Cauliflower Crust Pizza
intro
A crispy, gluten-free, low-carb twist on classic Italian-American pizza, featuring a savory cauliflower base topped with tangy tomato sauce and melty cheese.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and cook cauliflower
Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F). Trim all leaves and the tough inner core from 700g of cauliflower, cut into 5cm (2-inch) florets, then pulse in a food processor in 3 small batches until pieces match the size of coarse long-grain rice, with no large chunks remaining. Spread riced cauliflower in an even, thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, bake for 15 minutes, then remove and set aside to cool completely for 10 minutes.
Squeeze out moisture
Once the cooked cauliflower is cool enough to handle, transfer it to the center of a clean thin cotton kitchen towel or 3 stacked layers of cheesecloth. Gather the towel edges tightly to form a sealed pouch, then squeeze firmly over your sink for 3 to 4 minutes until no more cloudy liquid drips out; you should remove at least 240ml (1 cup) of excess liquid to prevent a soggy crust.
Mix crust mixture
Place the fully squeezed, dry cauliflower crumbles into a large mixing bowl. Add 55g (1/2 cup) of the shredded mozzarella, all 50g of grated Parmesan, the beaten egg, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Stir with a rubber spatula for 1 to 2 minutes until all ingredients are fully combined into a thick, uniform, moldable mixture.
Par-bake the crust
Line your baking sheet with a fresh sheet of parchment paper, brush lightly with 5ml (1 tsp) of the olive oil. Press the cauliflower mixture into a 30cm (12-inch) wide, 6mm (1/4-inch) thick round, building up a slightly thicker 12mm (1/2-inch) raised edge to form a crust rim. Bake for 12 minutes at 220°C (425°F) until the edges are deep golden brown and firm to the touch.
Add pizza toppings
Remove the par-baked crust from the oven. Spread 120ml (1/2 cup) of pizza sauce evenly across the inner surface of the crust, leaving the 1/2-inch raised rim bare. Sprinkle the remaining 115g (1 cup) of shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce, covering all sauced areas with no large bare patches.
Bake and rest pizza
Return the topped pizza to the 220°C (425°F) oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and dotted with light golden brown spots. Remove from the oven, drizzle with the remaining 10ml (2 tsp) of olive oil, and scatter fresh basil leaves across the top. Let the pizza rest for 5 full minutes before slicing to allow the crust to set.
Tips
2.Use low-moisture part-skim mozzarella instead of high-moisture fresh mozzarella for this recipe, as fresh mozzarella releases extra water that can soften the crust during baking
3.Let the baked pizza rest for the full 5 minutes before slicing: this short rest allows the cheese and crust to firm up, so slices hold their shape cleanly when lifted
OMG this crust actually gets CRISPY? I’ve tried 3 other cauliflower crust recipes that turned out soggy no matter how much I squeezed the cauliflower, so I was skeptical. Followed the directions exactly, squeezed every last drop of water out with a tea towel, baked it before adding toppings, and wow—game changer! My 8 and 10 year old didn’t even notice it wasn’t regular pizza crust, they asked for seconds. Served it for family dinner last night with pepperoni and mozzarella, zero leftovers. 10/10 will be adding this to my weekly meal prep rotation!
Super easy recipe, perfect for my low-carb meal prep! I made a veggie version with mushrooms, bell peppers, and a little feta on top for lunches this week. Only thing is, my crust stuck a little to the parchment paper—any idea what I did wrong? Still tasted SO good even with that little mishap, definitely not a dealbreaker.
Brought this to my neighborhood potluck this weekend and everyone was begging for the recipe! I was worried people would turn their noses up at a veggie crust, but even the pizza purists went back for a second slice. I topped mine with BBQ sauce, grilled chicken, and red onion for a fun twist, and the crisp held up even after sitting out for an hour on the food table. So easy to throw together too, didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would for a cauliflower crust. Will absolutely make again!
Just made this last night and wow, SO good! Quick question for folks who make this regularly: is this actually easy enough to pull off on a regular busy weeknight? I have three kids with back-to-back sports practices, so I’ve got roughly 45 minutes total to get dinner on the table most nights. Last night I had extra time on my hands, but I’d love to add this to our regular rotation if it doesn’t require a ton of extra prep. The crust was perfectly crispy even with my rookie mistakes, so I’m already a fan!