Cauliflower has been having a moment —it feels like everywhere we look we see a new dish utilizing the vegetable in different ways. It’s no surprise to us though. This veg can take on so many great flavors and forms. Take this recipe, for example. It’s a whole roasted cauliflower head where it becomes the main course, sliced into wedges or even “steaks”. Or, on the other side of the spectrum, we like to rice cauliflower so fine that it becomes the consistency of mashed potatoes when mixed with a little cream—a slightly healthier version of mashed potatoes.
As cauliflower continues to take center stage, we’ve also seen it as a base for pizza. At first, we were slightly skeptical. How can you change pizza?! But, with a new year and new plans to eat healthier, we thought we’d try making a cauliflower pizza crust for ourselves.
Here’s what we learned:
Fine Pieces
We knew that to get the best results we had to start with the finest pieces possible. We found the quickest and neatest way to make cauliflower rice is with a food processor. The sharp blades cut through tough florets and create even “grains” which serve as the base of the crust.
Dry it Out
We recommend microwaving or steaming the cauliflower rice for 4-5 minutes and then letting it cool. Once it’s cool enough to touch, squeeze it through a cheesecloth to remove all the liquid. This step is extra important for getting a crispy pie so make sure the cauliflower gets completely dry.
Cheese for Binding
The cauliflower rice (which by now is in the shape of a ball) gets mixed with cheese (we tried parmesan and goat), egg and some seasoning (salt, dried oregano and garlic powder). Then the mixture gets spread out and baked for 30 minutes. This will help bind it all together.
Treat it Like a Pizza
Once you have a crispy, crusty base, you’re ready to start treating it like a pizza. Add whatever you normally would: sauce (but go light, because again, liquid isn’t the best here), cheese, smoked meats and fresh vegetables. Pop it back into the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melty.
Slice, serve and you’ve got yourself a healthier pizza night.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Adapted from A Sweet Pea Chef:
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
1 egg
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ cup parmesean cheese, shredded
¼ cup goat cheese
1 cup broccoli, chopped
½ red onion, thinly sliced
3-4 oz mozzarella, sliced
Handful of black olives
2 handfuls of arugula
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets and place into One Stop Chop to create rice.
- Microwave or steam the rice for 4-5 minutes. Let cool and squeeze through cheesecloth, making sure all liquid is pressed out.
- Combine cauliflower rice with egg, oregano, salt, garlic power, parmesan cheese and goat cheese. Once combined, spread it out evenly onto a non-stick baking sheet, trying to form it into a rectangle.
- Bake the crust in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until it begins to turn golden brown.
- Top with broccoli, onion, mozzarella and olives and place back into the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melting.
- Remove from the oven and top with arugula. Slice with a pizza cutter and serve.
By Amalia Safran
Amalia Safran is part of OXO's Brand Communications team. She enjoys anything outdoors, exploring new cities and has yet to meet a food she doesn’t like.
8 Comments
This turned out perfect for us, great tasting recipe. thanks.
Can you bind the crust w something other than cheese or flour? A friend of mine can’t eat either.
I make cauliflower pizza often and saw a recipe that instead if cooking in microwave and the squeezing out moisture just cook on the stove using nothing but the cauliflower and it dries the moisture out. Much easier same results.
Gg sells this pizza crust in frozen food section. Just cut out coupon. Will try that first.