I was raised by two New Yorkers, so I became a serious pizza snob. The crust isn’t just a vehicle for sauce, cheese, and toppings — it’s the whole point. If the crust isn’t right, the pizza isn’t worth eating. Once I switched to a mostly grain-free diet, I had to figure out how to recreate a New York–style paleo pizza crust that could stand up to the real thing.
NY Style Paleo Pizza Crust
When I realized I couldn’t eat gluten anymore, one of my first thoughts was, “Thank goodness I live in San Francisco and not New York.” Resisting pizza in New York sounded like torture. Still, determined to reproduce the texture and flavor I missed, I set out to make a paleo version that felt authentic.
There are many paleo crusts that work well as a base — cauliflower crust, almond- and coconut-based blends with tapioca starch, and even meat-based crusts. They all function as vehicles for toppings, and many are tasty. But I wanted a crust that brought back the crispy-chewy quality of a true NY slice.
This recipe was inspired by Tammi Credicott’s version featured in Everyday Paleo Around The World: Italian Cuisine. After trying it, my partner Simon suggested letting the dough rise, drawing on his bread-baking experience. I doubted grain-free dough would rise, but we tried it — and it worked. After several iterations, I arrived at a crust that has the airy, crisp-chewy balance I wanted. Below is the refined recipe and method I now use regularly.
Paleo Pizza Perfection!
The yeast will get foamy after about 5 minutes. If it doesn’t, toss it and start over.
The dough will be much stickier than conventional pizza dough. Don’t be tempted to add more dry ingredients. It will all work out in the end!
Gather the dough into somewhat of a ball with a rubber spatula. Again: sticky, but don’t fret.
After 75-90 minutes, the dough should look something like this. Not a whole lot bigger, but different, which is exciting.
Be gentle when flattening out the dough; it will have a lot of air and will easily separate. Make sure your hands are well oiled. Tiny air holes are okay, but don’t leave big spaces.
This is about the color you’re looking for before you add the toppings. Almost there!
NY Style Paleo Pizza Crust Perfection
NY Style Pizza Crust
Quite possibly the best paleo pizza crust around.
- Author: Simone Miller
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 9-10″ pie
- Category: Main Course
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup warm water (should feel warm on the inside of your wrist, not hot)
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup tapioca starch
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or another melted fat if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon egg whites (less than one whole egg)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- Your favorite toppings
Instructions
- Warm the bowl you’ll use (stand mixer bowl or mixing bowl). In it combine the yeast, honey, and warm water; whisk and let sit about 5 minutes until foamy.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and egg white.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, and sea salt.
- Once the yeast is foamy, add the wet and dry ingredients to the yeast bowl and mix on medium-high for about 30 seconds, scraping the bowl once to incorporate everything.
- Scrape the dough with a rubber spatula to gather it. The dough will be much wetter and stickier than conventional pizza dough — aim to form it into a loose ball with the spatula.
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel and place it in a warm, not hot, spot. Let it rest 75–90 minutes. It won’t dramatically double, but it will become aerated and look different.
- When ready, preheat your oven to 500°F and place a pizza stone in the oven if you have one. If not, use your heaviest sheet pan.
- Lightly oil a sheet of parchment and turn the dough onto it, scraping the bowl as needed. With oiled hands, gently flatten the dough into a 9–10″ circle. It will be airy; small holes are fine but avoid large gaps.
- Transfer the parchment and dough to the preheated stone or sheet pan.
- Bake in the lower third of the oven at 500°F for 4–6 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Ovens vary, so watch closely.
- Add toppings and return to the oven for another 2–3 minutes, just to finish. Let cool for a minute before slicing.
Notes
- Using a pizza stone yields the best results. If you don’t have one, use a heavy sheet pan.
- Warm the bowl and the measuring cup you’ll use for the water. Cold vessels can cool the water and prevent the yeast from activating.
- This recipe calls for high-heat baking to get the proper texture. If you’re concerned about heating olive oil, you can substitute another fat, but high heat is key to good pizza.
- For best texture, cook the crust almost entirely before adding toppings. If your toppings require cooking, do most of that first and finish briefly on the crust.
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