Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.
– Mark Twain, The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson.
Gail Becker is credited with creating the first pre-made frozen cauliflower pizza crust, which was an instant success. The eating public has become increasingly hungry for good-tasting carb substitutes and her company Vegolution’s Caulipower crusts were on target to bring in $100 million in 2019.
But why buy a frozen cauliflower crust when making your own homemade version is so easy? And you’ll find this particular crust packed with flavor, even before adding any toppings. (Though when it comes to those toppings, I recommend my roasted red pepper and red onion pizza with this crust.) The most important things to watch out for are wringing all that water out of the riced, cooked cauliflower, and baking the crust long enough.
The Steps
- Rice cauliflower florets in a food processor.
- Heat the riced cauliflower in the microwave for five minutes.
- Wring out all the extra moisture in a clean dishtowel.
- Add lightly-beaten eggs, mozzarella and grated Parmesan, spices, and salt and pepper, and mix.
- Shape into a crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet brushed with olive oil.
- Bake on the bottom rack of the oven at 400°F for 30-35 minutes.
Tips
- Be sure to wring out the excess water from the riced, cooked cauliflower. Your crust will be soggy otherwise.
- Brush a little olive oil on the parchment paper before spreading the crust “dough” on it.
- If intending to use pizza sauce and cheese, spreading a thin layer of the cheese down before adding the sauce and then adding another layer of cheese can help prevent sogginess.
- Try this crust with this roasted red pepper and red onion pizza with basil.
Reality Bakes
The first time I tried to make a cauliflower crust it was disastrous. Soggy and dense and boring. So it took a little trial and error to get it right but it was so worth the effort.
Over-baking this crust is better than under-baking it. And while I’ve skipped the olive oil step in the past, the bottom of the crust just doesn’t get as nice and crispy.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Florets from 1 medium head cauliflower
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese*
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush paper lightly with olive oil.
- Chop or shred florets in the food processor until finely riced. Place in a large bowl and microwave for 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool then wring out in a clean dishtowel.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the cauliflower and mix well.
- Gather together and scoop onto oiled parchment-lined baking sheet. Press into a flat circle with a slightly higher, thicker edge. The thinner the crust, the crispier it will be.
- Bake on bottom oven rack for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Line edges with foil if edges brown too much before bottom is done.*
- Remove from oven and add toppings as desired.
Notes
