Pizza has really wiggled it’s way into our lives since we’ve moved to New Jersey.
Sure, Jersey is known for corn and tomatoes in the Summer months but pizza is in season all year round.
It’s just the Jersey way.
And I can honestly say that I have eaten more pizza since our move to Jersey a year and a half ago then I did in all of the 12 years I lived in California.
So I have been on a mission to find a lighter, more nutritious alternative to traditional pizza that would be so delicious and satisfying that even my pizza-loving-kids would be on board.
This is not a new quest of mine. I’ve had many failed attempts at cauliflower crust pizza before. Most times, the flavor is good but the texture just doesn’t hold up. If you’ve ever tried a cauliflower crust that falls apart when you try to eat it then you know exactly what I’m talking about.
But after much trial and error and plenty of research I finally stumbled across this recipe. And what I learned was KEY.
It turns out that the secret to cauliflower crust pizza that does not fall apart is squeezing and draining.
If you drain and squeeze as much water as you possibly can from the cauliflower when it’s done cooking you will be able to make a cauliflower crust pizza that will hold together.
It’s pretty amazing.
Not only does it hold together, it somehow takes on a bread-like consistency. It’s wild.
If I was blindfolded, I don’t think I would be able to identify the cauliflower. It’s the weirdest (most awesome!) thing ever.
If you have been on the look out for an alternative to traditional pizza crust, that just so happens to be gluten-free, you are definitely going to want to give this a try.
This process is a good one to watch, so click the video below if you want to seethe step-by-step! And let me know if you have any questions down in the comments below.
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/3- cup soft goat cheese
- 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Pre heat your oven to 400.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silpat mat or some parchment paper (NOT wax paper).
- Break up your cauliflower and pulse it in a food processor, you may have to do this in batches. The goal is for it to be small, fine, rice like texture. Continue until all of your cauliflower has been riced (you want to have 4-cups of cauliflower rice when you are done).
- Bring a couple inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Add in the cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes or until the cauliflower is nice and tender. Strain in a fine mesh strainer and place all of the strained cauliflower onto a clean dishtowel. Pull up the sides of the towel and squeeze out as much water as you can from the cauliflower. This step is ESSENTIAL to your cauliflower sticking together so be sure that you get out as much water as possible and dont skip this step!
- Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl and add in beaten egg, goat cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Combine everything together (I find the easiest way to do this is with my hands).
- Transfer to your baking sheet and form the dough. I like to make mine into a rectangle but you can do whatever shape you like. Remember to make the edges a little higher than the rest to create the effect of crust.
- Pop it in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Top with pizza sauce and cheese and put back in oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Cool and enjoy!
Greta says
This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! So simple!
What can I sub in for the goat cheese? I’m not a fan of the taste…
Dani says
You really can’t taste it once its cooked but cream chesse would work as well.
Sue says
Hello, can you rice the cauliflower, freeze it and make this pizza at a later time?
Dani says
That’s a good question. I bet you can, just make sure to let the cauliflower defrost so you can drain any excess water.
Katy says
Brilliant!! I can’t wait to try this! I like your tip of freezing it too because my husband and I are GUILTY of picking up a frozen pizza when I don’t feel like cooking on a Friday night. Maybe I’ll make a few and save them for such occasion. Also, just FYI,, it cracks me up in the bloopers when it sounds like you’re going along just fine and then complete your sentence with “from the top”. Haha! Love it!
Dani says
lol! I’m just as guilt as frozen pizza on a friday night – my whole family loves the Trader Joes mushroom flat breads:) As for the blooper – that usually happens b/c I am thing of something else while I’m talking so even thought on the outside I seem like I am making sense on the inside I’ve totally lost my place! so funny;)
Karen says
I’m going to try this with another soft cheese as I find goat cheese overpowering. Would cream cheese work? I usually cook cauliflower in a steamer. I would imagine it would require less draining or squeezing. Thanks for another great recipe.
Dani says
I think cream cheese would work just fine. As for the steamer, I also usually steam but once the cauliflower is riced it’s so fine that it will fall through the holes of the steamer.
FArrnaweigh says
Dani
Sorry to learn that this recipe has cheese and egg in it. My guess is those two ingredients hold the dough together. Since we are not eating dairy or eggs, I won’t be trying this recipe. Wish you had more recipes for vegans without gluten or wheat.
Dani says
See the previous comments – I shared a link for a vegan version:)
Jenna says
Cauliflower for a pizza dough!! Who knew?!? Thank you for sharing this recipe. Unfortunately, my family can’t eat dairy or eggs anymore. Do you have any recommendations for a substitute for the goat cheese & eggs? Thank you for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it. 🙂
Dani says
I have never tried this but here is a vegan cauliflower crust from TheDetoxinista -> https://detoxinista.com/2014/02/vegan-cauliflower-pizza-crust/ LEt me know if you give it a try!
Ann Waugh says
Looks wonderful. Gotta try it! I’ll use a duck egg ‘cuz that’s what I have a lot of these days. Quack!
Dani says
I’ve never tried a duck egg. Is it the same?
casey says
Tried this today… seriously…… I will never order pizza out ever again.
Dani says
Right?! I feel the same way.
Caroline says
Hi Dani,
I love your recipes thank you for sharing! I have a question tough, do you have any suggestions for someone who does not eat cheese but wants to make this pizza crust, is there a substitute for the goat cheese?
Thank you!
Dani says
Caroline – I have never attempted this but her eis a link from the Detoxinista for a cheese free cauliflower crust -> https://detoxinista.com/2014/02/vegan-cauliflower-pizza-crust/ LEt me know how it goes!
Whitney craig says
I was thinking about cooking cauliflower whole and then sending through my juicer to extract all the water. Then I could use what’s left over in pulp chamber for the crust…not sure what will happen, but I might just try it…
Terry says
Did it work out well?
Suzann says
Can I bake it on a stone? If so, would the the oven heat and cook time stay the same?
Dani says
I have never tried but my guess is that it would be great. I would start by keeping the temps. the same, and see how it goes!
Lisa says
How come your measurements look like more than what you’re saying they are? eg. 1/2 tsp looks like 1 tablespoon. Is that just “camera trick”?
Dani says
Yes I think it is the camera! The camera can create a bit of an illusion.
Linda says
I’m so excited – I’m going to change the goats cheese for quark ( l love goats cheese as on diet (Slimmers world) and its then a sin free base!!!! Can’t wait to try it – thank you
Jeniffer says
OMG!! I tried it today! Before my husband left , I told him I was going to make pizza, he helped me squeeze the cauliflower, and he said “wait, I though you were making pizza” I explained, and he looked at me like I was crazy LOL he said “I don’t like when you experiment” I just can’t! I tried a slice , my husband left and is not back yet, can’t wait, I know this will impress him!! Thank you so much Dani, not just for this recipe, I never comment, but I have tried several of your recipes, as a new house wife, you have really helped me here!.Take care!I love your work.
Dani says
Haha! I really love your enthusiasm and totally get it! That’s exactly how I felt the first time I tried this pizza.
Brittany says
Dani – Thanks to you I made an amazing pizza over the weekend 🙂 I decided to make my crust round instead of a rectangle and I added some extra toppings – red onions, bell pepper, pepperoni, and mushrooms. It was awesome! I got some out to reheat for lunch the next day…was so hungry that I took a bite of a cold slice…WOW! I liked it cold so much that I turned the oven right back off and promptly gobbled that slice right up. YUM! I’ve shared with my Atkins friends, too!
Dani says
So glad you liked this Brittany! I agree – it really is so good and surprisingly takes on a bread-like texture!
Carole says
I tried this recipe today and it is wonderful!! I was really surprised but very happy.
Mel says
So… Not sure where I went wrong but my dough isn’t exactly staying together. Maybe it needed to cook longer than 30 minutes? I’ll have to give this another try. I manger to eat it with a fork. However I did find the goat cheese overpowering. The aftertaste was very strong and I simply couldn’t finish one slice. Luckily my hubby liked it so it’s not going to waste.
Dani says
Were you sure to squeeze ALL of the excess water from he cauliflower? That is the most important part!
Mel says
Yes, I did. I even had my husband give it an extra squeeze for me! 🙂 I created the second pizza with the cream cheese and I found the flavor much better. It still wasn’t staying together as well, however, the cold leftovers definitely did not fall apart. So perhaps I need to let it dry out, just in case there was still too much moisture.
Julia says
Dear Dani,
I’m going to try this recipe tonight. One little clumsiness: my oven only goes to 200 degrees. Is this a problem or can I just double the oven time to one hour?
Thank you!
Dani says
Honestly, I have no idea, but maybe it would work… give it a try and let me know!
Ellie Eccleston says
I’ve used this recipe before and absolutely love it! All of your recipes are so delicious! But for this one, how would it work to use egg whites rather than a whole egg? Or is the yolk that helps to bind? I’ve been reading through the comments and I’m going to try with cream cheese next time but was just wondering about the whole egg vs. egg white scenario!
Thanks!
Dani says
I have seen other recipes that use egg whites; however, I have not tried my recipe with just the white. It’s definitely worth a try! Let me know how it comes out 🙂
Kathy McGurk says
Hi Danni
I made this pizza last night but it stuck to the baking sheet . Are you able to tell me what I did wrong
Thanks
Kathy
Dani says
Did you remember to lone your baking sheet with a silpat mat or some parchment paper?
Pavan says
I am vegetarian and I don’t eat eggs, so can you tell me another option other than egg in this pizza??
Dani says
I’ve never tried it myself, but maybe you can try making a ‘flax seed egg’.
Stakan says
Fresh cauliflower is ridiculously expensive in my part of the world. I’ve been searching for a way to make cauliflower pizza crust using frozen cauliflower. No luck yet. Any suggestions?
Dani says
My concern is that frozen cauliflower would hold too much water and so the crust wouldn’t hold together. Maybe adding a little coconut flour to the dough to help absorb some of the water could help. But thats just a guess… Ive never actually tried this myself.
Ellen says
Made my crust over the weekend and refrigerated for a few days. Loading it up tonight with tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh basil, roasted chicken, and sliced Campari tomatoes.
Dani says
Yum!! Enjoy:)
Karen Attard says
Made this pizza for lunch today but think base needed longer in my oven as it was a bit bendy. May need less cream cheese too. Loaded it with pepperoni, onion, mixed peppers and mushrooms with tons of mozzarella. Tasted really good!
Kim Futch says
Hello, I have tried so many recipes for this crust and they all taste wonderful, but are either to thick or too thin, and they will never come off of the paper. I just saw that is says parchment and NO wax…………….I used wax. I sprayed it and the crust still would not come off. Think I will buy one of those sheets you used if i can find one.
My question is: do you have to use anything in the place of the goat cheese? Are you using it for a binding agent or just for taste? The crusts I have made have been with the CF, egg
, S&P, spices and I have been putting parmesan cheese. Is that why they have fallen apart? I’m trying to cut calories and carbs. My husband just had by pass surgery and the surgeon told us that carbs are what clogs the arteries, therefore, I’m trying to cook as low carb as possible. Thank you
Dani says
Hi Kim! I use the cheese as a binding agent. You can try cream cheese instead of goat cheese if you like that better:)
er says
Ugh! Parchment paper SLID totally off the cookie sheet and pie went all OVER the inside of the oven making a horrid mess to clean up!!!
Dani says
Oh no!! Were you using a rimmed baking sheet?
Marisa says
This cauliflower crusted pizza is the absolute best I have ever had. It is simply delicious and a must have at all times. The whole family couldn’t get enough we barely got a chance to make it into a pizza because as soon as it was out of the oven everyone wanted to eat the crust.
I’m so happy you posted this recipe and will always use it.
Thank you so much for making the world “clean and delicious” I love your recipes.
Dani says
Thank you Marisa!! SO glad to know that you all enjoyed it.
Trying 2 Eat Clean says
How would you go about freezing it? When you said to wrap it up and freeze it, were you referring to wrapping in aluminum foil or what do you suggest?
Dani says
I would wrap it in parchment and then a plastic wrap or foil 🙂
Tom Hunsinger says
We have a potato ricer with an adjustable screen (OXO 3 in 1 adjustable potato ricer). I set it to the smallest openings and use it to squeeze the water out of the cauliflower after cooking. It is more effective at removing water, easier to do (long handles give lots of leverage), plus quick & easy clean up.
Dani says
Thanks for the tip!!
Dee says
Would I be able to use coconut flour in place of the cheese as the binding agent? We are allergic to cheese.
Dani says
That’s a great question but I honestly don’t know the answer. I’m not so sure that it would work but would be very curious to hear how it goes, should you give it a try.
Scott says
I’m not a fan of goat cheese. Is there another cheese you can recommend for this recipe?
Dani says
I think cream cheese would work 🙂