Good ‘n healthy Cauliflower Crust Pizza

If you enjoy making your own pizza, you will want to try our tasty version of a low-carb, gluten-free alternative to the traditional flour crust.

Pizza crust made with cauliflower is a great option for people who love pizza but can’t tolerate wheat flour or need to watch their carb intake. One slice of our cauliflower pizza crust (before adding toppings) contains only 4.3 grams of carbohydrates compared to 26 grams per slice in regular pizza dough.

Plus, it’s high in protein, calcium and especially vitamins B and C, and many other minerals and vitamins that make cauliflower so healthy.

Keep in mind that cauliflower contains a lot of liquid and will not be as crispy as regular pizza dough. After researching and testing several methods, we recommend using fresh cauliflower over frozen and think we’ve found the easiest way to make delicious cauliflower pizza crust at home. 

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 40-45 minute
Total Time: 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For Crust

• 3 cups riced cauliflower
  (1 head fresh medium cauliflower, preferred, or 2 lbs. frozen cauliflower or frozen rice cauliflower – see instructions below)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Toppings

• ½ cup pizza sauce (your favorite brand or try our homemade recipe below)
• 1 ½ cups part-skim mozzarella cheese

Optional Toppings*

For Margherita Pizza:

• Thinly sliced tomatoes
• Fresh basil leaves
• Parmesan cheese

For Mediterranean Pizza

• Sliced mushrooms
• Artichoke hearts, quartered
• Feta cheese
• Kalamata olives
• Red onion, thinly sliced

*Toppings above are shown in the photograph. Add your favorite cheeses, vegetables or meat toppings as desired.

INSTRUCTIONS

To Prepare Cauliflower

• Easiest method (no squeezing needed): For fresh cauliflower: Cut cauliflower head into florets, rinse and dry. Pulse in food processor in batches for several seconds until “rice” textured.  If you do not have a food processor, cauliflower can be riced with a cheese grater.
• For frozen cauliflower florets: Thaw in strainer several hours, then pulse in food processor, in batches. Place in clean kitchen towel, or cheesecloth, and squeeze repeatedly until excess water has been removed.
• For frozen riced cauliflower: Thaw and place in clean kitchen towel, or cheesecloth, and squeeze until excess water has been removed.
  Note: Many recipes call for cooking the cauliflower but we found that was not necessary since the cauliflower will be baked.

To Make Pizza

1. Heat oven to 400℉.
2. Combine all Crust ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Line a round 14” pizza pan, or rectangular 12”x16” pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
4. Spread crust mixture with a spoon or your hands over the pan; crust should be about 1/4” in thickness.
5. Take paper towels and press over the cauliflower pizza “dough” to absorb extra liquid.
6. Bake for 25 minutes until the pizza is golden brown and its edges are dark, crispy brown. Ideally, if you have a second pan, flip the pizza onto it, remove parchment paper, and then bake the other side for 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and spread pizza sauce over the pizza. Top with mozzarella cheese and any desired toppings. Use pizza sauce and toppings sparingly to avoid the crust from getting rehydrated and too soft.
8. Bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted, cut into 8 slices and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:
Per 4-inch slice (with tomato sauce and mozzarella; does not include extra toppings): 153.7 calories; 8.2g total fat (4.5g saturated, 0.4g polyunsaturated, 1.5g monounsaturated); 532.2mg sodium; 63.5mg cholesterol; 8.8g carbohydrate; 2.7g fiber; 4.2g sugars; 11.9g protein; 197.1mg potassium.  

Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ cup finely chopped onion (puree in blender or food processor if smoother sauce is desired)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium fresh tomato (about 1 cup), chopped
• 8 oz can no salt added tomato sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons basil
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat large skillet to medium high heat.
2. Add olive oil and onion, sautéing onion several minutes until soft.
3. Stir tomato paste into onion and continue to sauté 5 to 10 minutes until tomato paste darkens.
4. Add the garlic and sauté another minute.
5. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. Freeze unused sauce to use later.

Makes 2 cups.

Nutritional Information:
Per ½ cup: 108.7 calories; 6.9g total fat (0.9g saturated, 0.6g polyunsaturated, 5.0g monounsaturated); 765.1mg sodium; 0.0mg cholesterol; 11.5g carbohydrate; 2.6g fiber; 7.2g sugars; 2.5g protein; 253.0mg potassium.