Rice crust pizza is a delicious alternative to traditional wheat crusts! It has a crisp edge, slight chew, and is strong enough to hold together when you pick up a slice! It's a tasty gluten-free base for your favorite pizza toppings, whether you go the traditional route or try something with an Asian twist.
How To Make the Pizza Crust
Start with cooled cooked brown rice. If you cook the brown rice fresh, allow it to dry out and cool to room temperature before you start making the crust so that there isn't too much moisture.
The rice needs some glue to hold it together, so for that you'll need an egg, and mozzarella cheese. I also add Parmesan and some spices for extra flavor.
Mix all the ingredients well and transfer the rice mixture to a parchment lined baking sheet or pizza pan. Flatten and shape the crust, making sure to press and compact the rice together so it will hold together after being baked.
Bake the crust for 15 minutes in a 425F/220C oven, then let it cool for about 5 minutes.
From there, it's ready for your favorite pizza toppings! Spread on the sauce, top with mozzarella (or whatever your favorite pizza cheese of choice is), lay out the toppings and it's time to bake!
Pop the pizza back in the oven for 10 minutes and it's ready to eat!
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use white rice instead of brown? Yes, but it might not have the same chew that you get from the hulls of the brown rice. Just make sure that the white rice is at least room temperature before you start mixing it with the other ingredients to make the crust
Can I make the crust ahead of time? Yes. Get to the part of baking the crust, let it cool completely, and then it can be put in the fridge until you're ready to make the pizza to bake and serve.
Can I eat leftover slices cold from the refrigerator? The pizza is best eaten right away after baking, but if you do have leftover, it would probably taste better to reheat it in the oven for a few minutes to soften the rice crust.
Asian Toppings for Rice Crust Pizza
A Japanese restaurant here in Hong Kong was the inspiration behind my rice crust pizza. Toi Hokkaido no longer exists in Hong Kong, but nowhere on the menu would you find pepperoni or a meat lovers pizza.
If you want to expand on the rice crust idea, some great Asian topping ideas could be:
- tempura prawns
- crab sticks
- salmon
- teriyaki sauce or shredded teriyaki chicken
- hoisin sauce as a base
- Korean gochujang sauce with thin slices of beef and kimchi
- a garnish of fried shallots, furikake seasoning or dried bonito (fish) flakes
- instead of sprinkling dried chili flakes, drizzle with a bit of chili oil crisp
Use your imagination!
Other Gluten-Free Pizza Recipes
Rice crust pizza is automatically gluten-free, but if you are looking for a more traditional type of crust that is still gluten-free, check out these options:
Easy Amazing Gluten-Free Pizza Crust is just as it says. It is easy and amazing and one of my most popular recipes.
Crisp Crust Gluten-Free Pan Pizza is another delicious option where the crust is more like a traditional wheat crust.
Is this your typical type of pizza crust? Absolutely not. But is it a worthy contender? Totally! You'll be so pleasantly surprised to see that rice crust pizza is easy to make and delicious...you'll want to make it again and again!
~ Lisa.
Rice Crust Pizza
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups cooked long-grain brown rice (about 1 cup uncooked)
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Your favorite pizza toppings
Instructions
- Preheat oven 425 deg F (225C).
- In a mixing bowl, combine rice, egg, grated mozzarella, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and oil. Mix well.
- Transfer rice mixture to a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza pan and flatten using your damp hands or the back of a spoon. Make sure the crust is pressed together and compacted.
- Bake crust for 15 minutes.
- Remove crust from oven and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Top crust with your favorite pizza toppings.
- Bake pizza for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Let pizza rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Brown rice gives a nice chew to the crust because of the outer hull. The crust will still work if you use a white long-grain rice but may not have the same chew to it.
- Flavor the crust with other herbs and seasonings to your liking.
- Pizza is best eaten the day it is made. If you have leftover slices, refrigerate them to store and then reheat in the oven for 5-10 minutes before eating.
- Pizza crust can be made ahead by completing the first baking step and then using the crust for later use. Store the cooled crust in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Top with traditional pizza toppings or try Asian ingredients!
This post was originally published on April 20, 2017 and republished in April 2022 with an updated recipe, new photos, instructional photos, and writing.
James
Hi Lisa! This sounds great! Unfortunately, I can't have any saturated fat. Is there anything I can substitute for the grated cheeses to help it stick together? Thanks so much!
Hi James! Thanks for the question. Unfortunately, I can't think of what ingredient would hold the crust together as well as cheese since it's sort of the "glue" that binds it all. Perhaps adding another egg might help, but I don't know if the pizza slices would be strong enough to hold together when picked up. I would still give it a try, though, to see what it's like. I hope that helps.
Michelle
I would like to add my pics. I enjoyed the pizza, but my grandchildren did not🙁. I always try to make something outside the box. I made a chilli tuna Mayo with loads of cheese and a salami and cheese for the kids with pink sauce. Looks awesome, tasted great. You can not please all the people all the time. Thank you for the recipe 👍👍
Hi Michelle! Wow...that sounds very creative and it's too bad your grandchildren didn't take to it! I would have loved to have seen photos...if you are on Facebook or Instagram, you can share your photos there and simply tag me @dayinthekitchen so I can see them! Thanks for making the recipe!
Alma Pretorius
OH MY GOSH, this recipe is priceless!!!! I used cooked Jasmine rice. After the crust was baked, I brushed on ketchup, topped it with fried onions, mushrooms and chillies and sprinkled with grated Cheddar and Mozzarella cheese. My husband oohed and aahed the whole time!!!! Although the center crust was softer than the edges, I still managed to hold it in my hand. Great recipe for gluten-intolerant people!!!!
Hi Alma! That sounds great! I'm so glad that the pizza crust was such a hit for you and your husband! Thanks so much for the comments and for trying the recipe!
S
Looks great! Could the crust be frozen ahead?
Hi there! I have never done it, but I can't see why it wouldn't work!
Dorothy
I loved it. It was fantastic and so easy to make. Normally, I cook by substitutions, but this recipe called for "your favorite pizza toppings" that, in and of itself was an open door to me!!! Thanks.
That's fabulous, Dorothy!
Thankyou
Wow! Thank you so much for this recipe! Easy, quick, and absolutely delicious! Takes care of pizza cravings using food already in the fridge. You rock!!!
You're so welcome! Glad you like it!
Whitney
This is the best rice based crust I have tried so far. I am not a huge of the texture in the center of the crust. Too soft.. Wish it was more crispy. After it cools down it holds together tightly. What do you suggest to make it taste better than rice. 🙃thank you for sharing this crust
Thanks for your comment, Whitney! If you're looking for more crispy, you could try making the crust thinner by pressing it out more, baking it a bit longer before adding your toppings, baking it on a parchment sheet right on the oven rack instead of a baking sheet, baking it on a pizza stone...these are ideas that I would try, but I have not actually done so myself. As for taste, that's a personal preference, but you could try adjusting the seasonings that you mix into the rice, or you could try using cooked quinoa. If you try any of these ideas, let me know how it turns out!
Lucy
Traditional Pizza Crust is thinner in the center than the edges, you could use the same technique here.
Sara
Loved this crust! So easy to make. I only ended up using 1/4 of parm and 1 tbsp of coconut oil (instead of butter) for the crust and it still turned out perfectly!! I Will definitely keep this as my go to crust from now on.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thanks for the comment, Sara! I'm so glad it worked out for you and that you enjoyed it!
Dianna
PS; the crust held much to the surprise of my hubby.
Dianna
Just made it - YUMM!!! Made crust with eggs, white rice with turmeric (left over from a curry last night), garlic, and mozzarella cheese. placed it on a hot pizza stone covered with baking paper and followed your instructions. topping was tomato base, boccocini (small mozzarella balls) capsicum and crumbled blue cheese. Only thing wrong was it was so nice I should have made 2 - I each for hubby and me. Thank you!
That sounds fabulous, Dianna! I'm so glad you and the hubby liked it! Love the sound of turmeric in the crust, too!