Whether you’re gluten-free, grain-free, or low-carbing, pizza crust is one of those things you won’t be eating unless you can find a good alternative. Now, I love me some pizza – don’t get me wrong, but honestly, since cutting grains 98% out of my diet, I haven’t WANTED the crust. I’ll just pick the toppings off and eat those if I find myself in a situation where pizza is being eaten (even if I “find” that situation by going out to a pizza place on purpose. haha).
But I’m not about to melt a pile of cheese and sauce in the oven and call it dinner, so if I wanted the ability to make homemade pizza for dinner, I needed to find an alternative crust.
And let me tell you – those almond flour crusts just don’t sound appealing to me. And coconut flour crusts sound like they’d just be WRONG. But when I saw a photo of a cauliflower crust I thought it might be worth a try.
And it was. (Again, phone pictures = crappier quality, but at least you get posts from me.)
So there are varying versions of this recipe out there in the world, but they all seem to boil down to a 1:1:1 ratio of cups of cauliflower, cups of cheese, and eggs. Some people grate the cauliflower and then steam it, some people cook the cauliflower and then make puree out of it, and I’m sure other people did different stuff. This is how I did mine.
Cut apart a head of cauliflower and steam it as normal. Mine just happened to have exactly 2 cups of cooked florets.
Combine in a food processor:
- 2 cups of steamed cauliflower
- 2 cups of shredded whole-milk mozzarella (not sure if other people use the part-skim that comes in bags or not, or if it would affect the texture of the final product, but I think any kind would probably turn out fine)
- 2 eggs
I whirred it around until everything was combined and smooth and sticky.
Then, grease a pizza pan (though I found the spray to not be sufficient – next time I will use parchment paper!) and dump the sticky stuff on it, and spread into a large circle with a spatula.
Sprinkle with garlic salt, onion powder, basil, oregano, whatever you think would be good seasonings for your pizza.
Bake at 450 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until it’s firmed up a bit and golden.
Add your sauce, cheese, and toppings – for sauce I used a small can of tomato paste with water whisked in until it was a saucy consistency, then mixed in herbs. More whole-milk mozzarella for the cheese, and plain old pepperoni just because this was our first time with this experimental crust.
Pop it back in the oven, and broil for a few minutes until your cheese is melted.
I thought the crust would fall apart, but it was surprisingly … holdy-togethery. I think if I had made the crust a little thicker I would’ve been able to pick up the pieces and eat it like a “normal” pizza. I was fine with my fork though.
The cauliflower taste was very very mild and easy to ignore, and the crust had a neutral taste overall.
The husband did say it reminded him of eggplant Parmesan, but… I think it’s psychological (you know, “There are vegetables under all this cheese and sauce! AHH!”) because I didn’t really taste that at all.
This is definitely a recipe we’ll be repeating. I think it might also be fun to make “breadsticks” out of the crust mixture and top with garlic butter after they’re cooked, then dip them in sauce. Mmmm….
Hi! I'm Emily. I'm a Navy wife and stay at home mom of two beautiful children. I cook simple, delicious, grain-free recipes, do crafts, decorate my home on a budget, and keep a happy household. I tandem breastfeed, babywear, cloth diaper, practice elimination communication, homebirth, and co-sleep, but I'm not a hippie.
Because most of these are bad credit record payday loans, manufactures will not try to find out about your financial information history or when
you have all the other loans. The monthly bill also sets their $500
limit inside the amount regarding the loan and allows for a
good 31-day repayment.
[...] even though I’ve enjoyed grain free pizza crust alternatives, sometimes I like pizza. Regular, junk food [...]
You know you don’t need the cheese in the crust? I removed the cheese because I’m on a low cal and low carb (Dr. supervised) diet and I wanted the cheese on my pizza. It worked great with 1 cup cauliflower, two egg whites, garlic, and italian seasoning. I premade several crusts, baked them, then stored them in the freezer. Pre-baked them again before using to remove any water crystals. They shrunk a bit more without the cheese than with it (I made them first with cheese). They would be great, without the italian seasoning, as wraps too, if anyone is interested in that as a low carb bread option! I see them like a McD chicken snack wrap.
Thank you for sharing! I tried this recipe for the first time last night, it was fantastic. I thought it was much better than the coconut flour pizza crust recipe I’ve been using for a while.
TIP:
thin crust:
use 1/2 crust ingredients for crust (Yes, use parchment paper) on your pan… bake, then flip crust and bake some more (watching it every 5 min)…til golden brown…mmmm
then your toppings! bake again..it was really really good 2 small square pieces very filling…. 8 )
Just tried the pizza crust and we LOVE it!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!
This looks fab and I bet my boys would love it! I’ll try it out this week! Thanks so much!
Cleo, no disrespect intended but, cauli pizza was around long before you posted it on your blog and called it your own original creation.
I get so tired of seeing Cleo all over the Internet claiming to be the original creator of cauli pizza and threatening anyone who dares to post their version without giving credit to her. Time to get over yourself.
Anyway…….thanks Joyful for the fabulous blog! I love your recipes!
Thanks for the recipe! I have two questions I hope you can answer. 1. The pizza turned out great but I wonder if there is a technique or way to make the crust “less”soggy. Now in saying this It held together, didn’t stick as I used Parchement paper. Just reminded me more of soggy dough. Now I had 3 cups of cauliflower so I 3/3/3 it if that makes a difference. If anyone knows how to crisp it up a bit that would be FABULOUS. 2. Also is there any chance anyone knows the nutritional value/caloric content of the crust. THANK you!!
[...] Cauliflower Crust Pizza [...]
[...] traditions fairly easy and delicious! Our favorites of hers so far are chocolate chip cookies and cauliflower pizza. Both of which are grain free! Yes, I am serious. The pizza has a believe-able and husband approved [...]
We tried this tonight! Super easy to make…we used frozen cauliflower thawed but not cooked as they steam it before freezing!
This recipe is SOOO good! Oh my!
Thanks so much!
Good luck!
II don't have to be 100% gluten-flour free and I don't want to use coconut or almond flour. Can I use a small amount of wheat flour, and what kind: regular or bread flour?
I have also been researching this recipe and with all due respects to Cleochatra this recipe (or something like it) seems to have originated with Og the caveman shortly after the discovery of fire and hunter gathering.
I have a low-carb girlfriend and she asked me to find a pizza recipe for her. I Googled and found a few recipes and yours seems the best. Will try this tonight and will see
You know, I'm not sure! I don't even have wheat flour in my house anymore…
you could try it though. What's the worst thing that could happen?
II don't have to be 100% gluten-flour free and I don't want to use coconut or almond flour. Can I use a small amount of wheat flour, and what kind: regular or bread flour?
I have also been researching this recipe and with all due respects to Cleochatra this recipe (or something like it) seems to have originated with Og the caveman shortly after the discovery of fire and hunter gathering.
Just in case you or anyone else wants to see other bloggers' versions…
http://onebusymama-erica.blogspot.com/2008/09/c…
https://home.timconrad.org/display/taci/Caulifl…
http://freetheanimal.com/2009/05/cauliflower-cr…
http://primalgirl.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/caul…
Just a few more that turned up with a quick search.
As I said in the post, “So there are varying versions of this recipe out there in the world, but they all seem to boil down to a 1:1:1 ratio of cups of cauliflower, cups of cheese, and eggs. Some people grate the cauliflower and then steam it, some people cook the cauliflower and then make puree out of it, and I’m sure other people did different stuff. This is how I did mine.”
I have seen versions of this recipe on MANY different websites – sorry you feel as if I “stole” your exact version… I think that's strange though, since yours includes spices (including fennel which i HATE) and has a different method too. You start with riced cauliflower and mix lightly in a bowl – I started with steamed chunks and combined in a food processor.
Hmm…
Anyway, I will leave your link here in the comments in case people want to see a different version, but I will not remove my recipe – sorry if that upsets you.
Yes, they're similar – but again, MANY bloggers have written up cauliflower pizza crusts and they all have in common the 1:1:1 ratio (or close) – and everyone has slightly different methods.
This recipe actually belongs to a blogger named cleochatra and was used without permission and without attribution. http://cleochatra.blogspot.com/2009/05/low-carb…
OK, I have seen this so many times that I have to try it. Love your recipes!
Hope you enjoy it if you do try it. Cauliflower is pretty mild and can go a lot of different directions depending on how you cook it and what you serve it with.
You're so welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed it!! And your french fries. This afternoon I made some hash browns with the same technique (but julienned potatoes, not fry-cut) and melted cheese on them and they were SOOO good… something to try one morning maybe?
Thanks for the great recipe…I just fixed it tonight and was very happy with how it turned out…we also fixed your yummy french fries last weekend………………LOVE THEM!!!!!!
Hope you enjoy it if you do try it. Cauliflower is pretty mild and can go a lot of different directions depending on how you cook it and what you serve it with.
Hope you enjoy it if you do try it. Cauliflower is pretty mild and can go a lot of different directions depending on how you cook it and what you serve it with.
Hope you enjoy it if you do try it. Cauliflower is pretty mild and can go a lot of different directions depending on how you cook it and what you serve it with.
You're so welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed it!! And your french fries. This afternoon I made some hash browns with the same technique (but julienned potatoes, not fry-cut) and melted cheese on them and they were SOOO good… something to try one morning maybe?
You're so welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed it!! And your french fries. This afternoon I made some hash browns with the same technique (but julienned potatoes, not fry-cut) and melted cheese on them and they were SOOO good… something to try one morning maybe?
Thanks for the great recipe…I just fixed it tonight and was very happy with how it turned out…we also fixed your yummy french fries last weekend………………LOVE THEM!!!!!!
I've been ignoring all those internet recipes that call for using cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes, because I've always hated cauliflower.
However, as I've recently developed several food sensitivities, I've become more open to the idea of other substitutes.
I've even discovered that steamed cauliflower isn't all that bad, especially dipped in a little bit of plain yogurt.
Maybe I'll try cauliflower pizza crust soon.
The 50 Best Health Blogs
Thanks for letting me know. I will try the bagged kind next time (but still use the whole milk mozzarella for the top – nothing beats that!!) and see if it's less sticky.
Thanks also for reading and commenting! I appreciate when people take the time to let me know they're reading and share their thoughts.
I use a mix I get at Costco that has mostly partskim motzerella with a little cheddar mixed in. Love your blog!!
Allison
it was!!! I am definitely looking forward to making it again.
it was!!! I am definitely looking forward to making it again.
if you scroll up to the top of the recipe and click on “Primal Recipes” – that category is all grain-free.
I've been pretty much grain free since June, so yeah… that's the way I'm going with my recipes now. I doubt a cookbook because I'm just not making enough stuff to supply my blog AND a book – thought I have thought about “saving” some recipes over time (no actions yet – just thoughts) to maybe make an e-cookbook or something.
if you scroll up to the top of the recipe and click on “Primal Recipes” – that category is all grain-free.
I've been pretty much grain free since June, so yeah… that's the way I'm going with my recipes now. I doubt a cookbook because I'm just not making enough stuff to supply my blog AND a book – thought I have thought about “saving” some recipes over time (no actions yet – just thoughts) to maybe make an e-cookbook or something.
What kind of cheese do you usually use? The pre-grated kind that comes in bags (usually part-skim or lower fat so that it's lower moisture)? I wonder if that would make it less sticky-to-the-pan than the cheese I used.
So yummy though!!! And that's so funny that your youngest didn't realize there was anything different about the crust!
What kind of cheese do you usually use? The pre-grated kind that comes in bags (usually part-skim or lower fat so that it's lower moisture)? I wonder if that would make it less sticky-to-the-pan than the cheese I used.
So yummy though!!! And that's so funny that your youngest didn't realize there was anything different about the crust!
thanks, buddy!
now THIS is the kind of orgasmic food post I remember Joyful Abode for! kudos, Emily!
This recipe is similar to one on the lighter side of low carb. I love it and so do my children. My youngest saw me eating the pizza and said while eating his slice, “Mom, I thought you only ate low-carb!” When I make the cauliflow crust; I cut up the raw florets and use the stems also by first peeling them. I then use my blendtec or a food processor to “rice it” then I nuke it in the microwave without any added water. I then measure out the riced cauliflower and add an egg for every cup. Sometimes I use less cheese—-It works great! I like making enough “dough” to put it in a square non-stick cookie sheet with a spray of Pam with olive oil and I haven't had a problem with sticking and we all pick up the “Pizza” with our eager fingers!
I see a NEW Grain Free Cooking paradigm here…maybe a cookbook.
Yum! Looks great!