High Protein Egg White Pizza Crust with Sourdough Discard
A thin, golden, high protein pizza crust made from whipped egg whites and optional sourdough discard. No flour, no yeast, ready in 30 minutes.
Calories: 540kcal
Equipment
- Half sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Large mixing bowl
- Silicone spatula
- kitchen scale
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 5 egg whites room temperature
- 15 grams cornstarch 1 tablespoon
- 1 grams dried oregano 1 teaspoon
- 1.5 grams garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon
- 1.5 grams onion powder 1/2 teaspoon, optional
- 75 grams sourdough discard room temperature, past peak, optional
- avocado oil spray for parchment
- 80 grams low moisture mozzarella shredded (1 cup)
- 21 grams Parmigiano Reggiano shredded (3 tablespoons)
- 65 grams pizza sauce no sugar added (1/4 to 1/3 cup)
- pepperoni or toppings of choice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray the parchment with avocado oil and set aside.
- Add the egg whites, cornstarch, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder to a large clean mixing bowl. Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely free of any grease or moisture, as even a small amount will prevent the whites from whipping properly.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy, then increase to medium high and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. The mixture should be glossy and smooth, and the peaks should stand straight up on the beater without drooping.
- If using sourdough discard, drizzle the room temperature discard slowly over the top of the whipped egg whites. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the discard in with slow deliberate strokes, going down through the center and sweeping up and over the sides of the bowl. Stop folding as soon as the discard is fully incorporated and the mixture looks smooth. Do not overfold or the foam will deflate.
- Transfer the egg white mixture to the prepared sheet pan. Using the back of a spoon or a spatula, spread it into a rectangle approximately 9x13 inches, about half an inch thick. Focus on keeping an even thickness rather than hitting an exact size, as this ensures the crust bakes evenly all the way through.
- Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes, until the surface looks completely matte and dry with no shiny spots and the edges are just beginning to pull away from the parchment. Baking time may vary slightly depending on how thick you spread the crust.
- Remove the crust from the oven and spread the pizza sauce all the way to the edges, not just the center. The sauce soaks into the edges as it bakes, adding flavor all the way through. Add the shredded cheese and any additional toppings.
- Return the pizza to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) until the cheese is melted and beginning to bubble.
- Switch the oven to broil on high, up to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C) if your oven allows you to select a broil temperature. Broil for approximately 2 minutes, watching closely the entire time, until the cheese is golden and bubbly and the edges have a little color. Do not walk away during this step.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully slide the crust off the parchment and transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Allowing air to circulate underneath keeps the base from going soft. Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
Tips for Perfect Egg Whites:
Room temperature egg whites whip faster and reach a greater volume than cold ones. The proteins are more flexible at room temperature and trap air more efficiently. Simply separate your eggs at room temperature and whip right away. Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry before you start. Any trace of grease will prevent stiff peaks from forming.
Sourdough Discard Tips:
Your sourdough discard must be at room temperature before folding it in. Cold discard thickens in the refrigerator and requires more folding to incorporate, which deflates the foam. Pull your discard out of the fridge at least 30 to 60 minutes before making this recipe. Past peak discard works perfectly here and is ideal for this recipe.
No Discard Version:
No sourdough starter? No problem. Simply skip the discard and proceed directly from stiff peaks to spreading on the parchment. The crust is excellent without it and is naturally gluten free when made without sourdough discard.
Storage:
This pizza is best eaten fresh. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees F until warmed through. Do not microwave as the crust will become soft and lose its texture.
Freezing:
You can freeze the baked crust without toppings. Cool completely on a wire rack, wrap in parchment, and freeze flat for up to 1 month. Reheat directly from frozen at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8 to 10 minutes before adding toppings and finishing in the oven.
Troubleshooting:
If your crust is soft in the middle, it was either spread too thick, underbaked in the first stage, or left on the parchment after baking instead of being transferred to a wire rack. Make sure the surface looks completely matte and dry with no shiny spots before adding toppings. If your egg whites will not reach stiff peaks, check that your bowl and beaters are completely grease free and that no yolk got into the whites.
Allergen Information:
This recipe is naturally gluten free when made without sourdough discard. When sourdough discard is added, a small amount of flour is present in the crust. This recipe is dairy free when made without cheese toppings. Contains eggs.
