Swaps / pizza crust
The best keto substitutes for pizza crust
Pizza is crust, and the crust is flour. Low-carb crusts come in three families: cheese-based doughs, vegetable bases and meat crusts. Store-bought cauliflower crusts are often less helpful than they sound.
5 swaps that work
01Fathead dough0.6 g net · 1 oz (28 g)
- Best for
- The closest thing to real pizza
- How
- Melt mozzarella with a little cream cheese, then knead in almond flour and an egg. Roll between parchment and bake before topping.
02Zucchini pizza boats2.6 g net · 1 cup sliced (124 g)
- Best for
- Quick weeknight pizza
- How
- Halve zucchini, scoop slightly, fill with sauce, cheese and toppings and bake.
03Portobello pizzas1.6 g net · 1 cup sliced (70 g)
- Best for
- Personal pizzas
- How
- Bake gill-side up for 10 minutes, drain, then top and bake again.
04Homemade cauliflower crust3.2 g net · 1 cup (107 g)
- Best for
- A crisp thin crust
- How
- Rice, cook and squeeze cauliflower very dry, then mix with egg and cheese and bake until firm.
- Watch for
- Many store-bought cauliflower crusts contain rice flour or starch; check the label.
05Chicken crust
- Best for
- High-protein pizza
- How
- Press ground chicken mixed with parmesan and egg into a thin round and bake until the crust reaches 165°F (74°C) in the center before adding toppings.
Tips from the kitchen
- Prebake every keto crust so it can hold toppings.
- At a pizzeria, order wings and a salad, or eat the toppings and leave the crust.
Net carbs per serving
From our food database. Serving sizes differ, so they are listed.
Recipes that use these swaps
Quick answers
What is the best keto substitute for pizza crust?
It depends on the dish. Fathead dough is best for the closest thing to real pizza; Zucchini pizza boats is best for quick weeknight pizza; Portobello pizzas is best for personal pizzas.
Every swap, already made
The 28-Day Plan builds these swaps into four weeks of meals, with every macro counted and one grocery list a week.
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