Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Recipes for cauliflower crust pizza have been trending.  They’ve appeared in magazines, on TV cooking shows, and on social media.  I’ve lost track of all the cauliflower crust pizza posts on my Instagram feed.  I must confess, I was skeptical.  Cauliflower crust pizza?  Really? No way it can compete with the crusty, high octane carb pizza dough we all know and love.  Nevertheless, I decided to give the cauliflower crust a try,  and now, I’m a believer.

A cauliflower crust done right is a very crisp and flavorful, easy to make, veggie alternative to a wheat crust.  It is low carb, gluten free, and grain free.  And…cauliflower is considered a super food that packs a nutritional punch.  It contains  healthy compounds that fight inflammation and may ward off cancer, heart disease, and even weight gain.  Cauliflower also boasts high levels of vitamins and minerals and is especially rich in Vitamins C and K.

This recipe for cauliflower crust pizza is sure to please the entire family.  What better way to sneak a healthy veggie into a kid’s meal?  They will never know that the golden, crunchy base of their pizza is cauliflower.

So…if you haven’t joined the cauliflower crust bandwagon yet, hop on board.  You will be pleasantly surprised!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet (15”x11” or 14”x14”) with parchment paper, spray with Pam.

Remove the center core of the cauliflower, then cut the cauliflower into florets. Place the cauliflower florets in a food processor and process until it looks like rice.  You may have to do this in 2 or 3 batches depending on the size of the food processor.

Place the cauliflower in cheesecloth or paper towels to squeeze out some of the water, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Into the mixing bowl, add the eggs, garlic, oregano, basil, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup fontina cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Mix all together well.

Place the cauliflower mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and press into a crust* about ¼-inch thick on the parchment paper.  Place in the oven and bake about 25 minutes until it looks golden and the edges have caramelized.  Place most of the remaining cheeses (save some to sprinkle on the tomatoes) on top of the baked cauliflower.  Then arrange the sliced tomatoes on top of the crust.  Sprinkle the tomatoes with the remaining cheeses.  Bake for another 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with the chives.

Serve the cauliflower pizza warm.  This recipe is best served on the day that it is made, but can be made 1 or two days ahead.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet (15”x11” or 14”x14”) with parchment paper, spray with Pam.

Remove the center core of the cauliflower, then cut the cauliflower into florets. Place the cauliflower florets in a food processor and process until it looks like rice.  You may have to do this in 2 or 3 batches depending on the size of the food processor.

Place the cauliflower in cheesecloth or paper towels to squeeze out some of the water, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Into the mixing bowl, add the eggs, garlic, oregano, basil, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup fontina cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Mix all together well.

Place the cauliflower mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and press into a crust* about ¼-inch thick on the parchment paper.  Place in the oven and bake about 25 minutes until it looks golden and the edges have caramelized.  Place most of the remaining cheeses (save some to sprinkle on the tomatoes) on top of the baked cauliflower.  Then arrange the sliced tomatoes on top of the crust.  Sprinkle the tomatoes with the remaining cheeses.  Bake for another 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with the chives.

Serve the cauliflower pizza warm.  This recipe is best served on the day that it is made, but can be made 1 or two days ahead.

March 2018