Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe | Gluten-Free

What’s this? A recipe for cauliflower pizza crust? Well, a wise person once said – “If cauliflower can be pizza, you can be anything!” OK, you got us. We have no idea who said that, so we’re going to just attribute it to “the internet.” Anyhow, that brave soul was right. Cauliflower really can be pizza! We’re going to show you how to transform this veggie into a vegan, gluten-free pizza crust firm enough to hold in your hand!

Why Make Pizza Crust from Cauliflower?

Well, here are four great reasons! Cauliflower pizza crust is:

• Low in fat and carbs
• Gluten-free
• Nutritious
• And it tastes great!

Is it a Healthy Option?

Our vegan version certainly is! When you make this at home, you control the ingredients. Therefore, you can avoid the flour, eggs, and oil that might be in a commercial product. Of course, a pizza is only as healthy as the toppings, so bear that in mind.

A 100 g serving of cauliflower also delivers a high dose of vitamin C (80% recommended daily intake, RDI) and moderate amounts of vitamin B-6 (10% RDI) and vitamin K (20% RDI).

How to Make a Cauliflower Pizza Crust

To begin with, we’re going to make cauliflower “rice.” That’s simple – just use a cheese grater, or a food processor with a “grater” blade, to shred the cauliflower into tiny pieces. You’ll know when you’re done – it will look like a pile of rice! Quick note: you can use riced cauliflower to make many traditional rice dishes less starchy.

Next, we’re going to take our cauliflower rice and steam it. The benefit to steaming is that we cook the cauliflower without boiling away all the nutrients we mentioned above.

Avoid a Soggy Crust

The first trick for getting this vegan pizza crust to stick together is a big SQUEEZE! To do this, bundle up the cauliflower rice in a nut bag (or clean tea towel) and start pressing out the water. After you think you’ve squeezed it enough … don’t stop! Keep smooshing until that cauliflower is as dry as possible. No one wants a soggy pizza.

Use a Vegan Egg Alternative

The second trick to holding this vegan pizza together is the binder. There are other cauliflower pizza crust recipes out there, but many of them use eggs. However, we know that a good chia or flax “egg” is the perfect replacement. Both of these seeds form a handy gel when soaked in water, which is excellent for holding baked goods together. Flax and chia also bring a welcome dose of fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, and other nutrients.

How to Get a Firm and Crispy Pizza Crust

Now we’re in the final stages of the recipe – this cauliflower is nearly a gluten-free pizza! First, mix the cauliflower rice with the “eggs” and some seasoning (nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper). Then, push the mixture into a pizza pan. After that, bake it until it turns golden brown.

We really can’t stress this enough – pre-baking the crust is essential for making your cauliflower pizza slices firm!

Topping it Off

Here it is – the moment you’ve been waiting for. No, not eating it. We mean the moment before that – topping it! This is where you slap down a delicious sauce and set your imagination free!

So what’s it going to be? Do you want a classic (vegan) cheese pizza with a dusting of herbs? On the other hand, maybe you feel like creating controversy and adding pineapple? Alternatively, the pizza we photographed is loaded with some of our favorite veggies (roasted pumpkin or butternut squash work great). The variations are endless!

Can you Freeze the Crust?

To be honest, we never get to that point! We make just enough for a meal. However, the consensus among the other cauliflower cooks out there is – yes! Based on their advice, we recommend that you bake the crust first, put it in a sealed bag or container, and then freeze it. When you’re ready for pizza, let the crust thaw thoroughly. After that, you can add toppings and finish cooking it as described in the recipe.

So now, just get this vegan, gluten-free pizza goodness into the oven. You’ll be munching in no time! And when you’re done, please let us know what you think with a comment and rating! Every bit of feedback helps make the blog even better!

If you’re interested in trying gluten-free Pizza Dough instead, check out our super-simple recipe! Or for something a little different – how about our stunning Tomato and Green Onion Galette?

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