Hello, everyone! I’m excited to bring you Part 2 of the Gluten-Free Pizza Party! series. In this post, you’ll find gluten-free alternative pizza recipes. Alternative pizza “crusts” that some folks prefer over any of the “traditional” crusts and other recipes that give you pizza in a slightly different form (e.g., casserole, pockets, bombs, dip, quiche, soup).
You’ll want to check out all of these recipes because your new favorite, “really good” gluten-free pizza recipe might not be at all what you expected as far as ingredients or “platform”! There are some awesome ideas from your favorite bloggers in today’s roundup! (Don’t forget to check out the kickoff post for this series if you haven’t already: Part 1: Over 30 of the Best Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Recipes.)
Gluten-Free Alternative Pizza Recipes–Crusts Made with Non-Traditional Ingredients
~ Cauliflower and Zucchini Pizza Crust from Simply Gourmet ~ gluten free, vegetarian
Reader review: “I have now made this about 5 times and LOVE it! I add some meat toppings and my partner and I were absolutely astonished at how tasty it is!
We are normally strictly Paleo, but we do allow some dairy so this worked well for us. Oh and I don’t use greaseproof paper but just a really good non-stick baking tray, which is perfect. Thanks so much for posting!!!”
~ Cauliflower Crust Pizzas from Sandi’s Allergy Free Recipes ~ gluten free, with grain-free, dairy-free option
Sandi’s own initial reaction was “Oh my goodness!!” She said she was so very pleased with the results and chooses to make this pizza for herself almost every time her husband enjoys a gluten-full pizza.
~ Cauliflower-Crust Vegetarian Pizza from Kalyn’s Kitchen ~ gluten free, grain free, vegetarian
Kalyn said: “if you’d like to try a pizza crust that’s low-carb, gluten-free, and more nutritious than regular crust made with flour, I think you’ll be pleased with this version.”
Reader review: “Just wanted to thank you–this was incredible! My husband is on a low-carb diet, and I try to eat fewer processed carbs, so I thought I’d give this a go.” and “Wow, we were both really impressed. I topped it with roasted peppers and onions, but all other ingredients were more or less the same.”
~ Gluten-Free Tortilla Pizzas from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, egg free, vegetarian, with dairy-free, vegan options
From me (Shirley): “These tortilla pizzas hardly require a recipe; it was just an idea that came to me when Son was craving pizza and looking to dear old mom to help him out. He requests these every time he’s home now.”
~ Grilled Zucchini Pizza Slices from Kalyn’s Kitchen ~ gluten free, grain free, egg free, vegetarian
Reader reviews: “Enjoyed these tonight. Couldn’t find 8-ball zucchini, so just used regular zucchini.” and “I sliced them in half and took off a bit on each underside so they would sit on the pan. Since it’s winter-time I broiled them… they turned out really yummy!” and “Thank you for sharing your recipe. I will make them again!”
~ Homemade Frozen Pizza from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures ~ gluten free
This post is more of a helpful concept than an alternative crust/pizza delivery idea, but I think you will find it really helpful and a terrific way to get your family helping in the kitchen! Lynn uses her regular pizza crust recipe (which I shared in Part 1 of the Gluten-Free Pizza Party!).
She says: “Homemade Frozen Pizza. You pre-bake the crust, then top it, then freeze it. It is really easy and better than anything you can buy in the store. And the kids love to help make it. I find the pizzas are easier to deal with when I make smaller frozen pizzas, so we make them about the size perfect for one person. We make an assembly line for the toppings and we can have a lot of homemade frozen pizzas done in no time.”
~ Homemade Pizza Pockets (“Pizza Pops”) from Healthful Pursuit ~ gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, with egg-free, vegan option
Leanne explains: “I went gaga over pizza pops as a kid. I only wish it was over the gluten-free, healthy version. These will most definitely become a favorite at our house.”
~ Julia Child’s Eggplant Pizzas from Kalyn’s Kitchen ~ gluten free, grain free, egg free, vegetarian
Reader reviews: “I came across these on Pinterest, and I HAD to try them!! They are so good and I love the added basil.” and “Tonight I made these scrumptious eggplant pizzas with a twist and I thought I would share. Instead of cutting in rounds, I cut the eggplant long ways; I seasoned the eggplant with dried oregano, basil, pepper and garlic powder. After cooking the eggplant, I topped with your basil pesto sauce instead of tomato sauce, added sliced mushrooms and diced tomatoes, then topped with a combo of low fat mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Broiled for 5 minutes and they turned out delicious! My husband, an eggplant hater actually liked it…wonderfully shocking. Thank you.”
~ Keto Crustless Pizza from All Day I Dream About Food ~ gluten free, grain free, egg free, low carb, keto
Reader reviews: “This is outstanding. My husband would eat it every night — or at least twice a week. I used an 8″ square casserole dish, which was perfect. I only used the measured amounts of sausage and sauce. For the rest, I added each topping until I liked the looks of it. Probably a bit more than the recipe, but not much.” and “This crustless pizza is the best I ever had since starting Keto. Thank you so much!”
~ Personal Pan Cauliflower Pan Crust from Oatmeal with a Fork ~ gluten free, grain free with dairy-free option
Lauren says: “After many trials, fails, and stinky dish towels, I’ve finally perfected my own pie that….
- Doesn’t have added cheese
- Holds together well enough to be picked up
- Has exact measurements
- Has nutritional information
- ….serves just one
- Is freakin’ delicious!”
Reader review: “Just wanted to let you know that the pizza was a HUGE success with my students! I ended up making the cauliflower “rice” the night before and having all my students help prep the rest of the crust in class. Everyone licked their plate clean.”
~ Portabello Mushroom Egg Pizza from Tasty Eats At Home ~ gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian
Alta said: “These indeed hit the spot. They were delicious. The portobello provided a lovely, meaty base for the “pizza”, and the olives and seasoned tomato paste gave it the “pizza” flavor I was after. The egg just gave it a delicious, rich sauce, as I only baked it long enough to set the whites, leaving the yolk all warm and runny. So. So. Good.”
~ Socca Pizza from In Johnna’s Kitchen ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, vegan
Johnna says: “Besides being very flavorful, I like that this crust gets crispy on the edge and also slices well.” She even has a recipe that’s just for mini socca pizzas. I have personally tried the latter that she made herself and they were wonderful!
~ Zucchini Crust Vegetarian Pizza Margherita from Kalyn’s Kitchen ~ gluten free, grain free, vegetarian
Reader review: “Just came across this recipe recently, made it last night and thought it was AMAZING! Thank you so much!”
~ Zucchini Pizza from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures ~ gluten free
Reader review: “First attempt turned out good! Definitely need to make sure the zucchini and rice get really dry because it makes a difference! Otherwise, it was delicious and a great way to use up zucchini when you have an abundance.” and “I served this last week and the family enjoyed this very much. The only thing I did different was add less cheese to the crust and 1/2 cup of lowfat ricotta. We were low on cheddar. But it turned out yummy all the same.” and “Oh, my goodness! I made this for my family tonight and we all LOVED it! Even my one-year-old son gobbled it right up!”
And here are almost 20 more recipes that celebrate pizza, just in a much different form.
Gluten-Free Alternative Pizza Recipes–Other Ways to Get Your Pizza Fix
~ Deconstructed Pizza Casserole from Kalyn’s Kitchen ~ gluten free, egg free, sugar free, low carb
Reader reviews: “This was sooooo good! Perfect for my pizza craving!” and “Loved this recipe! I added spinach and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan as well. So yummy.” and “Had this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! Definitely will make this again for dinner.”
~ Pepperoni Pizza Chicken Bake from Kalyn’s Kitchen ~ gluten free, egg free, low carb
Reader reviews: “I will definitely be making this recipe again! Everyone loved it! Even those who are not doing low carb.” and “Tried this last night and didn’t disappoint, super yummy!” and “I’ve made this at least 3 times for my family and we love it. Thanks for sharing!!” and “This was a huge hit in our house! Even with my three teenage boys who aren’t doing low carb with us loved it.”
~ Layered Hot Pizza Dip from Premeditated Leftovers ~ gluten free, egg free
This recipe from Alea is self explanatory. What will you dip in your pizza dip? Tortilla chips … cut veggies … gluten-free pretzels …. gluten-free baguettes?
~ Mini Egg Pizzas from Real Everything ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, paleo, primal
Reader review: “Yummo! We made these today for lunch! I even had time to make them after we got home for lunch.” and “Just made these! I had to try one hot out of the oven and they are delicious! Thanks for the recipe!”
~ Pizza Bombs from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, with dairy-free options
Reader reviews: “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I fixed these tonight for our 1-, 4-, and 8-year-old with feta and black olives instead of pepperoni and it was the first time in ages that there wasn’t any complaining that, “that’s not what I want to eat!” There is a request now to replace taco night with these. And they love their tacos!” and “I made these the other night for my boss’s retirement party. They were a big hit with everyone (I am the only one that is gluten free) and they all want the recipe!”
~ Pizza Cheese Buns from Everyday Gluten-Free Gourmet ~ gluten free, vegetarian
Cinde says: “These Pizza Cheese Buns are my version of Brazilian Cheese Bread with a pizza twist. Made in muffin tins and served with pizza dipping sauce they are a great snack or party food.”
~ Pizza Chicken from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures ~ gluten free, egg free (Lynn also has a CrockPot version.)
Reader reviews: “My family loves this recipe. It’s in our regular rotation.”
~ Pizza Chili Slow Cooker Recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking ~ gluten free with dairy-free option
Steph said: “This has fantastic pizza flavor and is super low-carb. If you’re looking to stock the freezer, this is a great make-ahead meal—no pasta or starches that have a tendency to break down when reheating.” One member of my gluten-free support group makes this recipe for her family all the time; they love it!
~ Pizza Dip from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, with dairy-free options
This gfe recipe is exactly what you think it is, Pizza in ooey gooey dip form!
Reader review: “This was very good and easy. I had many requests for the recipe!”
~ Pizza Fondue from A Year of Slow Cooking ~ gluten free, egg free
Stephanie said: “This was great. We spread out a blanket in front of the TV and had a carpet picnic with the pizza fondue and watched dvds.”
Reader review: “Tripled this in my 2-quart slow cooker. It fit perfectly. I used 2 cups mozzarella and just under 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan. It was a big hit at our Christmas party.”
~ Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures ~ gluten free (use gluten-free option), egg free, vegetarian
Lynn uses two kinds of cheese in these Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and dips them in pizza or marinara sauce. Yum!
~ Low-Carb Keto Pizza Muffins from Elana’s Pantry ~ gluten free, grain free, sugar free, paleo, primal
Reader review: “Delicious!!! Tasted like mini pizzas.”
~ Mini Keto Pizza Muffins from All Day I Dream About Food ~ gluten free, grain free, sugar free, keto, low carb
Reader reviews: “These were really easy to make and delicious.” and “These turned out really good, we ate them all u! They were easy to make too.”
~ Pepperoni Pizza Quiche from Kalyn’s Kitchen ~ gluten free, grain free, keto
~ Pizza Muffins from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, dairy free (can be made with dairy ingredients)
Reader review: “I made these for dinner tonight. Delish!”
~ Pizza Quiche from The Spunky Coconut ~ gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free
Kelly admitted that she didn’t set out to make pizza quiche, but went with an Italian theme. She added: “It wasn’t until the quiche was baking that Ashley said, “I smell pizza!” And she was right. It did smell like pizza. So I say run with it—fill yours with your favorite pizza toppings.”
Reader review: “Made this a couple nights ago….it was delicious!”
~ Pizza Rolls from Fearless Dining ~ gluten free, vegetarian
Sandi says: “If you are looking for a tasty twist on your favorite pizza recipe, you will love these gluten-free pizza rolls. They are savory rolls filled with all of your favorite pizza ingredients like sauce, cheese, and pepperoni!”
~ Popover Pizza from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, vegetarian
Reader review: “Shirley, that was a treat! We ate some hot from the oven, then finished it up a few hours later. Delicious both ways. (It was a 1/2 recipe in an 8×8″ pan.) … it’s a keeper.”
~ Portabella Pizza Burgers from Vegetarian Mamma ~ gluten free, vegan (although you can use dairy if you wish)
Cindy said: “Mmmm Just thinking of this sandwich makes me a bit hungry! There is just something comforting about this sandwich! The warm portabella mushrooms gives such a filling and deep taste to the sandwich. I used vegan cheese to top my sandwich but feel free to use your favorite cheese!”
Reader review: “I made these a couple of days ago … um, so good!”
~ Quinoa Pizza Balls from Ricki Heller ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free, vegan
Ricki says: “The simplicity of these balls belies their complex flavors. The pairing of fresh basil and tomato paste here is truly evocative of pizza. These make a great party appetizer or main course alongside a crisp salad.”
Reader reviews: “I knew I’d struck gold when I tasted them. They’re one of my favorite recipes!” and “I’ve made these before and loved them!”
~ Quinoa Pizza Bites from Chocolate-Covered Katie ~ gluten free, with dairy-free, refined sugar-free vegan options
Reader review: “I made these today and they were absolutely amazing!!”
~ Sausage and Pepperoni Layered Pizza Bake from Kalyn’s Kitchen ~ gluten-free (use gluten-free option), low carb, with keto option
Reader reviews: “This is a HOME RUN!!! We will be making this one a lot!” and “Made this tonight with Italian chicken sausage and turkey pepperoni. It was a hit! Can’t wait for leftovers at lunchtime!”
~ Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza-Stuffed Peppers from Kalyn’s Kitchen ~ gluten free
Reader reviews: “I made these this weekend and they are amazing! I used spicy chicken sausage and they are so good.” and “I made this recipe tonight and we loved it! I used a mix of dairy-free mozzarella and Parmesan because Son eats dairy free. We enjoyed it with a salad and Son and his girlfriend ate theirs with rice. Will definitely be making this meal on a regular basis!”
~ Slow Cooker Puffy Pizza Casserole from A Year of Slow Cooking ~ gluten free (use gluten-free option)
Steph wondered if she could make pizza in her crockpot and after she gave it a try, she said: “Yup … I loved the way it worked in the crock. I didn’t vent the lid at all—it puffs up beautifully and completely satisfied my family’s cravings without needing to worry about gluten or tipping the delivery guy!”
Reader reviews: “There are so many things you can do with this! I added used sausage instead of the hamburger and added some extra garlic. Thanks for the great recipe!” and “I just made this for dinner, and made it in 2 crockpots. Needless to say there is none left. This is really good.”
~ Slow Cooker Pizza Soup from A Year of Slow Cooking ~ gluten free (use gluten-free options and ensure all ingredients are gluten free), vegetarian (easy to make dairy free by omitting cheese topping or using dairy-free cheese)
Reader reviews: “I just made this for the umpteenth time. WE LOVE IT!!!”; “I loved this, thanks for sharing!”; We love this soup! We like a thicker soup though, so I usually add two 14 oz jars of sauce and extra one of water because it looked like it would fit. We like extra pasta too.”; and “I made this today and it was AWESOME!!!!! Plus it made my whole kitchen smell like Pizza Hut. (YUM)”
My note … one of my support group members actually recommended this recipe to me. She and her family rave over it as well.
The next part of this series will be a variety of recipes for pizza topping combinations to use on either your favorite homemade or ready-made crusts. There will also have to be a fourth part of this series as I’ve discovered many more wonderful gluten-free pizza crust recipes! And don’t forget to check out the kickoff post: Gluten-Free Pizza Party! Part 1: Over 30 of the Best Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Recipes.
Originally published January 30, 2014; updated June 14, 2024.
Stephanie ODea says
Shirley, what a tremendous resource! Thank you for taking the time to compile such a great list and thank you for highlighting some of my recipes.
Pizza just *isn’t a problem* in our gf household — we continue to have it (or a version thereof) weekly!
Shirley says
Hey Steph–Thanks so much, dear! And I’d have to agree that you definitely have pizza covered in your house! I simply love all your easy gluten-free pizza options. 🙂
xo,
Shirley
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat says
Oh Shirley, round up number two! I can’t decide which one was more torturous for me to read through. Thanks for making such a delicious resource for us!!
xo,
Heather
Shirley says
Heather–Well your juice only period is over, right? Now you can pick one or more of these recipes to give a go! Enjoy! 🙂
xo,
Shirley
KalynsKitchen says
What a great post. Several of these ideas are calling to me, especially the Portobello Mushroom pizzas! And thanks for including several of my pizza ideas!
Shirley says
Thanks, Kalyn! Your support always means so much and it was easy to include your recipes as you have so many terrific naturally gluten-free pizza ideas. 🙂 And I totally agree on so many other appealing ideas and especially on Alta’s beautiful mushroom breakfast pizza. I could go for one right now! 😉
Shirley
Tamra Augostino says
Thanks for these great pizza alternatives. I’m on the hcg diet (through Omnitrition with Omni-Drops) and some of these will be perfect for phase 3.
Shirley says
Hey Tamra–Welcome to gfe! Happy to have you here and glad that you found some recipes that will work for you! 🙂
Shirley
Maggie says
I am with Heather on this! These are torturous roundups 🙂 I have a few must-makes coming from this list! Such fabulous ideas, thanks for rounding these up for us. xo
Shirley says
Maggie–LOL on torturous … can you girls imagine if we had a buffet with all these options? If only we could take one bite (half a bite?) from each to see which recipes we liked best. 😉
I’m really having fun with this series and looking forward to sharing more. Thanks for all your support, dear! xo, 🙂
Shirley
Linda says
I do love pizza (or did before going dairy free), and these alternatives to traditional pizza all look great to me. Thanks for sharing my zucchini pizzas!
Shirley says
Linda–There are few among us who do not love pizza! You have some fantastic options on your blogs so, of course, I had to share. 🙂 Did you try the Majestic Garlic Spread year before last at my retreat? That really makes an outstanding cheese sub in my opinion. It’s obviously not a shredded cheese sub, but when I use it mixed with pizza sauce, it gives me the flavor and texture I want and it only contains garlic and other real food ingredients. I’m getting ready to order some more because if I have it, I am not tempted to use cheese, sour cream, etc.
Shirley
Sarah || Celiac in the City says
This post is pinned and will be holding it close to my heart forever! 😉
Shirley says
LOL, Sarah, that’s quite a compliment! I think folks are more excited about these alternative means to get one’s pizza fix than they were on the traditional pizza crust recipes. 😉
Shirley
Ricki says
Holy moly!! How on earth did I forget to leave a comment on this until now?! So many alternatives. . . I need never be without pizza again!! I’m drooling over here. . . long live alternative pizzas! What a great roundup, Shirley. So many fantastic ideas. And as always, thanks so much for including my recipe here!
Shirley says
LOL, Ricki. You probably did it the same way I do … I take a look and quickly share online somewhere, thinking I’ll comment later, and then time passes too, too quickly and the intention is gone from my mind. 😉 I’m happy to include your recipe, of course, and I really love all these ideas, too! 🙂
Shirley