The Best Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Easy to make, grain-free AND so healthy. Plus, you will honestly not even be able to taste a difference!
I know what you’re thinking. A cauliflower crust? Ummmmm, no, thank you. But guys, believe me. This crust is bomb.com. And you know I wouldn’t lie to you.
I tweaked an old recipe of mine for mini cauliflower pizzas, except in this version, you get to have those super crisp edges – the edges that everyone fights for.
And you know it wouldn’t be the best cauliflower crust without Pomi’s Pizza Sauce, which is BPA and gluten-free, with no water or citric acid added. Really, it’s just suitable for any stinking recipe.
You can add anything for your toppings: cheese, mini pepperonis, fresh basil leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, etc. Or you can add some eggs and bacon for a LEGIT breakfast option. It’s just a thought, you know?
Don’t forget to follow Pomi on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for your recipe inspirations!
The Best Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Ingredients
- ½ cup Pomi Pizza Sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup pepperoni minis
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
For the cauliflower crust
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
- To make the cauliflower crust, add cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground, yielding about 2-3 cups.*
- Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl. Cover loosely and place into microwave for 4-5 minutes, or until softened; let cool.
- Using a clean dish towel or cheese cloth, drain cauliflower completely, removing as much water as possible.
- Transfer cauliflower to a large bowl. Stir in eggs, mozzarella, Parmesan and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spread cauliflower mixture into a 15- by 10-inch rectangle onto the prepared baking sheet. Spray lightly with nonstick spray and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden.
- Top with pizza sauce, cheeses and pepperoni minis. Place into oven and bake until the cheese has melted, about 3-5 minutes.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with basil and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Pomi. As always, I only partner with brands that I love and truly believe in, allowing me to create more quick and easy recipes to get us through the week without breaking the bank. All opinions expressed are my own.
This recipe came pretty good but I made to much can I reheat it in the oven?
Everything I have tried from this blog is [email protected]# Delicious! I recently found out I was diabetic. BOOOO. And I was craving pizza. I have made cauliflower crust in the past but this recipe was great. Although I forgot to add mozzarella cheese to the crust. It still turned out. My blood sugar was great even after eating several slices. I also used my own homemade sauce. I will look for POMI at the store. I’ve never heard of it.
Really good have made this alot now.✌️
This was easy and pretty quick. I squeezed the cauliflower in paper towels with a dish towel wrapped around, and a ton of liquid came out. I also baked the crust on a parchment-lined pan for a few minutes longer than recommended (maybe 18 mins) but it was still a bit soggy.
Any tips to get it crispier?
Thanks!
Drain it more..I use paper towels. Maybe put it lower in the oven, mine goes like second to bottom level. Cook it til it turns mostly golden brown.
Have made this several times, always good. It’s not going to be easy to pick up and eat with you hands like regular pizza crust, so don’t expect that!
Very good!
It’s not pizza dough, it’s healthy…
I liked the recipe just as is. I only had frozen cauliflower on hand so I defrosted it in microwave and let it drain in a colander for a half hour. Second time I tossed in a little in pesto, it was good also.
Thank you for a tasty crust!
I am making this in a couple days! Thanks for the recipe!
Does this freeze well?
Thanks!
Love this recipe!
So easy …
I roast the cauliflower with olive oil and shallots and refrigerate over nite then put in the food processor.
Delish!
This sounds great! I plan to try this, but don’t have a microwave. Any idea how long I’d need to steam the cauliflower in order to get the same degree of softening as 4-5 minutes in the microwave? Thanks so much – really looking forward to serving”healthy” pizza to my family!
did you figure this out? looking for the same answer (how long to steam it for instead of microwaving)
Can you make this on a pizza stone? I want to try it today. Thanks.
I would add that to make sure the cauliflower is ground up small enough, put it in the blender. I used a manual food processor and it turned out ok, but next time I’ll put it in the blender as well.
Yum!!! Made as directed except I made mine round lol the edges were nice Nd crisp. I used red and yellow peppers olives onions and spinach to top, a sprinkle of mozzarella and lots of parm ❤️ Fabulous!! Thank you!
I didn’t have high hopes because I’ve tried everything and nothing was ever “really good”. This pizza was amazing!!! Everyone loved it!! Easy to make and delicious! Try it, you won’t be sorry!!
I loved this and it stuck together and was more like a real pizza crust than any I have tried. However no matter what I did I could not get it crispy on the bottom. I baked on a silpat not parchment paper, I wonder if that was the issue? Or did I not spread it thin enough? ALso, Has anyone tried this on a pizza stone?
Made this for dinner, it was amazing!!! We love garlic, so I did sprinkle some dried garlic over the top, but otherwise, made as directed and it turned out perfect!!
I make this all the time. The cauliflower crust is amazing. I always make two–I do one with a pesto topping, and one with a traditional pizza sauce topping. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you! I was skeptic at first but I give this recipe two thumbs up!
Best low-carb pizza crust ever! (cauliflower is 5% carbs plus whatever little carb is in the cheese).
I don’t like to measure ingredients a lot so I just used fresh cauliflower, steamed, blended then drained in a cloth, about the size of an apple in the end. Then I added one beaten egg, parmesan and mozzarella, plus the condiments (I wanted to make sure the crust wouldn’t be mushy so I added more parmesan as I found it to be drier, until I thought the consistency was right) .
I did this recipe last night and it was indeed damn delicious. Your instructions were easy to follow and the end result scrumptious. Thank you for posting.
I didn’t drain the cauliflower. I just grated 2 cups finely, added 2 cups grated motza (I had no parm.) and 2 eggs. Mix well, add herbs if desired and press in a thin..ish layer on parchment. Bake 15 min.at 425, then add toppings and bake another 10 or 15. It was nice and crisp on bottom and you could easily just pick up a slice to eat. Delish!
Don’t load the pizza. I used a bit of grated motza, a few slices of pepperoni and tomatoes with a dash of olives.
This was awesome….even better than the usual flour base. Thanks for sharing
Did my own topping but quite enjoyed the crust. Doubled up on the recipe to freeze one for next time. I used cloth fruit reusable bag to drain cauliflower. Worked great and kept it all contained. Also gives the option to rinse with cold water if pressed for time (cooling off). ×Will make again.
I really love this easy pizza crust recipe. This is looking so tasty and delicious. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe article. I will surly try this at home.
This was so simple and tasted amazing!!!!
This recipe was easy and turned out perfect. I didn’t have parchment paper so I used tin foil and rubbed it lightly with oil. I was so surprised at how well it turned out. If I knew how to leave pix I would, anyway thanks for the recipe.
Delicious!
Sounds super. Will certainly make it. Yes very keto tv
Absolutely delicious, well worth the effort. 2 pieces of advice, do make the effort to drain as much water as you can out of the cauliflower and don’t substitute the greaseproof paper for aluminium foil. I learnt the hard way! Big family winner. Thankyou!
What should I do if I don’t have Pomi Pizza Sauce? Could I have another similar sauce for my cauliflower pizza crust?
Hello, thank you for sharing this recipe. Can I bake the crust in microwave instead of an oven? Because my kitchen does not have any oven.
This recipe didn’t do it for my husband and me. Followed the directions to a T but it didn’t deliver. The cauliflower gave the pizza a strange taste that you couldn’t get used to. Disappointing as I was hoping this could be the way to enjoy pizza going forward. We’ll be doing portobellos as a base instead.
How many calories is this?
Hi Amber! Nutritional information is provided only for select recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, we recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”). Hope that helps!
Loved this, it was way better than any takeaway dough pizza!
We LOVED this!!
I can’t truly review since I haven’t tried it. My barrier to trying it is the lack of macros/nutrition info. I’m looking for a cauliflower crust base recipe (I know this goes beyond that) but that’s what a lot of people want and I’m among them.
Anthony, all you have to do is input the ingredients in either your carb counter app (add your own recipe) or utilize the hundreds of websites available to find the nutritional info, especially with many ingredients you use may change the macros significantly.
Most websites will even import the ingredient list for you if you copy and paste the URL. It’s really not that difficult.
Great flavor, mine came out with the consistency of naan or injera, so I finished it in a skillet. Topped it with ricotta, tomatoes, basil, and mushrooms. Super good, would definitely cook the crust alone to go with a curry dish.
omg, It is delicious, I really like it, Because It be made easy, convenient. Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE this idea because I am completely in love with grain-free foods
This is an amazing recipe.
I made this and was extremely hopeful. I squeezed all I could get out of it. It was crisp out of the oven but got soggy with the toppings. I gave it 3 stars not because of the recipe but because of my experience with it.i used rices frozen cauliflower and microwaved it. It’s that why it got soggy or is there something I’m missing? REALLY want this to work! It tasted great. Thanks.
If you are using frozen there will be more condensation from the cold/ frost in the freezer.
Delicious! After reading the other reviews I baked my pizza longer and then broiled it. The edges were crispy and the cheese perfect. One other change I’d make is to add another cup of cauliflower so it can spread it right to the edges of the pan.
Tasted great but my complaint was the crust was not crispy like a pizza, and I cooked at least 15 minutes. I may not have strained the cauliflower enough. Next time I will try cooking the crust longer or broiling it for a minute or two to get more crisp.
I’ve wanted to make Cauliflower crust for awhile, but when I’d look at a recipe, sounded like too much of a hassle. Until this one! I did make a couple adjustments, one accidentally. 1, I used only egg whites, so 4 egg whites vs 2 eggs. 2, almost a cup of mozzarella, because I thought I was going to have more than 3 cups of cauliflower. Chopped cauliflower was almost 6 cups. Cooked, almost 4 cups. Strained, 2 cups and a bit. I wasn’t even going to strain it, it didn’t seem wet! STRAIN IT! I squeezed half a mug of liquid. I didn’t really know if I was doing anything right, but it was a mucky mixture as other commented. I used an pizza pan with holes and I cooked for closer to 30 minutes. It was sooo good. We had to use alternatives for the sauce, as I bought the ingredients awhile ago and the pizza sauce had been used. Anyhow, my son put all sorts of toppings. As he said, this knocked it out of the park. Definite make again and recommend.
I have to agree with Anthony. I am on a keto diet and having the macros avaliable really is what makes a recipe even nore amazing. Perhaps you could do them for the crust only? (Since toppings vary)
It takes seconds to do it y0urself…you can even use my fitness pal? This is a pretty important skill to have if you want to do keto.
I made this recipe but used my own homemade pizza sauce–I didn’t want to go for groceries for only one item. My family was thrilled with the results.. I topped my pizza with bacon, leeks, mushrooms and fresh basil. The crust was easy to make and turned out well.
This was super easy to make and so yummy! I used riced cauliflower which cut out a couple of steps (I hate cutting up cauliflower) and baked mine in a 9” cake pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with a little olive oil. I removed it from the pan, added my toppings, and then placed it on a regular cookie sheet. It was crispy on the edge and perfect in the center. Will definitely be making this again!
This was SO good.. I am currently making a 2nd batch even doubling the recipe! I followed the recipe for crust and then added my own toppings which was green pepper, jalopeno, onions, pepperonis, pineapple & mozorella.. I only added a cup of cheese instead of adding the extra half of cup of cheddar because didn’t want quite as much cheese since theres cheese in the crust too.. was delicious!
Hi there,
Can the crusts be vacuum sealed and then placed in the fridge or freezer?
Mate, this was so amazing!! I’ll be honest, I was sceptical when I made the dough because it was like mush and I thought, how is this going to hold together? But it came together when it was in the oven and the flavor was just so good!! I’m new to the keto diet and this is definitely a keeper!! Thanks!
Wow, this is so gorgeous!! I definitely want to try making this. I’m the biggest slacker when it comes to making compotes, it’s so easy so I don’t know why I don’t do it more!
This was great. I added tbsp ground almonds too. Came out crispy and yum.
Great recipe! I doubled it using two heads of cauliflower. I used 3 eggs, a couple of tablespoons of gluten free flour, a tsp each of basil, oregano and cilantro and a tbsp of diced garlic. I didn’t have parmesan so I put in feta, which I’m sure added some moisture hence, the flour. I could have baked the crust longer to get a crispy crust, next time. I would say at least 35 minutes. If the edges start to brown, cover it with foil. I used to have a Wilton crisper pizza pan with holes in it, that would have helped. Anyway, I am not a fan of cauliflower as a side vegetable, but as a pizza crust, it’s phenomenal. Cheers.
I didn’t add water when microwaving – are you supposed to? There was no water in the cauliflower after microwaving at all. It turned out pretty good BUT needs cooking on a pizza tin with holes, and cooking for about 30 mins on 220 Celsius to gain any type of a crispy base – yes I would make it again it was really a nice taste.
My pizza is in the oven and looks amazing. I’d just like to draw attention to mention that the measurement of 2-3 cups of grated cauliflower should read 2-3 cups of cooked cauliflower. I used frozen riced cauliflower that measured 3 cups in its frozen state, after cooking it in an open skillet it shrunk to 1 1/2 cups requiring more cauliflower!
I’ve been playing with cauliflower pizzas for a while and this is by far the easiest and the best!
This is an amazing recipe. My husband has just been diagnosed with diabetes and we are looking for low/no carb recipes. We LOVE pizza and this was the easiest cauliflower dough recipe. Thank you!!!!
I’m upset that this recipe didn’t offer a microwave-free version.
Microwaves are actually banned in England and France because they are a known to cause cancer.
For health-conscious people, this does not make any sense to me!
I’m going to try to lightly steam my cauliflower to soften it.
I may give a different review after.
This review made my day!
I better go and throw out my microwave before I get arrested.
WOW, I had no idea and appreciate it My Mother-in-Law was right…she said it would lead to this when they first came out!
This IS an incredible recipe, well directed! I am so pleased with my first production having been VERY hesitant to try any. My hand-chopped ‘rice’ measured 3 cups. I micro’d for 5 min and squeezed as much as I could when cool enough. Seemed like I ended up with little more than a cup cooked but continued with what was written in your recipe, baked for 12 min and will keep chilled until tomorrow to finish. Oh goodness…I want to eat it just as it is…amazing !!!
Nothing you said is actually in any way true (especially that microwaves are banned). But, yes, steaming will work as well.
Hysterical! Um Ananda- you can precook the cauliflower another way. Fire, heat, steam, don’t worry, it’ll work out honey.
Microwaves are NOT banned in England. Too much FOX news damages your brain far more than a microwave used for cooking.
As does MSNBC and CNN
This website has led to some of the most delicious meals in my kitchen, even when I just use the ingredients listed but change up a few or even change the method. That is what being a good cook is about. It is not her responsibility to provide you with each and every single alternative. If you need that much hand holding, please just order takeout. You are bringing the total stars down for a delicious recipe due to your incompetence.
Your a saint, thank you for your reply. I agree completely
Hi, I don’t know about France but I can tell you microwaves are not banned in England and are used a lot.
I just researched your claim of the microwaves being banned and I found nothing…..at all!!!!
It looks like some countries in Europe are banning microwaves due to carbon emissions, not cancer.
Microwaves…. sharp knives … common sense… all banned over here in Blighty. We’re terribly conscientious
Microwaves aren’t banned in France or England!!!! What a ridiculous statement. don’t repeat fake news please – particularly when it’s so obviously incorrect!! (I’m from England where all my family own microwaves and I live in France where I own a microwave and you can buy one in any shop that sells electrical appliances).
Delicious!
Amazing. I’ve tried three other recipes and never got it right. Make SURE you use cheese cloth to remove all the water out of the cauliflower. I cannot believe how much water I got out of 3cups of this vegetable. Amazing flavor and crispy edges. Sharing it on IG now.
You can actually put the cauliflower on a non stick pan and stir it on low-medium heat for about 7 minutes and you’ll see the steam and sound change and all water is gone! But I was wondering can you substitute the grated cheese for the low moisture part skim Parmesan cheese for the crust
THANK YOUUUU!!! This pizza dough is awesome! And my super picky kids ate it and loved it, too (haha, suckers! You just ate a lot of cauliflower. I’m winning). Because I’m running low on everything and eggs are hard to come by right now (thanks to covid-19 and, possibly, panic buying) I substituted flax ‘eggs’ (https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-a-flax-egg/) in place of actual eggs. The consistency and flavour of the finished pizza crust was great, so I’d say it was a very successful substitute. And instead of the recommended pizza sauce I made a quick pizza sauce recipe I found online that used tomato paste (https://www.scratchtobasics.com/easy-pizza-sauce-with-tomato-paste/).
For toppings I put cheese only on one pizza and the other had mushrooms, pickled artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes. But I would love to try the recommended toppings used in this recipe sometime, too. I always use parchment paper and have never had an issue. I find silicone baking mats a pain to clean (any tips for that, anyone?).
I will for sure make this pizza crust recipe again!
Completely adhered to the parchment paper. Had to ruin the pizza and eat it as a scramble.
Put some olive oil on the paper first. Just a little bit and rub it in with your hands. It will be fine!
This is an amazing recipe. My husband has just been diagnosed with diabetes and we are looking for low/no carb recipes. We LOVE pizza and this was the easiest cauliflower dough recipe. Thank you!!!!
Made this tonight. Will definitely make it again. Like others the crust texture was too soft but will work on that. Loved the crusts flavor. Used red sauce, garlic, pepperoni, black olives and green onion. Delicious.
The flavor of this was very good. My only issue was the center of the crust was a bit soft. Next time I will try to get the crust off the parchment paper and onto my pizza baking pan that has multiple air holes before adding the topping which would let the moisture escape. The edges had good texture. I didn’t have pepperoni and used leftover chicken I had BBQ/smoked. I chopped up some chicken and mixed it with a little BBQ sauce. Very delicious.
Hi! Great recipe! I followed the recipe almost to the letter, with the exception of baking it on parchment paper on one of those pizza pans with holes I think this gave an opportunity for the air to circulate and firm the crust at the bottom. Will make again. Granted, it is a bit of work to squeeze out the water and a bit expensive for all the cheeses, but it’s tasty!
Wow!!! Just made this and my husband and I love it!!! I used my owe recipe for toppings and sauce, but this crust is absolutely delicious! I cannot have flour, so this is it now! I’m excited to have a pizza crust recipe I can eat. My husband was shocked that it was made out of cauliflower. He keeps going back for more!
Came out perfect absolutely delicious my family all enjoyed it
AWESOME my family asked for seconds they had no idea! I made mine with bought pizza sauce that had less sugar and stuff, with ham and onion. (which it is less greasy)
Have you ever frozen the crust BEFORE baking? If so, did you bake frozen or thaw then bake according to instructions above?
I should also add that I used a nut milk bag to squeeze out all of the water so this wasn’t the issue!
This came out really spongy and not crisp. Is it supposed to be crisp all the way through? I don’t want to review it yet because I want to clarify something. The instructions call for a head of cauliflower in the ingredients, but then the instructions say 2-3 cups of cauliflower. If I had used the whole head of cauliflower it would have been about 6 cups. So… is it a head of cauliflower or 2-3 cups? Is this crust supposed to be crisp? Thank you!
The author most likely had a head of cauliflower that yielded 2-3 cups. When given a varying measurement, such as a head of cauliflower, and a specific one, such as 2-3 cups, you should go with the more specific one in recipes where it makes a difference.
absolutely loved it – first time making a cauliflower crust and it turned out perfectly!
Delicious! First time making a cauliflour base and it worked perfectly 🙂 one question – can it be heated up the next day?
Awful, beyond awful. I used two rolls of paper towels to remove liquid from cauliflower and still too moist. I then let the dough sit in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour to dry it out – it didn’t work. I followed the instructions to a “t”….terrible…no flavor, no texture. Don’t bother.
Thanks for this great recipe! I eyeballed the ingredients (my 1 head of cauliflower looked too little for 2 eggs), improvised with a tomato sauce base, and everything worked a treat!
This turned out really well! the crust browned beautifully in the convection oven and wasn’t too wet. It held together well enough so you could pick up each piece of pizza and eat with your hands, which was my goal! Delicious!
Loved this recipe but used “many” paper towels to dry out… amazing how much liquid you can squeeze… think I can make the crust in the morning, cover and refrigerate …then take out and get to room temp …then bake… or could it be baked and then used later??… I hate to make anything right before company comes… I have used this as an appetizer, cut in small slices… went quick
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this ourselves, we cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let us know how it turns out! Good luck! 🙂
I cooked the cauliflower in the morning and squeezed the heck out of it with cheese cloth and then rolled it a couple paper towels and put in frig… about one 1/2 hr before company, made the crust with the remaining ingredients, and placed it on parchment paper and formed a rectangle pie … half hr before everyone , I put in over or a good 20 minutes to crisp,… I used pesto sauce, cheese, fresh tomatoes, sausage whatever you like on your pizza… back in oven and ready when the doorbell rings …. so much easier then doing right before company comes … cut it in small pieces, leave on parchment paper and just drag onto a pizza serving board… best appetizer … everyone loves it
My husband was very suspicious that this recipe would be good tasting. It turned out delicious and he said we will make this again!!! Thank you for this wonderful and healthy recipe!!!
We just tried this pizza crust and it was spectacular…or wait, I meant “Damn Delicious”!! We cooked it longer than called for (20 mins @ 425 for just the crust then another 6 to 8 mins for the toppings and it was perfect! No fork-n-knife required, just pick it up like a regular slice of pizza!! We’re sorry we didn’t get more cauliflower!
Its was great! Next time i will leave crust a little longer for crispier crust! Great flavor
My crust was super!
I agree with most reviewers, the crust will get soggy and I’ve experienced this even after pre baking both sides to a nice golden brown. What helps with a soggy crust is using a perforated metal pizza pan or mesh grid set on the oven rack. Don’t even use a stone or solid pan – it will get soggy. It needs air circulation! I want a piece that I can pick up – not eat with a fork.
Here’s what I’m trying. After the rice cauliflower is cooked and wrung out as dry as possible, I’m dehydrating it in my oven at 225 so as not to brown it. Actually it’s outside in my vertical smoker (without smoke of course) set at 225. If this turns out soggy again, I’ll add a Tbsp each of almond, tapioca flour, arrowroot starch (1/4 cup total) to help absorb the excess water.
Mixing in dry cheese and egg helps bind the whole thing together and reduces overall moisture. Since this is very labor intensive and messy (cooked fine cauliflower pulp sticks to everything), I make several crusts at a time.
Should this fail, I’ll buy the crusts pre made. Time is too precious to spend on something that is frustrating. I’ll let you know.
Actually going to make this today and had some thoughts after reading numerous reviews. The main issue seems to be the wetness of the cauliflower. As I do not have any Cauliflower Flour on hand, I am going to use just the yolks of the eggs and add some almond or hazelnut flour to absorb some of the moisture. I presume the flour will not only dry out but the oils should make it crisper. Adding dehydrated onion flakes and upping the dried herbs could also be helpful. Lastly, using more hard dry cheese, like pecorino Romano, etc and less mozzarella might also help with the moisture issue. Wish me luck!
Love it
Use a potato ricer and you can forget the paper towels to dry out the cauliflower. Just squeeze through the ricer after cooking and cooling the cauliflower.
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Stainless-Steel-Potato/dp/B00004OCJQ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ricer&qid=1565350041&s=gateway&sr=8-3
K.E.T.O….THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH
just made this last night and it was DELICIOUS. I actually used riced cauliflower to save a step and i squeezed most of the moisture out before i put in in the microwave. I used a clean towel and just twisted it until nothing came out. ans it came out awesome. I had an idea, you think i could change out the mozzarella in the crust for cheddar?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Folks, this is an awesome pizza crust. However, you must completely dry the cauliflower, I mean a preverbal dust bowl. The best solution to a soggy crust is to completely dry the cauliflower with paper towels. You will use a lot of them but believe me it is the only way (other than kitchen towel) to remove the moisture. Simply allowing the cauliflower to drain or trying to squeeze out moisture with a cheese cloth is futile, it does not work. You need to absorb and remove all the moisture and nothing works better then paper towels. There are two methods that need to be followed, 1. Stack 6 sheets of paper towels and put cooked cauliflower in the middle. Roll into a ball and squeeze all the moisture out. If one part of the paper towel gets really wet replace the entire stack and keep pressing. 2. Lay 4 paper towels on top of each other and spread the cauliflower mixture across the entire surface, lay another 4 sheets on top and continue to press down to get all the additional moisture out. Pull the top sheets off, replace the bottom sheets and spread the cauliflower across the surface again, repeat process with new dry top sheets. If the moisture does not penetrate thru outside sheets simply discard the wet sheets and replace with dry ones. Keep doing this until the cauliflower is totally dry, I mean dry! I know, it’s a waist of paper towels but the crust will be stupendous, crispy, crunchy, firm and delicious. Do not skip.
i use a tea towel for the last year or so i’ve been making these pizzas.. The tea towel doesnt hold the moisture like a cotton towel would. just thought id help or give a FYI
Delicious!!! My bread loving husband liked it! To the complainers- it’s not bread, it’s cauliflower, duh! I found the texture amazing on my first attempt. Granted when it first came out it seemed too soft but I let it sit for about ten minutes and I could pick it up and eat it just like any other pizza crust. Will be a staple in my household.
I did something wrong. Mine turned out really soft. I baked it for 15 mins plus the additional 5 after I added the toppings. However, I used fresh mozzarella as opposed to bagged bc it’s not keto friendly. That might be the problem.
I wish when they put lines like “drain cauliflower completely, removing as much water as possible” that they would finish with…”or else your crust will be mushy and not crusty.” I skimped on draining the water off part and got a mush crust that would not support the pizza. HOWEVER, it did taste AMAZING so I’m anxious to try this again and actually follow the directions 🙂
Hey, quick question, in terms of the nutrition information, what is the serving size? Or is the 169.5 cals and 6.3g crabs, etc for a whole pizza? Sorry just a little confused. This recipe looks perfect, just hoping it fits with my keto. 🙂
Hi Saman! The nutritional information is for each serving.
You would have to divide the full amount by 8 servings to get the serving size. Hope that helps!
Great crust. What is the calorie for just the crust?
Nutritional information is provided only for select and new recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, I recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”). Hope that helps, Mary!
I put my cauliflower through my juicer first:)
Hi there,
Just wanted to say THANK YOU for this awesomesauce pizza crust recipe! I followed the directions exactly (and yes, squeezed the living heck out of the cauliflower until it was basically dry) and am still bowled over by how well it came out – and the leftovers were even better right out of the fridge! A++!
That’s really awesome Jamie, thank you for your feedback.
I have a friend who is a diabetic and would like to use this crust for a quiche instead. Have you ever used this for anything else but pizza crust?
I actually haven’t – sorry!
I will try it. If it works I will share
I made this recipe 2 times in one night and it was, as my kids would say ‘scrumptious!’ However, my crust got stuck each time. At 1st I used foil to place the crust upon and next I cut up a brown paper bag. Any tips on keeping the crust from sticking?
Have you tried parchment paper?
I made this tonight—uhmazing!! I baked the crust about 20 minutes as it still seemed too soft after 15. My toppings were mushrooms, onions, sun dried tomatoes and pepperoni, mozzarella of course. I couldn’t find the pizza sauce you used but bought Pirro’s from Whole Foods as no added sugar. I’ll definitely make this again. I squeezed the heck out of that cauliflower!
This recipe is a disaster! I followed it to a T and the crust stuck to the parchment paper and had an entire pizza complete with toppings because the crust baked to the parchment paper. I wasted a lot of food and time and hungry energy making this meal, and an hour later was very disappointed and still starving.
I don’t eat eggs, so what can I use as a substitute???
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
In the dirctions #6 should read spray pan first, then spread crust. Didn’t really get to enjoy it like I was hoping.
If u use parchment u shouldn’t have to spray. Parchment is non stick.
In my continuing quest for the perfect cauliflower pizza crust I pass the baton to Damn Delicious. Followed recipe exactly and really put in a concerted effort for squeezing out water. My resulting pizza didn’t look anywhere near as glorious as your incredible photo (Yours must have more cheese.. you could see through my entire pizza to the sauce below). Final results…. tasted very good, crust still kinda soggy. Sigh. The search continues…
Hi! Just letting you know I have featured this recipe in my post roundup of 14 delicious low carb recipes using cauliflower! https://jenniferbanz.com/14-delicious-low-carb-recipes-using-cauliflower
My parchment paper stuck to the crust, I would recommend just spraying the pan and putting the crust directly on there. Also the crust needs to be cooked longer than 15 min. Other than that, it’s a good recipe.
Made this recipe twice now and so yummy! This time I made the crust much thinner than the first time and it’s so lovely and crispy! And definitely take the time to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. So yummy!
I love your recipes but why do I need to see 6 or more photos of the dish? I believe in KISS, keep it simple stup**, I have to page down page after page of photos.
I’ve been wanting to make cauliflower crust pizza for a while. I know your recipe will be great!
I’ve previously made a number of cauliflower pizza crusts without cooking the riced cauliflower. After reading this recipe, I cooked the riced cauliflower in my Instant Pot using the saute function with an open lid, taking the cauliflower out just before it started to brown. Then I wrapped the cooked cauliflower in a clean dish towel to get any moisture remnants out. It makes a lot more sense to me to dry cook when it’s so important to get rid of moisture. If I didn’t have an Instant Pot, I would use a skillet.
Cooking the cauliflower first concentrates the cauliflower. I much preferred the taste of the pizza crust using the cooked cauliflower. It didn’t taste as eggy compared to using raw cauliflower. A definite recipe keeper.
I made this and it was so delicious! I can’t wait to cook it again. I cooked my crust about 20 minutes. It needed a little extra time.
Is the measurement of 2 to 3 cups of riced cauliflower correct? I made this tonight with about 3 cups and there was barely any left after the water was rung out, certainly not the amount that it looks like in your photos. I ended up running more of the same amount through the food processor again and it still didn’t seem like enough.
How strange. Yes, 2-3 cups is correct.
Excellent! Crispy around the edges & very tasty!! Will definitely make this again…
When making the “test” pizza crust, what type of oven did you use? Electric ones cook with dry heat, whereas gas ones are a little moist. We have been having trouble getting a crisp/ firm crust unless the pizza is cold. (We have gas.)
I use gas as well!
Flavor is definitely there! Thought I did a good job at straining all of the water out with a cheese cloth, and only used 1 egg due to the fact that I had only about 2 cups of cauliflower after straining. But, crust was still a bit spongy and not as crisp as I would have liked. Any tips? I will continue to work on it to get it to where I want it to be, but all in all, great recipe!
THEE best end result cauliflower pizza I’ve made !!! Second time is about to go down!
I did the oven method, not a big fan cooking in the microwave. Came out pretty ! Wanted to post a pic , did not see that option
Thanks for the sharing!! This is very helpful for me. My family is not a big fan cooking in the microwave as well, can you help to share how long you cook the cauliflower rice in the oven& what is the cooking temperature? and also did you drain cauliflower completely with a kitchen towel as well after cooking in the oven?
Made this. Took a lot longer than I expected so dinner was very late. The crust was nice and crispy on the very edges, soggy and falls apart everywhere else. I’d like to see one of your pictures with you actually picking up the pizza to eat it becuase I certainly couldn’t. Had to scoop the mess off the baking sheet and eat with a fork and knife.
So my husband and I tried making this tonight. This was our first attempt ever at cauliflower pizza LOL
We followed the recipe as instructed (or so we think anyway) but for some reason the cauliflower crust never fully hardened so it wasn’t crunchy 🙁 It was still very soft & mushy. We even put it back in the oven to bake a little longer but nothing. I was so bummed because I had high hopes that our first try would be a win. Plus the kids were excited about having “pizza” lol. I am wondering what we did wrong so we can try again. My only thoughts is maybe my husband didn’t drain it enough even though it looked pretty drained to me. Also since we are a family of 6, my husband basically doubled the recipe amounts so there would be enough for everyone. I am wondering if we should have just did it in 2 separate batches, but just seemed like double work. Any tips would be great. Thanks!
Yes! It may help to do 2 separate batches next time to ensure that the cauliflower is completely drained.
Made this tonight and it tasted really good, but I didn’t have any parchment paper so I used foil instead. The crust was pretty soft and didn’t easily come off the foil. Does using parchment paper make a difference? I was also thinking I need to cook it longer to get the crust crispier.
Yes, parchment paper is best (and easiest)!
I really wish you had mentioned spraying parchment paper before putting the crust on. I was wondering if i should but instead followed your exact recipe. Now i’m stuck with a pizza that i can’t get off of the pan.
Nonstick spray is actually NOT required with parchment paper. Parchment paper is a disposable nonstick surface.
I have been seeing crumbled cauliflower I wondered if you can use that and skip the food processor. I am definitely going to try this one for fun Friday.
When I make cauliflower pizza crust, I use my juicer. I line the inside of the “by-product catch bin” (definitely not the actual name of that plastic bucket thingy) with a gallon baggie, then juice the cauliflower head in pieces. The juice goes on the compost heap (it smells pretty strong) and the “pulp” caught by the baggie is pretty dry. Then I microwave the cauliflower in a bowl, put it into a dish towel, and wring it out. Very little moisture comes out at this point, but I still do it. Then I mix in the other ingredients and make the crust. Works every time, and the crust holds up perfectly.
These ingredients sound lovely. Cauliflower crust are unique and very comforting as well. Your recipe is delicious and tasty. Thanks for sharing.
Is it possible to freeze the cauliflower mixture before baking? Or could I store it after baking? I’m looking for a way to keep a healthy alternative to pizza easily accessible to stop the temptation to order!
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Wow!!! We just made a variation of this pizza for dinner. We used Private Selection Tomato Bruschetta, ham, mushrooms, mozzarella and parmesan as toppings and some dry basil and it turned in to a gourmet pizza. Perfect for us being on a LCHF diet. I also have to say that it was a lot quicker to make this one than making a traditional pizza from scratch, and tastier.
Green Giant is now selling frozen riced cauliflower, and I don’t think it needs draining. Today I tried it cooked in a skillet and it was very dry, no water came out. Worth a try.
I used the frozen packaged riced cauliflower. It did require draining. I used cheesecloth and it drained at least 1/2 cup fluid. Next time I will squeeze it even more- I didn’t quite achieve the crispness of the crust I was looking for, but the taste was fine.
What can I do if I don’t have a food processor
You can also use a blender.
Made it with no Italian season did a batch with egg and one without … Came out amazing everyone loved it .. Thanks 🙂
Made this tonight. My tummy is SO happy 🙂 I did modify a bit by adding a few more toppings like red & green pepper, garlic, mushrooms Definitely will be making this one again. Definitely recommend taking the time to really squish out all the moisture you can from the cauliflower…I may have been a little impatient on that step, it still was amazing, but I think it would be just that much better if I had squished more 😉 Family LOVED it too…a definite keeper!
I made this today and it was amazing! I only used the crust recipe, then topped with a lean ground turkey, green bell pepper, and black olives, with cheese and sauce.
But the crust was the best faux pizza crust I’ve ever made. Only variation is that I added about a cup of panko because I’ve had experiences with faux crusts being too soggy before, and I didn’t use Italian seasoning.
Kids loved it, and the crust holds up under thick toppings.
As for draining the steamed cauliflower, I wrapped it in the towel and then used a big mug to press it out. It took effort, but was simple – not sure why people are flipping out about it.
This will be a weekly addition for me.
How many cups of cauliflower should I have?
Once the cauliflower is processed, it should yield about 2-3 cups.
If the draining part is so tedious why don’t you note it ? I’m a fan of cauliflower pizza but everytime I made it you practically have to body slam the thing, and strain it, heat it, strain it over and over again, it’s ridiculous. I hate when cooking blogs aren’t honest about the process, I read a lot of your recipes so when I saw that you wrote it I thought you’d give some pro tips instead of selling it like its some 30 minute weekday dinner but no, this totally reads like a sponsored post. With the time/effort it takes to prepare this dish, you could have eaten a regular pizza and gone to the gym. Expected more from you Damndelicious!
She said to “completely remove as much water as possible”. Sometimes you just have to find out for yourself and not have your hand held the whole time. She posted a delicious recipe. If you follow it and do the steps, it’s perfect.
wow complain much
Do you add water when you microwave it?
Nope, no water needed here! 🙂
I’ve made a couple of your recipes, and have enjoyed them all! My pizza didn’t come out as large as yours (maybe since I only used one egg), but tasted great.
I found this crust to be very “quiche-y”. Any suggestions for what I may have done wrong? Could I use 1 egg instead of 2?
Yes, absolutely.
How do you cook the crust cauliflower if you don’t have a microwave?
You can also pop it in the oven as needed.
Hi! I made this tonight and it tasted great but felt a little spongey, it didnt seem like there was really any water in the cauliflower after I cooked it in the microwave, and I didnt have a cheesecloth, so im guessing that is the reason for the spongy texture? Your pictures look like your crust is really crispy especially on the ends! How would I go about using a the dishtowel method? Thanks so much!
Yes, the dish towel method is key for a crisp crust! You want to squeeze out as much water as possible using a clean dish towel, cheese cloth or even a t-shirt!
Is the 169.5 calorie count per serving of the crust or per serving of the crust + toppings?
Per serving of crust + toppings.
How do you make it so the cauliflower is absolutely dry? I’ve tried this a couple of times and the draining part is always super annoying. Do you have any tips for making the squeezing part faster?
Yes, the draining part is super tedious – it is best not to rush through it as it makes such a key difference in a crispier crust!
I have to say this was an amazing crust! After it was baked on parchment paper, I put the toppings on, then I slipped it onto a cooling rack (safe to 500°F) and cooked it. The crust was a bit crisper than when I did it the first time on just the baking pan. Still not a fold over New York Pizza, but everyone gobbled it up! The second time I did it, I made 2 and it still did not seem like enough for all of us. Even my 2 year old granddaughter ate a ton of it. Thank you for an amazing and healthy alternative that everyone can eat at the table, gluten free and all!
I’ve tried cauliflower crust in the past and it always came out spongey. I was a bit skeptical reading through these instructions until I noticed that you have to wring out the water from the cauliflower, which I had never done before. I tried this method and it came out GREAT! The crust was thin and crispy. No one in my family suspected a thing, they gobbled it all up! No deviations; no substitutions.
I’ve made this recipe twice. The first time around, I must not have squeezed out enough water, because my crust was too crumbly and messy. Otherwise, good flavor, so I decided I would try it again with modifications. Second time around, I chose to use pre-riced cauliflower out of convenience (less mess, less time to make), and used two heaping cups. Instead of microwaving it, I cooked it in a 12 inch cast iron skillet to allow for more water evaporation. Once it was soft, I mixed it together with low moisture mozzarella I shredded myself, plus the seasonings, eggs, and parmesan. Instead of using a baking sheet with parchment paper again, once I was done cooking the cauliflower I put a touch of oil onto the skillet and threw it into the heating oven. When the oven reached temperature/the skillet was hot, I pulled the skillet out, and poured the cauliflower mixture onto the bare skillet, spreading it with a spatula to cover the bottom of the skillet, and then proceeded with the recipe as instructed. This time, the pizza was FANTASTIC. The crust came out so crispy/firm from pre-heating the skillet that I could actually fold slices of the pizza to eat it with my hands. All in all, I recommend this recipe, but if you’re having trouble with it becoming a crumbly mess, considering frying the cauliflower instead of zapping it, and try using an oven-safe skillet that you preheat to form the crust in.
This sounds terrific. We don’t use a microwave in our home and I’m a fan of my skillet. I wanna try it your way.
this sounds great!! did you squeeze the water out of it? I am nervous to make this but it looks great!!!!
This looks so cute, Chungah!
I’ve yet to try making a cauliflour crust pizza, having done sweet potato instead and so will definitely be giving this a go soon. Thanks for sharing.
Loved this pizza crust! Has anyone tried freezing it?
I make several at a time and then freeze them for easy weeknight dinners!! Sooo good
What’s your process for freezing? Do you cook just cook the crust and then freeze or do you add toppings, bake and then freeze?
It looks delicious and am sure it was! Something I have to try soon!
How large does the head of cauliflower need to be ??
An average medium cauliflower is about 1-1 1/2 pounds.
Made it tonight and it was great! I used a little less of the Italian seasoning since it was too strong of a flavor that tasted a bit synthetic to me. It was Target brand seasoning so maybe next time I’ll try a different brand. Both myself and my 11 year old daughter liked it though!
I would like to try this using a pizza stone. Has anyone done this.
I made it using a pizza stone and the crust came out really soft. Not sure if I should bake longer. but then the toppings will burn. So It came out soft this time.. IDK why exactly.. Maybe I baked it too long or something or other along the process of making it… Its still really tasty!
For crispier crust I bake it a bit before putting the toppings on. Then return it to the oven.
Made pizza tonight. Delicious. I needed to bake crust a lot longer and I think I put Pam on both parchment paper and then again on the top. Next time I won’t coat parchment first.
same here. needs to be crunchier.
This is something I’ve been wanting to try!
Made it. Love it!
Can I use frozen riced cauliflower?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment.
I use this! I steam in the microwave and let it cook then squeeze! This pizza is awesome.
I do! I steam it and then let it cool and then squeeze the heck out of it in a dry dish cloth. works great!
Do you think you could steam the cauliflower first and then process? Trying to make this without a microwave. Thanks!
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment.
I, too, am thinking about how to make the crust without using a microwave. Seems like you’d need to use cheesecloth or something in the steamer since the cauliflower is chopped into crumbs. I was wondering about roasting it in the oven.
I put the cauliflower in a skillet and stick it in the over for 5 minutes or so.
You do not have to cook the cauliflower at all. Just shred it. I make this all the time. For a large pizza 2c shredded raw cauliflower, 2c mozzarella, 2 eggs. I like to shred lots of garlic into my crust as well.
Isn’t the crust more soggy cooki g it this way?
I always make mine WITHOUT cooking the cauliflower first.
Use a frying pan on med heat and cook out some of the liquid from the califlower. Stirring constantly to prevent Browning. (Unless of course you want it browned). I also reduced to 1 egg and used 1/2 cup of parmesan. Hard cheeses work best. I didn’t care for the “egg flavor” when using 2 eggs.. have fun . Great recipe w alterations 😉
I would suggest not steaming first. Steaming first, then processing, is how you make a mashed potato replacement with cauliflower.
You don’t have to microwave. I cooked it or water on the stove, like rice. Turned out great!
The pizza looks great. Perfect for Saturday movie night. Today my wife works. I will try to surprise her. I hope she will love it!
Looks yummy! I would love to see a video on how this recipe is made
Yup, I am one of those people who have thought, “A cauliflower crust? Ummmmm, no, thank you.” But your pictures are so drool-worthy, I think I’m gonna have to give this a try. You’ve never lead me astray before!
So simple I love it! And of course mini pepperoni! Can’t wait to try it!
I’ve mad quite a few of your recipes, and they’ve all turned out yummy. I can’t wait to try this one!
Hi Chungah,
This pizza looks so good. Love that you used a cauliflower crust.
Gotta try this sometime. Thanks for the easy recipe! 🙂
Amy
I’ve made this at least 10 times! It’s so good and easy.
I buy the rices cauliflower at Costco. I use 1-1/2 bags
And makes two cookie sheets square almost.
After I microwave cauliflower I let it cool and turn it out on a thin kitchen towel (clean) and squeeze excesss water. It forms a semi ball Then spread it on cookie sheet.
Try it!
What size are the bags of rice cauliflower?
So you can use the bag of “riced cauliflower” for this recipe???