For anyone living a gluten free lifestyle, pizza is more than likely missing from their food options. Traditional pizza was omitted from my diet until Robin DeVore of Riceland Foods recently divulged such a thing as a rice based pizza crust.

This recipe is easy, healthy and inexpensive to prepare and will have you thinking outside of the pizza box using rice. And September happens to be National Rice Month so let’s celebrate one of America’s favorite foods.

Preheat the oven to 400?F.

Gluten Free Rice Pizza Crust

2 cups of uncooked rice (long grain or short grain rice or brown rice) Cook as directed in a medium saucepan and tight lid* and set aside to slightly cool. 

2 large eggs

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon cayenne hot sauce or sriracha (add more or less depending on your taste preference) 

In a mixing bowl, combine and mix well the cooked rice, beaten eggs and mozzarella cheese and cayenne pepper sauce or sriracha.

Transfer the rice mixture to a lightly greased 12-18-inch pizza pan ensuring to cover the bottoms and the sides.

Bake crust in a preheated 400?F oven for 10-12 minutes or until set and slightly golden brown.   

Remove from oven and cool before adding toppings.

Tasty Simple Pizza Sauce

My grandmother always stressed simplicity in recipes to enjoy all the flavors mother nature offers. She taught me this recipe more than 40 years ago and it pairs nicely with this rice pizza crust. 

1 can (32-ounce) of whole or diced tomatoes (I used a can of fire-roasted whole tomatoes) 

6-8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Combine the entire can of tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, a dash of salt, some pepper and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend the ingredients until the sauce is pureed. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. This sauce is ready as is. Cooking is not necessary.

Assemble Your Pizza

Gather your favorite vegetables, herbs and pizza toppings such as kale, mushrooms, onions, olives, red pepper, basil, parsley, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Be as creative and use what is on hand.  

Spread half of the prepared pizza sauce onto your cooled-to-the-touch pizza crust. Layer 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/2 a cup of parmesan cheese onto the sauce. Begin adding your coarsely chopped toppings.

Bake the assembled pizza 20 to 30 minutes until the pizza edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and serve. 

*Are your attempts to cook rice inconsistent or unsuccessful? Check your lid for a steam hole at  the top or on the sides.  Locking the steam into the cooking process ensures properly cooked rice. Robin shared this tip with me, and my rice has been perfect every time.  

Are you or anyone you know gluten free? Do you have substitutes for some of your favorite foods? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

In 2007, Arkansas Women Blogger member Kellee Mayfield and her family moved to Lake Village. Kellee was quickly given the nicknamed “Kelly Jo” and the name stuck. As an Oklahoma native, Kelly Jo writes about living in very southeast Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta which has been penned the most Southern place on earth. She also shares her art as well as the art of resourcefulness as being the key to really small  town living. Kellee is a mother, wife and is in sales representative and clinical specialist for a medical device company. And she has a Southern drawl. Catch up with Kellee Jo at Delta Moxie, Instagram, Twitter and Periscope.