Name: Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 12-ounce package cauliflower florets ((Note 1)); 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese ((Note 2)); 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese ((Note 3)); 2 large eggs; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon table salt; 1/4 cup tomato sauce; 10 thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese ((Note 4)); 1/2 tablespoon olive oil; 5 basil leaves, cut into strips ((Note 5)); coarsely ground black pepper

Summary:

As a low carb alternative to regular pizza, this recipe uses a mixture of cauliflower, cheese, and eggs to form the crust. Use your favorite toppings or add tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and sliced basil for a Margherita style pizza.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

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Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Yield: 6 slices

INGREDIENTS

▢ 12-ounce package cauliflower florets (Note 1)
▢ 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (Note 2)
▢ 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (Note 3)
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
▢ 1/2 teaspoon table salt

Margherita Toppings:

▢ 1/4 cup tomato sauce
▢ 10 thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese (Note 4)
▢ 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 5 basil leaves, cut into strips (Note 5)
▢ coarsely ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare Equipment: Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 425 F. Prepare large baking sheet (Note 6) lined with parchment paper or baking mat.
Grate Cauliflower: Use food processor or box grater to process cauliflower florets until finely grated. Stir grated cauliflower with salt in bowl until well-mixed. Using nut milk bag or cheese cloth, squeeze moisture from grated cauliflower, discarding about 1/2 cup of liquid (Note 7).
Make Crust: Stir grated cauliflower, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs, and oregano in large mixing bowl until well-mixed. Transfer mixture onto lined baking sheet. Cover with overlapping sheets of plastic cling wrap. Spread and flatten into 9 to 10 inch diameter circle. Discard plastic wrap.
Bake Crust: Bake at 425 F until top is golden, about 20 minutes. Remove crust from oven to add toppings.
Add Toppings: Use spoon to spread tomato sauce evenly across crust. Distribute mozzarella cheese on top of sauce. Drizzle with olive oil and season with black pepper.
Bake Pizza: Return to oven and bake for 5 minutes or until crust looks crispy and toppings are heated through. Top with basil. Cut into slices and serve (Note 8).

NUTRITION

Makes 6 Servings

Amount Per Serving (1 slice):

Calories 130 (61% from fat)
Total Fat 9g	14%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 82mg	27%
Sodium 400mg	17%
Net Carb 2g
Total Carb 3.5g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1.5g	7%
Sugars 2g
Protein 9g

Vitamin A 6% · Vitamin C 41% · Calcium 19% · Iron 4%

PHOTOS

step by step preparing cauliflower crust dough

overhead view of cauliflower pizza slices

close up view of cauliflower crust pizza slices

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Cauliflower Florets. About 1 small-medium head of cauliflower. You can cut florets from a head of cauliflower, or you can buy a 12-ounce bag of pre-cut raw florets located in the refrigerated produce section of many U.S. grocery stores. These florets will then be grated in Step 2 of this recipe. I don’t recommend using bags of pre-riced cauliflower because different brands vary a lot in the size of the individual cauliflower “rice” pieces, and they’re usually much larger compared to home grated cauliflower. You want to use smaller pieces for this recipe because they’ll combine better with other ingredients to form a smooth pizza crust. Moreover, freshly grated cauliflower will more readily absorb salt and release liquid (see Step 2 of this recipe) compared to pre-riced varieties.

(2) Cheddar Cheese. About 2 ounces weight. This can be substituted with any kind of shredded soft cheese that melts easily, like shredded mozzarella, pepper jack, or provolone.

(3) Parmesan Cheese. This is finely grated parmesan that has a sandy or almost powdery texture, not shredded, often available in pre-grated bags in the refrigerated section of U.S. grocery stores. This can be substituted with similar cheeses like pecorino romano or asiago.

(4) Mozzarella Cheese. About 1 ounce weight. This is fresh, soft mozzarella cheese that can be sliced into thin rounds, not the shredded type.

(5) Basil. I use fresh basil leaves. To slice into strips, place the leaves on top of each other into 1 large stack, roll the stack into a log, and thinly slice starting at one end of the log until you end up with many thin strips.

(6) Baking Sheet. Use flat bakeware that is large enough to hold a 9 to 10 inch pizza. Line with an oven-safe nonstick surface like parchment paper or a baking mat, so that the pizza can easily slide from the bakeware after baking. Don’t use wax paper, which is not oven-safe.

(7) Squeezing Moisture. This is an important step because raw cauliflower has a lot of moisture that should be removed for a crisper pizza crust. The less liquid the crust contains, the faster it will crisp in the oven. Use a nut milk bag, cheese cloth, or a tea towel to wring moisture from the freshly grated and salted cauliflower.

(8) Serving. Serve pizza hot, alongside an appetizer like almond flour garlic knots, chicken wings, or bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers.

(9) Similar Recipe. Another low carb pizza option is using a crust composed of almond flour, mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, and egg (see Keto Pizza Recipe). It yields a crisp and sturdy crust that can hold heavier toppings than this cauliflower-based crust.

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Michael J Clifford

Hi Julia, Thank you for your website and all the great, great recipes. I’ve tried making several of them and my wife and I have loved them all!
The topping for your margherita pizza calls for only one (1) ounce of fresh mozzarella cheese? Is that correct? Seems like not nearly enough.
I made this pizza using the fathead pizza dough recipe, and topped it with crumbled Italian sausage, sauteed with minced scallions. Delicious.
Again, thank you for your great website and great recipes!

Mike Clifford – Illinois

Julia

Thanks for your comment, Mike! I’m glad to hear that you guys have enjoyed the recipes.

The 1 ounce of mozzarella cheese is correct; I use very thinly sliced cheese and a little goes a long way. Depending on your personal preferences, you may want to add more or less.

Let me know if you have any more questions. Happy holidays!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza