Cauliflower Pizza Crust: Low-Carb Pizza

Use frozen cauliflower rice or fresh?

If you’re thinking about making cauliflower pizza crust, one question you might have is whether to use frozen or fresh cauliflower rice. While both options can work, there are a few things to consider.

Frozen cauliflower rice is a convenient option because it’s pre-riced and ready to go. This can spare you time and effort in the kitchen, especially if you’re in a hurry. However, frozen cauliflower rice may contain added moisture, which can make it more difficult to achieve a crispy crust. To combat this, you should squeeze out any excess liquid before using it in your recipe.

Fresh cauliflower rice, on the other hand, is typically drier than the frozen one. This can help you achieve a crispier cauliflower crust, which is ideal for pizza. However, making your own cauliflower rice can be time-consuming and may require a food processor or other kitchen equipment.

Ultimately, the choice between frozen and fresh cauliflower rice depends on your personal choices and the resources available to you. Both options can work well for making cauliflower pizza crust.

How to Make Cauliflower Pizza crust

Prep Time: 1 hr

Cooking Time: 20 min

Total Time: 1 hr 20 min

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

For the base:

2 Large Cauliflowers

2 oz. Parmesan cheese

1/2 tbsp. Ground black pepper

1 tsp. Salt

1 tbsp. Parsley chopped

1 tbsp. Cream cheese

Pinch of nutmeg

2 Large Eggs

Extra virgin olive oil (to brush)

2 cup Water

Toppings for 1st Pizza: (quantity for one Pizza)

4 oz. Tomato sauce

1/16 tsp. Baking soda

1/8 tsp. Salt

4 oz. Mozzarella cheese shredded

2 Pieces Basil leaves

Optional: parmesan cheese grated

Toppings for 2nd Pizza: (quantity for one Pizza)

4 tbsp. Cream cheese

4 tbsp. Milk or heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 Small Red bell pepper julienned

1/2 Small Yellow bell pepper julienned

1/2 Small Green bell pepper julienned

1/4 Large Red onion julienned

Optional: parmesan cheese grated

Preparation

1. Set the oven to 400 °F/200 °C and preheat it. Clean and chop the cauliflowers roughly and place them in a bowl.
2. Grate the cauliflower florets with a food processor until they become a fine powder.
3. Put 2 cups of boiling water in a saucepot, and once it starts boiling, throw the cauliflower rice in the pot and cook for 15 minutes.
4. After the time has passed, lay a cotton towel (or cheesecloth) onto the inner part of a large bowl and put the cooked cauliflower rice with all the water inside the bowl on top of the towel. TIP: Please wait for it to cool down to proceed with the other steps.
5. Close the side limbs of the towel towards the middle and lock the cauliflower rice inside the towel. Start twisting the towel as far as you can, trying to squeeze all the extra water out of the cooked cauliflower. Discard the water. Note: be cautious; if the cauliflower is too hot, let it steep for a few minutes and try again.
6. Transfer the content of the towel into a clean bowl and add the parmesan cheese, black pepper, salt, parsley, cream cheese, nutmeg, and the 2 eggs, and mix thoroughly with your hands until perfectly combined.
7. Lay a piece of parchment paper onto a 12” round (pizza shape) metal oven pan and brush with olive oil. Place HALF the cauliflower mixture (this recipe yields 2 pizzas) onto the paper and press firmly with your hands to create a compact layer approximately ¼ of an inch thick. The result must be around the base, just as large as the pan.
8. Cover with aluminum foil and bake the pizza crust for 40 minutes at 400 °F/204 °C. Note: always keep an eye towards the end of the cooking time, ensuring the result will be a nice golden color. You can cook for more or less time if needed. Also, ideally, if you have a pan of the same size, you can stack it on top of the one with the pizza base so that it presses onto it while cooking and will make a more stable and compact result. Before putting the second pan on top of the first, place another piece of parchment paper on top of it. After cooking, let rest until room temperature is reached. 15 minutes at least. Raise the temperature of the oven to its maximum (usually 500 °F/260 °C).

1st Pizza: Now remove whichever cover you have used, along with the parchment paper under and over the pizza base. Note: You will notice the base may stick to the parchment paper, but do not fear it because that is normal. You just need to peel the paper off carefully.

1. Mix the tomato sauce, salt, and baking soda and add to the upper side of the cauliflower pizza crust. Now have fun adding the mozzarella (add the basil after cooking as garnish).
2. Bake until the cheese has melted to your liking, and garnish with the basil. Optional: add grated parmesan cheese. Rest the Pizza for a couple of minutes before cutting it.

2nd Pizza: Now remove whichever cover you have used, along with the parchment paper under and over the pizza base. Note: You will notice the base may stick to the parchment paper, but do not fear it because that is normal. You just need to peel the paper off carefully.

1. Mix the cream cheese at room temperature with the milk and whisk well until combined.
2. Add the cream cheese, mix the peppers and onion, and parmesan cheese to the cauliflower crust, and bake until the onions and peppers have golden-colored edges.

Cauliflower Pizza toppings

The Cauliflower pizza crust recipe is versatile and can be topped with any of your favorite toppings. Here are some ideas:

• Margherita: tomato sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
• BBQ chicken: barbecue sauce, shredded chicken, red onion, and mozzarella cheese.
• Veggie: pizza sauce, bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, and onions.
• Meat lovers: pizza sauce, pepperoni, sausage, bacon, and mozzarella cheese.
• Pesto: pesto sauce, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.

Expert Tips

Here are some expert tips for the best cauliflower pizza crust recipe:

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How to make it without the cheese

You can still enjoy cauliflower pizza dough if you are lactose-sensitive or prefer not to use cheese. Here’s how:

• Substitute the cheese with 1/4 cup of almond flour or 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning for extra flavor.
• Follow the same instructions for making the crust, and add your favorite toppings.

How to freeze Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower pizza crust can be frozen for up to three months. Here’s how:

• Bake the cauliflower pizza crust and allow it to cool completely.
• Wrap the crust in plastic foil and place it in a freezer bag.
• Freeze
• To use the frozen cauliflower crust, preheat the oven to 425°F and place the crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Add pizza sauce and your favorite toppings and bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
• Enjoy your homemade cauliflower crust pizza!