Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower has invaded kitchens everywhere, and has gone way beyond just roasted. It has taken the form of mashed potatoes, toasty bread and even the center of our Thanksgiving table. That being said, my favorite use of cauliflower as a culinary master of disguise is in pizza crust. It might sound crazy, but it can be a delicious and healthy alternative to the classic. Try this easy, gluten-free pizza recipe once, and you’ll see why we’re cauliflower obsessed.

What People Are Saying:
“This worked out great. Made it at my office and got rave reviews !!” - OliveDice

“First time attempt and my whole family enjoyed! Ty for the recipe.” - ric8715

How To Make Cauliflower Pizza Crust

INGREDIENTS

• Cauliflower: In this recipe, you're basically making cauliflower rice as the base for your crust. My top tip? You MUST drain the cooked cauliflower, as it keeps the crust dry and encourages crisping while it bakes.
• Egg: Adding an egg to our cauliflower mixture helps to keep it together and form a cohesive crust.
• Mozzarella & Parmesan: While we of course top our pizza with cheese, I also chose to add cheese to the crust to give more texture and flavor. A combination of freshly shredded mozzarella and Parmesan is my favorite—make sure to use freshly shredded!
• Marinara: You have a few options here. You can use marinara or pizza sauce, and you can make it homemade (it truly is worth the extra effort) or buy it store-bought if you’re in a pinch.
• Garlic: I add a few cloves of minced garlic on top of the cheese to pack in even more flavor to the entire pizza.
• Toppings: For our toppings, I’m taking inspiration from the classic Caprese salad. Halved cherry or grape tomatoes go on top, along with fresh torn basil and balsamic glaze. That being said, you can add whatever toppings you please!

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This crust requires a bit of preparation, but it’s worth taking the extra steps. First, we’re going to make cauliflower rice. Bring water to a boil in a skillet, then season well with salt. Add your pre-chopped cauliflower florets in an even layer (don’t try to overcrowd), and cook until they are crisp yet tender. Then, transfer the pieces to either a dish towel or paper towels, and squeeze to drain all the water out. Don’t skip this step—it’s very important to take your time squeezing all the water out so that you don’t get a soggy crust. Once all the water is out, add the drained cauliflower to a food processor and pulse until grated.

Then, once again, drain the excess water from the mixture in paper towels. Take your time here! A dry crust means a crispy one.

Put the drained cauliflower into a large bowl, and add the egg, mozzarella, and Parmesan, then season well with salt. Mix everything together until it is combined. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, then transfer the cauliflower “dough” to the baking sheet. Using your fingers, press it into a crust, and bake until golden and fully dried out.

Now we can add our toppings. Top the crust with a spread of marinara, the remaining mozzarella and Parm, minced garlic, and tomatoes, then bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is perfectly crisp.

Once done to your liking, add the torn basil and drizzle with a bit of balsamic glaze.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Drain all the water. I can't say it enough—you have to take the time to drain all the water from the cauliflower if you want a crisp, not-soggy crust.
• Topping variations. Keep things simple with fresh tomatoes and basil, or get creative. Sautéed peppers and onions, sliced olives, cooked and crumbled sausage. Ham and pineapple? Why not! And pepperoni is always a good call—and you can even buy a vegan version if someone at your table doesn’t eat meat.