Cauliflower Crust Pizza
I came across cauliflower crust pizza a few years back, and instantly fell in love.
It’s naturally gluten-free and kind of healthy. Well, probably not “healthy” but definitely healthier than regular pizza crusts! There is a decent bit of cheese in the crust itself, but the base is made from “riced” cauliflower. So you’re getting some solid veggies in your crust along with the cheese. That is a win in my book!
To rice your cauliflower, chop off all leaves and stems from the head of cauliflower, and cut the florets into chunks. Then pulse in a food processor until the consistency resembles rice. Super easy, right? Just be careful not to over-process and puree the cauliflower.
Once the rice cauliflower is mixed with shredded cheese, herbs and egg to bind, it bakes to golden perfection!
The first cauliflower crust pizzas I baked were delicious, however I had to eat them with a fork and knife. I couldn’t figure out how to get the crust to be crispy enough to pick up.
Many pizzas later, I discovered that the secret is you have to drain as much moisture as possible from the “riced” cauliflower before you mix in the rest of your ingredients. You will be so shocked at how much moisture you can squeeze out of the cauliflower!
The crust alone is delicious. You could serve this as an appetizer, maybe sprinkle some fresh rosemary on top and let this be a gluten-free cauliflower garlic bread!
For this pizza, I roasted jalapeños, mushroom and peppers. And topped the pizza with fresh basil and red pepper flakes. I’ve also used this crust to create a turkey pepperoni pizza, cheese pizza, margherita pizza and others. It never disappoints!
Whatever toppings you use need to be pre-cooked. That means any meats need to be fully cooked, and veggies should be pre-roasted or sautéed. Once we top the crust with sauce, cheese and toppings, we pop it back in the oven to broil and melt the cheese, not long enough to cook anything. So plan ahead on this step!
Your friends and family will love this. I promise!
Hugs, kisses + yummy dishes… xoxo
Lauren
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- YIELDS 2 Servings
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Instructions
Prepare the Cauliflower:- First, we have to rice the cauliflower. Take a fresh head of cauliflower, remove all stems and leaves, and cut into medium-sized chunks. Add to your food processor and pulse until the cauliflower obtains the consistency of rice. Be careful not to over-pulse and puree the cauliflower – You still want it to have texture.
- Measure out 1 cup of the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl. (You can use the remaining riced cauliflower for extra pizzas, or cook and puree with a little salt and margarine for healthy mashed "potatoes!")
- Microwave the riced cauliflower for about 7-10 minutes.
- Let it cool slightly and then place the cooked, riced cauliflower in a clean dishtowel. Carefully (it will be very hot!) wring out all of the excess moisture. You will be shocked at how much moisture you can get out! Drain out as much as you can. The more moisture you drain, the crispier your crust will be. (If you don't drain the moisture, your crust will be very soggy and you won't be able to pick it up like an actual piece of pizza.)
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cup of riced cauliflower, egg, mozzarella, dried oregano, garlic, salt and garlic powder. Stir until mixed well.
- Form the dough into the shape of a pizza round (about 9" in diameter) on your prepared cookie sheet.
- Brush the top of the crust with olive oil.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the top and edges turn golden brown.
- Gather your toppings of choice. All meats and veggies should be pre-cooked or sautéed prior to topping your pizza.
- Top the crust with sauce, cheese and toppings. For the pizza pictured above, I put the cheese directly on the sauce. I recommend putting the cheese on top of all of your toppings, though, since it allows your crust to stay a little crispier.
- Broil under high heat until your cheese is melted, about 4-5 minutes.
- Slice and enjoy!
Wow! Looks delish! Gotta make that:)
Thanks, Mel!! Let me know if you do and share some pictures!