tapioca, cornstarch, psyllium husk powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon. It will look too wet initially but thickens within a minute or two.
- Mix/knead the dough by hand for several minutes to fully combine, then form into a dough ball. It should be soft, moist, and slightly sticky.
- Add to a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and leave to rise for 30-60 minutes in a warm, draft-free location. It won’t double but should be visibly puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 390°F/200°C and transfer the dough to a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
- Use your fingers to press the dough to your preferred shape, aiming for ⅛–¼ inch/3–6mm, leaving a thicker rim. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
Top and Bake
- Mix the tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and onion and garlic powder (or use your preferred pizza sauce).
- Spread it over the pizza, leaving a 1-inch border. Optionally drizzle olive oil on top.
- Bake the gluten-free pizza crust for 10-15 minutes. Add cheese (e.g. vegan mozzarella) and any toppings. Bake another 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden-brown.
The thickness of the dough, your oven, and the amount of toppings can impact baking time.
- Slice, optionally garnish with fresh basil, and enjoy!
Storage Information
Make ahead: To add more flavor, cold proof the dough in the fridge for 12-24 hours, then bring to room temperature before shaping.
Store pizza: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Reheat: Reheat the gluten-free pizza in an oven or air fryer for several minutes for the best texture.
FAQs
Can I use all-purpose gluten-free flour?
Possibly, but I wouldn’t replace the rice flour + starches 1:1 without testing, as many blends already contain starches and gums, so using it alongside psyllium could make the dough gummy.
The best gluten-free pizza crust recipes should contain a balanced blend of flour, starch, and binder. Too much of any will throw off the texture.
Can you flavor pizza dough?
Of course! Add garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, chili/cayenne, and even vegan parmesan/nutritional yeast.
For dessert pizza, increase the sweetener slightly and add vanilla and/or cinnamon.
Why is my gluten-free pizza dough sticky?
This is actually fairly normal. If it’s overly sticky, let it rest for 10-15 minutes for the psyllium to hydrate. If still sticky, try using wet/oiled hands rather than adding lots of flour.
How To Use Gluten-Free Pizza Dough?
Use it for pizza, mini pizzas, small Calzone-style pizza pockets, breadsticks, garlic bread, or pizza rolls.
Top Recipe Notes
- Weigh the ingredients: The flour and starch ratios are important.
- Use the right ingredients: Choose fine rice flour and psyllium powder. Grind whole psyllium first if needed.
- Don’t add too much flour: Gluten-free dough is naturally softer and stickier than wheat dough.
- Check the yeast: If it doesn’t foam, replace it and start again.
- Don’t toss the pizza: Instead, press it into shape (wet/oiled hands help), as the gluten-free dough doesn’t stretch like wheat dough.
- Adjust thickness: Aim for ⅛–¼ inch/3–6mm for a thin to regular crust.
More Gluten-Free Vegan Pizza Recipes
- Pizza ring with spinach
- Avocado chickpea pizza
- Mexican pizza with refried beans
- Vegan cheesy breadsticks
- Vegan pizza rolls
- Vegan calzone
If you try this easy gluten-free pizza crust recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in recreations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan – I love seeing them.
Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 1 cup (160 g) white rice flour
- ½ cup (60 g) tapioca flour
- ⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch or potato starch
- 2 tsp psyllium husk powder or the double amount of whole husks
- ⅓ tsp sea salt
Yeast mixture:
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp (200 ml) warm plant-based milk
- 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp (10 g) maple syrup or agave syrup
Toppings for Pizza Margherita:
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp olive oil (optional)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Onion powder and garlic powder to taste (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves to taste
- Easy vegan cheese sauce or vegan mozzarella (see recipe notes)
Instructions
- You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.Heat the plant-based milk in a saucepan for a few seconds until it's lukewarm (not hot!) about 35-40 degrees C (95-104 degrees F). Add all other ingredients for the yeast mixture and set aside for about 5-10 minutes to proof the yeast. If it starts to get frothy, then the yeast is still active and usable.
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and stir with a whisk.
- Add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. The dough might seem too wet in the first few seconds but that will change within a minute.
- Knead the dough with your hands for a few minutes and then form a dough ball. Cover the bowl with a clean damp kitchen towel and set aside (preferably in a warm place) for about 30-60 minutes. Here is how the dough looked before:
- Here is how the dough looked after rising:
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (390 degrees F).Place the dough onto a lined/greased baking tray and use your fingers to spread the dough into your preferred shape. Let it rest again for about 10 minutes, and prepare the toppings meanwhile.
- Mix the tomato sauce with the tomato paste, salt + pepper, dried oregano, and onion + garlic powder (optional). Put the sauce onto the dough and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly (leave out 1 inch from the edges). Drizzle olive oil on top (optional).
- Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Add dollops of my easy vegan cheese sauce on the pizza and put it back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes (or until crispy).
- Cut the pizza into 6-8 pieces, add fresh basil and enjoy!
Notes
- For the cheese, I used my easy vegan cheese sauce recipe without the nutritional yeast flakes, because my brand turns the sauce yellowish. And I added 1 1/2 tsp of psyllium husk powder which adds great texture (similar to mozzarella).
- This pizza crust recipe has been on my blog since April 14th 2018. It was updated on November 5th, 2026, with a new video and photos and minor text revisions. The recipe itself remains unchanged.
- Nutrition facts are for one piece of pizza (without the toppings) when you cut the pizza into 6 large pieces.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
„Simple and Delicious Vegan“ Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
I have been sooo excited to try this recipe and tried it tonight, but after waiting an hour my dough still didn’t rise 🙁 I followed all of the measurements exactly and am definitely using dry active yeast. Do you know why my dough didn’t rise by chance?! I hope I can figure it out!! Thank you in advance for your help!!
AllisonXX
Hello, Allison. Did you proof the yeast and was it bubbly? It sounds it wasn’t active anymore otherwise the dough would have risen for sure. Gluten-free doughs don’t rise much but as you can tell from my recipe step by step pics, it does rise quite a bit. Maybe you can give it another try with a different yeast brand. 🙂
Thank you Ela!! One thing I was unsure about was the timing for heating the milk and adding the yeast ingredients. I didn’t let it get too hot, like you had said, but then I was unsure if I was suppose to leave the milk on the heat, or remove from the heat when adding the maple syrup, olive oil and yeast. Then once all of that was added…how long to leave it/stir it before adding it to the dry mix. I REALLY appreciate your help clarifying this part because I’m also a pizza addict and vegan and gluten free so I really want to be able to make this!! So thank you in advance for your help!
P.S. I make your tortillas and vegan cheese alllll the time and am obsessed! You’re amazing 🙂
My pleasure! 🙂 I always heat up the milk on the stove, just for 10 to 15 seconds until it’s lukewarm and then turn off the heat. Then add the maple syrup, oil, and yeast and let it proof for about 5-10 minutes. It should get frothy (a little bubbly) and then you can add it to the dry mix. 🙂
wt can i use instead Psyllium Husk Powder? i read that u saud chia seed but i dont know how to use it?
I wouldn’t recommend chia seeds. The result won’t be the same, unfortunately. There isn’t really a great substitute for psyllium husk with the exact same properties.
Hi I’m grain free. Is there anything I can swap the rice flour for?
Hi, you could try buckwheat flour or quinoa flour. 🙂
Hi Ela
I must say when i started the plant based journey I was overwhelmed but you have made it all easy and enjoyable for me. I tried this recipe and it was a hit…i love it!!
Thank you
Sizakele, South Africa
That’s amazing! Thanks so much for your feedback and greetings to South Africa. 🙂
Your chickpea pizza looks so delicious! I’ve never made my own pizza from scratch but I’m going to give this a try. Is the oil necessary for the crust? Thanks!
Hey! It’s not really necessary and you can leave it out if you are avoiding oil.
Thank you! Can’t wait to try it this weekend
Hi Ela,
I love your recipes and I can’t wait to try this one. I’m wondering if arrowroot can substitute potato starch?
It’s the only ingredient I dotnt have and wondering if I need it.
Thank you!
Hi Michelle! Yes, that’s definitely possible. Cornstarch would work as well. 🙂
Ela,
I LOVE your site and your many recipes. When I print a recipe, a picture of the food item is not shown. It would be really nice to have a picture with my printed recipe. Is there any way to get the picture with the recipe?
Thanks so much for your wonderful recipes and wonderful site!
Bernie
Thank you very much for the compliments, Bernie.
I just changed the print settings and now it should show a picture! 🙂
Hi Ela,
May I use this reciepe without active dry yeast? Ufortunately, I can’t eat it at the moment :c I want to use this recipe so badly, haha!
Thank you a lot!
Hi Nastya, I never made this recipe without yeast. Please report back if you try it out. 🙂
I’ve made this pizza dough for the past two Friday nights! It’s so easy & I’m amazed it’s gluten free & vegan! Thanks Ela!!
That’s amazing, Jess! I am very glad you liked my recipe. 🙂
Hi Ela! First of all, I wanted to let you know that your pizza crust looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it as my dad always asks me to make pizza 😀 I also love that it is gluten-free!
Thank you for all of your delicious-looking recipes that I want to try everytime 🙂
Thanks, dear. That’s so kind of you to say. 🙂
This looks so good! I have been looking for a pizza crust recipe and will need to try this.
I hope you will like it!! 🙂
I’ve made this a few times. The flavor is good, but I tend to have time with it. The crust doesn’t rise for and I don’t know why. With that said, I have not used rice flour, but I used gluten free all-purpose. I will try it again with the rice flour because it is a good flavor and I enjoy making my own pizzas. Also, I always add rosemary and garlic to the crust…deeeelish
Hi Nicole! Since you used a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and not the flours in the recipe, you actually made a different recipe and NOT this one. Each gluten-free flour blend contains different flours which will yield a different result. Therefore I did not write “gluten-free all-purpose flour blend” in the recipe. I have worked on this recipe for weeks, if not months and you can see that the dough DOES rise. 🙂
Ela! You are so very kind to offer images of each stage of the crust production. And the overall recipes seems amazing. I love that you added psyllium husk! Thank you so much for sharing your hard work! Dee xx
Thank you very much for your sweet comment, Dee!! Makes me so happy that you like my recipe.
The crust looks so fluffly and crispy! Such a perfect pizza crust I can’t beleive it’s gluten-free. Will have to give it a try!
Thank you, Jess!! I hope you will like my pizza crust if you try it out 🙂
I’ve been looking for a crispy pizza base and yours looks delicious! Will definitely be giving this a go.
Also thank you for such a wonderful Tortilla recipe ! As l follow Dr McDougall and a Whole Foods Plant Based No Oil way of eating , your recipes have been a pleasure to make and eat! So thank you ! For all the hard work that goes into creating such healthy alternatives and for sharing.????
Thanks so much for your sweet comment, I really appreciate it, Karen. I hope you will like my recipe
This is such an amazing pizza recipe, Ela! Your pizza looks so professional, better than most in restaurants. Love your creative recipes!
Awww, thank you so much, Nisha! I am really glad you like my pizza pics. So sweet of you to say ❤️
I am definitely going to make your vegan cheese sauce, but it does not look like the cheese that’s on the pizza!?! What is the white pizza ‘cheese’??
Hi Ginger! It is almost the same sauce, however, I left out the nutritional yeast flakes (my brand turns the sauce yellow) and I added 1 1/2 tsp of psyllium husk, that’s why the sauce was actually thicker. I will add it to the recipe notes! I hope you will give it a try 🙂
I am definitely going to give the easy cheese a try. Need to get some tapioca flour. I’m hoping Whole Foods has it. I’ll have to look for psyllium husk as well! Thanks for the info!
Yes, I am pretty sure it’s available there! ❤️
You can make tapioca flour from tapioca pearls in your blender.
I made this last night and it was amazing; crispy, tast, very sturdy, and delicious. Very filling too! Thanks so much for this xx
Hey Maggie, I am so happy you liked my GF pizza recipe! Thanks for your great feedback 🙂
Looks amazing!!!
Can I sub white rice flour for brown? Should I add baking powder for brown rice flour?
Can I use xantham gum instead of psyllium? How much?
Thanks for the amazing recipes!
Yes, brown rice flour should be fine! You can’t use xanthan gum instead of psyllium though. Psyllium husk forms a gel when it gets in contact with water. It contains lots of fiber and makes the dough pliable (with an amazing texture). You might use ground chia seeds instead, however, you will probably need to adjust the amount of liquid because psyllium husk does absorb more water than ground chia seeds. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi 🙂 can i use agar agar intstead of psyllium? Thanks!
Hey! 🙂 I don’t think it works the same in this recipe so I would not recommend it.
This pizza looks so delicious ????
I love it when the crust is thick and crispy!
And it’s so amazing that it’s even gluten-free!
Would love to try it! ????❤️
Thank you, Bianca! I am really glad the recipe turned out so great.
I hope you will give it a try. ❤️
I’ve been playing with different gluten free pizza crust recipes, and I tried this one last night. I actually wrote this recipe down. It is in my opinion, the best recipe I’ve found yet. I will admit, I altered the recipe a little.(because that’s what I do) The only thing I changed was that I used whole cow’s milk,and added some Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Thank you! Awesome recipe.
Happy you liked it, Amy. 🙂