Super Cheesy Cauliflower Pizza Crust

March 2, 2016

SUPER Cheesy Cauliflower Pizza Crust - Sarcastic Cooking

Yesterday we kicked things off right with a basic thin crust and a Margherita pizza. Today, we are going all crazy up in here (up in here!) with this super cheesy cauliflower crust. I originally dabbled in the art of cauliflower crust for a kid friendly post a long, long time ago. Ha, how little I knew about what my future kid would really eat. He used to be a good eater. I don’t know where I went wrong. I think that maybe once you introduce kids to mac and cheese, something in them genetically changes and they only want mac and cheese or tater tots or McDonald’s cheeseburgers.

Hmm…or maybe if cauliflower didn’t smell so God awful when cooked, kids could be more easily fooled into eating things that are good for them. Whoa, holy tangent. Sorry.

Alright, where were we? Cauliflower crust.

Now like I said earlier, I did the whole cauliflower crust trend when it first came out. I wasn’t impressed. I thought it was soggy and more like a casserole than a pizza crust. Well, fast forward to 5 years later and the wonderfully talented Jessica from How Sweet It Is happens to post a supreme pizza on a cauliflower crust recipe right when I am planning for #pizzamonth. Talk about kismet.

So, I made it. Then I made it again. It is soooo good.

Lemme walk you through the basics of a good cauliflower crust. First, you have to pulse the cauliflower florets until they are like snow.

DSC_0130

Microwave the cauliflower snow. The next important thing is to let them cool on paper towels. This allows some of the moisture from microwaving to go away.

This next step is THE MOST IMPORTANT!!! I cannot stress this enough. If you have tried cauliflower crust in the past and it hasn’t been crisp it is because you didn’t get all the liquid out of the cauliflower before mixing it with the other ingredients. Now when I say to put the cauliflower in a towel and wring it, I mean wring it. Then wring it out some more. This is the most time consuming step. I literally stood over my sink wringing out cauliflower for 10 minutes. I even switched kitchen towels. It helps to wring out a little at a time.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust Ingredients Before Mixing

After that step, it is all easy peasy. Use your hands to mush all the ingredients together and then form into a ball. Press the dough out into a 12 inch circle on some parchment. I even pat the top of the crust with some paper towels at this point just to be sure to remove any excess moisture.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust Pre-Bake

Then, bake, top, and bake again. Done!

Baked Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ok, so yeah it isn’t normal pizza crust which means you can’t treat it like normal pizza crust. If you cut your pizza into small squares and don’t add many toppings, then maybe you will be able to eat this with your hands. But, where is the fun in that? Go big or go home.

That is why I had to make the supreme pizza to go with this crust. (PS Right before I started typing this, I polished off 3 slices aka half this pizza in one sitting).

Hopefully my talk through this crust making and the tips I offered help you to make the perfect, non-mushy crust!

Super Cheesy Cauliflower Pizza Crust

The cheesiest and crispiest fork and knife kinda cauliflower crust you have ever had!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 1 , 12 Inch Pizza

Ingredients

  • 1 Large Head of Cauliflower cut into small florets
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Mozzarella
  • 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil
  • 2 Large Eggs lightly beaten

Instructions

  1. Add florets to a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. The cauliflower should look almost like snow.
  2. Add the cauliflower snow to a large microwave safe bowl. Cover the bowl with a paper towel. Microwave for five minutes. Spread the cauliflower out on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to cool.
  3. Once cool to the touch, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place your pizza stone or pizza pan in the oven for the whole preheat time.
  4. Add small handfuls of the cooked cauliflower to a kitchen towel. Wring out all the liquid over the sink. Think you are done, then wring some more. Transfer the dried cauliflower to a separate dry bowl.
  5. Once all the cauliflower has been drained, add in all the remaining ingredients. Use your hands to form the dough into a ball.
  6. Place the ball on the center of a large piece of parchment paper. Use your fingers to press the dough out into a thin 12 inch circle.
  7. Carefully transfer the dough along with the parchment to the pizza stone, pizza pan. Bake int he oven for 15 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven, add toppings, and then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until dark golden and crisp around the edges.
  9. Recipe adapted from here and here

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  • Pauline
    May 11, 2017 at 7:27 pm

    Dreadful, followed it by the letter, had big strong hubby wringing out moisture from cauliflower, no one could have gotten more moisture out. Yet it was still a soggy mess when forming into a triangle. Had to eat with a spoon. No substitute for bread.

    • Stefanie
      May 15, 2017 at 2:46 pm

      I am sorry you had a bad experience with this recipe. I am even more sorry for the squandered pizza toppings.

  • mari
    July 14, 2016 at 6:05 am

    Can’t view directions to make super cheesy pizza

  • Terri
    April 2, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    How much is a large head of cauliflower? I chopped one up and it looks like way more than your’s. Do you have a cup measurement possibly?

    • Stefanie
      April 2, 2016 at 7:11 pm

      I would say about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of riced/grated cauliflower.

      • Terri
        April 2, 2016 at 7:59 pm

        Thanks!