Delicious Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Ok folks, I know what you are thinking, "cauliflower pizza crust....real original!". Oh yeah, I can hear your sarcasm from here. But here me out, guys! This one is actually really good!
I have tried a lot of cauliflower crusts over the past couple years and they have always been a little lack-luster. Of course cauliflower crust will never be like pizza crust. It's made of vegetables after all. But I knew it could taste better than bland old cauliflower.
My solution: roasting the cauliflower.
To me, roasting the cauliflower makes a HUGE difference. It not only gives the cauliflower a nice nutty flavor, but it helps to dry it out so it's not so watery when it's processed.
My other secret to this anything-but-bland cauliflower pizza crust is roasted garlic. I just threw a couple of cloves in the with cauliflower while it roasted. Then everything got thrown into the food processor to transform the cauliflower and garlic to something that resembled mashed potatoes.
Now at this point the cauliflower still has quite a bit of moisture in it. So to get rid of some of the excess moisture, I laid out two big paper towels and dumped the cauliflower mixture on top. Then I wrapped the towels around the cauliflower and pressed out any remaining moisture.
Once my cauliflower was as dried out as it was going to get, I mixed in some spices, an egg, and cheese.
Then I dumped the mixture out onto a parchment lined baking sheet and pressed it into a rectangle (although, a circle will also work) that was about 1/4 inch thick. I wanted this crust to be pretty thin so that would get nice and crispy all the way through. Nothing is worse than a soggy crust that just falls apart.
To make sure it was nice and crispy, I baked it first before adding the toppings. Then I added my favorite pizza toppings: sauce, cheese, and pepperoni.
After another turn in the oven, the cheese got nice and melted and the crust crisped up even more around the edges.
While this cauliflower pizza crust will never fully take classic pizza crust's place in my heart, it has found it's own cozy corner. It is healthy without really tasting like it. Sure, you will know you are eating cauliflower. But it's flavorful, roasted garlic cauliflower. Basically the best kind of cauliflower there is.
So if you want a healthier pizza option that still tastes delicious and that crispy crust that you love about pizza, you need to try out this crust. Especially if you have tried and been very disappointed by other cauliflower crusts. I think this one will win you over, and may even win your heart.
That was cheesy....just like this pizza.
Ok, I'm done.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 60 minutes Yield: 8 slices Serving Size: 2 slices
Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp Mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and salt. Spread cauliflower onto a sheet pan and place whole garlic cloves in with the cauliflower. Roast for 25-30 minutes until brown and slightly charred.
Transfer the cauliflower and garlic to the work bowl of a food processor and process until it forms a rice like consistency. Then pour cauliflower onto a couple layers of paper towels. Wrap the paper towels around and press out the moisture.
Add cauliflower, Parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and egg to a bowl. Mix together until egg is completely incorporated into the cauliflower and forms a ball.
Dump the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and press into a rectangle or circle that's about 1/4 thick. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 until slightly browned and no longer moist.
Remove from the oven and top with preferred toppings, such as tomato sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. Place back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Finish off by broiling for 2 minutes to get the cheese bubbly and browned.
Notes :To pizza with any topping of your choice, like pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni.
