After nearly a dozen attempts I am finally excited to share my cauliflower crust with you! I originally tried to make a vegan, gluten-free crust, but no matter what I tried, you had to eat it with a fork. Most people I know like to pick up a slice, so I switched up the recipe and threw in an egg, which made all the difference. The crust is not crispy, but you can definitely pick it up. YAY!!!
I normally use a large head of cauliflower, but for convenience you could use the bagged cauliflower “rice” and get the same results. The only difference is that you will get a smaller crust.
My crust appears yellowish due to the turmeric (a potent anti-inflammatory), so I try to sneak it into many recipes. It won’t taste different and once you put marinara sauce and toppings on top, no one will even notice. It’s a win-win!
Choose your toppings carefully (aka lots of veggies) and you will enjoy a very low cal version of this popular dish! The crust is a gluten-free and paleo version that you will love!
Once baked, the crust freezes well! Bonus!!!
Serves 4
Pizza Crust Ingredients: 1 large head cauliflower ½ c fresh parsley, chopped ¼ c almond meal 1 egg 1 tsp garlic, minced 1 tsp turmeric, ground 1 tsp fennel seed ¼ tsp black pepper, cracked ¼ tsp salt
Optional toppings ingredients (calories): add calories of all toppings used and divide by 4 – add to crust calories • 2 c arugula (8 cal) • 1 c spinach (4 cal) • ½ c marinara sauce (80 cal) • ½ c artichokes, roughly chopped (62 cal) • ½ c mushrooms, sliced (8 cal) • ½ c cheese: mozzarella (160) or goat cheese (200) • ¼ c parmesan (55 cal) • ¼ c red, purple or yellow bell peppers, sliced (25 cal) • ¼ c black olives, sliced (50 cal) • ¼ c red onion, sliced or chopped (10 cal)
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 450F degrees
2. Wash and dry cauliflower and break into bite-sized pieces.
3. In batches, add cauliflower to food processor and pulse until finely ground.
4. Steam cauliflower either in microwave or on the stove until soft. Dump into a colander and let it cool.
5. Remove cauliflower and put into the middle of cheesecloth and twist tightly over sink, removing all liquid. You will be amazed at how long this could take…5 or more minutes! If you need to stop and take a short break – that’s ok!
6. Place drained cauliflower contents in a medium-large bowl and add the balance of crust ingredients. Mix well and form into a ball.
7. Put ball on parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza stone and spread into 12” round. Press crust out thin and form a small lip on crust edge.
8. Bake crust for ~ 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and top with your favorite toppings.
9. Return to oven and bake until hot – approximately 5-10 minutes or until toppings are cooked.
10. Remove from oven and top with fresh arugula, basil, and additional cheese, as desired.
Slice and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts (crust only): Calories 120 Fat 5 gm Carbohydrates 14 gm Fiber 7 gm Sodium 230 mg Sugar 5 gm Protein 8 gm
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