In the past few years, cauliflower pizza crust has gained a huge popularity among people who are watching their carb intake. Now you can indulge in “pizza”, America’s favourite comfort food, and eat it too. I held off making cauliflower pizza crust recipe until now, simply because I was confused by various cooking methods, and knew it would take me some time to come up with a foolproof recipe. And I was right, it took me 3 pizzas and 2 days, and here we are.
You are looking at the best cauliflower pizza crust recipe on the web. It’s not mushy and you can really hold the slice. And it is delicious! I won’t lie, the crust doesn’t taste like regular pizza crust (duh!) but is super tasty, plus the toppings on top => to die for.
MY LATEST RECIPESIf you are looking for a less time consuming but yet lighter pizza recipe, check out my oatmeal pizza crust. Cauliflower biscuits and cauliflower breadsticks are a great guilt free alternative too.
Because I made all these pizza at various times, you will see different pans and crusts. The Mediterranean one was delicious but mushy. Not anymore though since I perfected the dreaded cauliflower crust.
How to Make Cauliflower Pizza Crust
You need a large head of cauliflower, 6″ – 7″ in diameter, about 2.5 – 3 lbs. Naturally, cauliflower contains a lot of water, and after you remove the outer leaves and separate it into florets, you are not left with much. Rinse it under cold water and do not dry. I would also recommend making 2 pizza crusts at a time since cauliflower cooks down a lot and doesn’t make a huge pizza. Unless you are cooking cauliflower pizza crust recipe only for yourself.
Place cauliflower florets in a food processor and process until “rice” texture. Some coarse chunks are fine. You will be baking and then squeezing the cauliflower, so really chunks do not matter.
Tip #1: You can use store bought cauliflower rice instead of making your own, about 5-6 cups. Today, you can buy it in Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Costco etc. I love cauliflower rice a lot and buy bags at a time and freeze. If you are looking for more cauliflower rice recipes, see my cauliflower rice recipes and frozen cauliflower rice recipes.
To cook cauliflower, you can either bake it in the oven for 15 minutes or microwave for 8 minutes. Then transfer cooked cauliflower to a bowl lined with cheesecloth. You can also use a linen tea towel like this one. I used it to make cauliflower breadsticks and it worked like a charm.
Tip #2: You can find cheesecloth in most well-stocked supermarkets, dollar store or on Amazon for a very reasonable price.
Holding by the four corners of cheesecloth with one hand, squeeze out the liquid as much as you can with another hand. Squeeze really well, quite a few times, I mean it! Count it as an arm workout for the day. Cauliflower should be pretty dry. I squeezed and then moved the cauliflower around a bit, and squeezed again. If your arm is sore for a bit after, you did it well.
You should be left with a cauliflower mash. Transfer it to a bowl with remaining ingredients and mix.
Using your hands, flatten cauliflower mixture on a lined with parchment paper or silicone mat regular baking sheet or round pizza pan (don’t forget to spray it with cooking spray). Make it smaller than shown in the video. I made it a bit too thin which is not the end of the world, it’s just crust needs longer cooking time which burns the edges a bit.
Tip #3: More likely your crust will not cover as much of a pan as shown in the picture above. It depends on the size of your round pizza pan. And if you are using rectangular baking sheet, size will vary. Any baking sheet works.
Then bake for 20 minutes, flip and bake for a few more minutes until crispy. Your healthy cauliflower pizza crust is ready.
Now the fun part begins – toppings. I made 3 kinds: Mediterranean, chicken, and pepper + cheese.
Pictured above is Mediterranean cauliflower pizza: tomato sauce, bell pepper, tomato, olives, red onion, feta cheese and parsley.
And below is chicken and pepper cauliflower pizza: tomato sauce, sliced grilled chicken breast, olives, red onion and cheese.
Honestly, my favourite was cheese cauliflower pizza. I was quite surprised with myself but I loved the combination of cauliflower + cheese.
So, if you have been waiting to jump on the cauliflower pizza crust bandwagon, here is your chance. I think I took all the guessing out for you. Make it and let me know how your cauliflower pizza turns out. Also what pizza toppings have you used?! I would love to hear your ideas!
PrintCauliflower Pizza Crust
Cauliflower Pizza Crust that is healthy, crispy and simply the best foolproof step by step recipe with tips on how to make it faster.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 slices
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower (6″ – 7″ wide or 2.5-3 lbs) or 5-6 cups of store bought cauliflower rice
- 1 egg, large
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (dried oregano or basil)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese, grated/shredded
- Cooking spray (I use Misto)*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper or silicone mat.
- Rinse cauliflower, remove the outer leaves, separate into florets and chop into smaller pieces. Process in a food processor in 2 batches, until “rice” texture forms (skip if using store-bought “rice”). Transfer cauliflower rice on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 mins.
- Remove cooked cauliflower rice from the oven, transfer to a bowl lined with a double/triple layered cheesecloth or linen towel, and let cool for 5 minutes. Then squeeze the liquid out of the ball (cauliflower inside the cheesecloth) as hard as you can. Be patient and do this a few times until barely any liquid comes out. Muscle work.:)
- Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg with dried herbs, salt and pepper for 10 seconds. Add cheese and squeezed cauliflower; mix very well with spatula until combined.
- Line same baking sheet with new parchment paper or same silicone mat (just make sure to scrape off any bits of cauliflower) and spray with cooking spray. Transfer “dough” in the middle and flatten with your hands until thin pizza crust forms. Make it thicker that in my video, I made it a bit too thin.
- Bake for 20 minutes, carefully flip with spatula and bake for a few more minutes. Top with your favourite toppings and bake again until cheese on top turns golden brown. Slice and enjoy.
Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 2 days.
Freeze: Tightly wrapped in plastic for 1 month.
Notes
You could cook cauliflower rice in a microwave (I just don’t have one) adjusting time according to your microwave’s abilities (they all differ).
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
Great recipe! My hubby loved it!
★★★★★
SO yummy. Made this as a pesto veggie pizza topping with kale, red onion, grape tomatoes, garlic, and feta cheese. Definitely need to make double the dough (meaning two large heads of cauliflower) if you want to feed more than two. Honestly I could eat the whole thing by myself and not feel bad.
★★★★★
This was a pretty good pizza substitute while on a keto diet. My husband and daughter said it was pretty good too. We topped it with green peppers, yellow peppers, and onion. Thanks!!
★★★★★
Wow, great! I’ve made a few cauliflower crust recipes and none come close to this one. Easy to pick up and eat and delish! Highly recommend.
★★★★★
Made this last night! Instructions were easy to follow. I topped the cauliflower crust with tomato sauce,bell pepper,red onion,parsley,feta cheese and pepperoni! I ate half of pizza for dinner and the other half for lunch today! Tasted delicious and I didn’t have to feel guilty about eating pizza dough made from white flour. I will definitely be making this again! Thanks for the recipe😊
★★★★★
WINNER, WINNER, PIZZA DINNER! I was amazed at how soft and palatable this “crust” is. Baking and squeezing the stink out of the cauliflower is the key, and the final product didn’t taste at all cruciferous. I topped my crust with a little mozzarella and a ton of veggies; SO Good! And it reheated well the next day too.
Just one question…when you make a crust and freeze it for later, do you freeze before baking or after?
★★★★★
Glad you enjoyed it!:) Freeze after baking and then thaw completely before baking with toppings.
OMG! My kids love this pizza! Worked good for me
★★★★★
Great taste. I need to find a way to make it crispier. We squeezed the heb out of it. Maybe roasting the cauliflower is better.
This is much better than I expected. I LOATHE cauliflower, but am watching what I eat, of course and went in with an open mind. It has a unique flavor, definitely doesn’t taste like dough, but good! I did a version with red and green onion, fresh garlic and mozzarella mixed with parmesean.I nixed the sauce this time, but look forward to trying a version with a garlic sauce of sorts. I do believe the key is getting as much water out as possible. I cut it with a pizza cutter and the slices held up just like an actual pizza crust! Thanks for the recipe! I have a picture but can’t seem to find a way to attach it.
You got it right. There is no way to attach image to a comment here. You can post it on social media and tag @ifoodreal and/or #ifoodreal
I’m a busy college student and single mom. After having bariatric surgery I’m looking for really protein packed low-carb meals. I have been finding the cauliflower rice in the grocery stores and I’m wondering how many cups of that would equate to your head of cauliflower you’re using in the recipes? ( I also don’t own a food processor) Thank you for your recipes the breadsticks were delicious !
Hey. I would say 5-6. All the best to you!:)
Hey, Anne-Marie, I’ve also had bariatric surgery and try to get as much protein as possible. There’s a protein powder called Genepro, it has no texture, no flavor, and it dissolves in cold liquid well (find it on Amazon) you can add it to this recipe to add even more protein. I add it in the part where you’re whisking the eggs to make sure it’s totally dissolved. The only thing with Genepro is don’t reheat the pizza in the microwave. Microwaves do something weird to the protein powder and it turns gummy. But it’s great in everything..I’ve even added it to ketchup! Baked muffins with it, etc.
★★★★★
I put basil leaves in food processor during the ricing time. Basil will blend with caulifower for excelent tasting crust. I do use pizza stone, flip the crust, and cut all toppers to 1/4 size so it cooks in 10 – 15 minutes.
What if I wanted to use frozen cauliflower? How many cups do you estimate as the equivalent of a head?
Please look through previous comments, it is somewhere there.
I am lactose intolerant, and was wondering if the parmesan cheese could be substituted or taken out of the recipe?
You can add a bit of nutritional yeast or skip Parmesan at all.
This was delicious and actually easy to make! I took my time. One head of cauliflower made a big pizza, def enough to feed 2 adults. The Parmesan and Italian seasoning in the crust makes it sooo tasty!
Have you tried frozen riced cauliflower? It seems it may take a step out… they also make it with other veggies riced in. Would def be worth a try!
See, it is very easy to rice cauliflower. That is only a 3 minute process. If it was cooked then yes…
Cauliflower pizza crust was soggy. I squeezed a lot. Still was soft crust. What can make it crispy
Sigh, I am not sure cauliflower crust pizza will come out crispy. It should hold together and be crispy on the edges, but overall it is a soft crust. Read through the comments what others did. I think I have seen someone saying they flipped the crust. Press Command F on your Mac and search for word “crispy” throughout the page.:)
HOLY SHIT THIS RECIPE POPPIN
This was not a quick recipie! I found it quite labor intensive. On the plus side, have you tried drinking the water you squeeze out of the cauliflower? Don’t throw it out! It not only tastes amazingly sweet and beautiful I bet it would be great as part of a veggie soup or even, just as a drink while ur waiting for your pizza to bake.
I tried this recipe tonight and loved it! We did BBQ chicken, jalapenos, pineapple, and red onion as our topping. Such a fun dinner! Thank you for the directions.
I used your recipe and I’m blown away! It turned out perfectly!! Thank you!!
Good news, Raychael.:)
I love pizza and had to give it up ?Now I have a healthy alternative I’m gonna try my first one day. Thank you for this I will post how it turns out.
I am going to try this method. I made one this past Sunday and it was nasty. Too much cheese and it was mushy. I’m going to see if squeezing makes a difference. My crust was nothing like a bread stick.
Squeezing makes all the difference. Do it really well.
Great recipe! I was pretty disappointed after all the work of making the crust that it only feeds one person :/
Other than that, great information. Thank you!
Hi Eve. I would have to agree with you. That is why I highly recommend to make 2 at a time. At least!
I love this recipe! I’m going to make it tonight @BlueBarnKitchen
Worderful recipe! Thank you, it tasted great! Put marinara and mozzarella and basil, was a family hit!
You made me crave basil, tomatoes and summer in general.
So wonderful to see someone who does not rely on the microwave to do all the little things for them. You would not believe how many recipes I had to go thru to find your recipe which uses the oven instead of the microwave. Thank you so very much! <
You are very welcome! I did a kitchen remodel last year and took out my microwave completely. Not miss it a bit. I do not want to be a guinea pig.
I tried this tonight for my family and friends- flavor was AMAZING!! However, my crust stuck the parchment paper badly:( I had to flip the whole pizza over and peel it off- the crust was soft not sturdy at all. Any ideas? Should I have sprayed the parchment? I followed your recipe exactly and not sure where I went astray! Everyone loved it anyone and they are all looking forward to my redo:) thank you for sharing and for any tips you might have.
Hi Emily. Spray the parchment paper next time and try to squeeze the liquid out better.
I just cook “rice” in skillet or oven bake it for 5-10 minutes to dry it out. Omits sqeezing out the liquid and works great!
A hint for burnt edges, raise them and make sure the edges are thicker than the pie.
The Mediterranean version looks amazing!
I’m trying that next!!
I baked my cauliflower rice in the oven and got that much liquid out as in pictures. Not sure how yours doesn’t fall apart…
Do you think putting the cauliflower through a juicer would work? It should take out all the water right?
I don’t know. I have never worked with a juicer. Sorry.
Is it possible to pre make the crust and freeze? If you can, would it be best to bake it before freezing or afterwards? Thank you!!!!
Hi Amy. Yes, you can freeze it. I don’t think it matters before or after.
Just a dream. Thank you for your delicious-looking recipe.. heading down to buy the ingredients. Just amazing really how creativity can be so delicious!
Angela
You are welcome, Angela. Can take full credit for pictures but not the creativity of the recipe though.:)
Is there a reason you don’t rice the cauliflower after cooking it the first time? I’m just thinking it might be easier to do once it’s softer.
Nah. Food processor does the job so I don’t care when it is easier for him. Actually, it might become like mashed potatoes if ricing cooked.
LOVED the pizza, I am on a low carb plan and this satisfied my cravings, I enjoyed pepperoni and pre roasted veggies on mine 🙂 I used a nut milk bag to drain the cauliflower, its much more sturdy than cheesecloth so it doesn’t bust, thought I would share that tip !
Great idea, Tina. I do not own a nut milk bag so couldn’t test. Makes sense.
This was so yummy! Really loved it, thanks for sharing! It really is an amazing substitute for regular pizza crust, and so good for you!
Hello! I noticed that the ingredients include one egg and I was wondering where it is used in the proccess. I did not read that an egg was used anywhere and I would really like to make this recipe tomorrow. Thank you!
Egg is mixed with squeezed cooked cauliflower and cheese to bake final crust.
I’ve been scrolling and reading for 10 minutes trying to extract the useful info from all the adjectives. HA As far as i can tell, u took the cauliflower and through it into the oven. What about those ingredients listed? What about the egg? Hiw do u get it to the oven without any other ingredients? Seems it would b a dry crumbly mess..
Full recipe is at the bottom of the post.
Tried it out for dinner tonight. Was delicious! Thanks for sharing!
I’m not sure cooking the cauliflower previously to assembling the crust is absolutely necessary. I just grinded mine in the food processor, added the egg and cheese and patted out into a shape on a silcone baking mat and baked it at 375 for about 15 mins and it was perfect.
Good idea. Thanks for the tip and for saving us an extra step.
WHAT HAPPENS Iif I use packed parm cheese?
It won’t hold together as well.
I did everything you said to do and my crust is so soft. I can not take out a slice with out it dropping everywhere. What did I do wrong and any suggestions?
Could be you need to squeeze more liquids out. Like a lot! Many people underestimate how much. Let it cool next time so you can squeeze easily. Also did you use fresh cheese, no shaker stuff?!
Has anyone tried making it without an egg? I am interested in making this, but I don’t eat eggs.
Is it a problem if I don’t use a cheese for the crust only as a topping? If it needs something to work as a binder is there any substitute?
Unfortunately no substitutes.
I just made it. It’s delish.
Mine came out soggy. Crust fell apart. Squeezed water out til my hands hurt. Don’t know what went wrong. Do you use fresh parmesan or mozarella? I used the Kraft parmesan in can. Could that have been the problem.
Oh no, can’t use that stuff. Has to be fresh cheese, both cheeses.
Did it, was amazing! I drank the cauliflower broth as well, didn’t want it to sit in my fridge and go to waste. I didn’t have parchment paper so I oiled my pan with coconut oil. I had a bit of a hard time getting the finished product off but it was still great, just ate it with a fork and knife. Toppings: last nights rice and tofu spicy taco mix, fresh red pepper, mushrooms and after baking I added fresh tomato, cilantro and rucola. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
I’ve made this twice now and LOVE it. My kids also love it – the oldest requests it.
Do you have to squeez the califlower an until there are no drops?
Pretty much.
I made it.BUT it took me like 10 times to get good enough to make a well made pizza
You are a saint, I swear
Hi! great recipe!! do you first bake the base, then add the toppings and then bake again or you bake everything together? thanks
Yes, bake the base first to firm up and then bake again with toppings.
Hi, how do you squeeze the water out of the cauliflower (through the cheesecloth)? I made this recipe once and it turned out great, but the cauliflower is so hot after baking it the first time that I really couldn’t figure out how to squeeze it without burning my hands. What am I missing?
You have to let cauliflower cool down. I think I mentioned that…:)
Is there anything I can use in place of a food processer? I don’t have one, but really want to try this recipe soon.
You could finely chop the cauliflower (labour intensive) or maybe coarsely grate?! I think you could also cook florets in water, drain and mash, then squeeze the liquid out.
That looks very interesting. My wife swore of wheat after reading “Wheat Belly”, so we have been looking at a variety of substitutes for her favourite meals (she still has the odd craving).
Never heard of cauliflower pizza base until now – so that might have to be the next experiment. It will be a nice change for her.
Tell her to try wheat grown in Europe…
I literally just made this pizza, and oh man it was delish!!!! Prepping all the cauliflower was a little bit of work, but so worth is. Thank you for such a great recipe!!
This was amazing! I topped with green chile and turkey pepperoni…yum.
awesome! I just made it and ate half of it. sooo good it curbs my craving for high fat high carb pizza!
this looks yummy have you tried making this without the cheese I wonder if it will work using say almond meal to get the cauliflower to be able to spread.
I don’t think it will stay together.
I made this a few months ago and it was AMAZING!!! I’m making it again tonight and I am super excited! 🙂
Too bad cheese has so much fat, the only downfall! haha
Haha. I know. Nailed carbs in the crust, now let’s come up with a cheese substitute. A sprinkle of nutritional yeast anyone?!LOL
My husband and I were so excited to try this out as we are doing low carb eating! Your directions were perfect and reading other replies helped me a lot. Taking the time to wring out the water was key! We did a bbq chicken pizza with onions, green peppers and a little crumbled bacon. We used a few drops of extra virgin olive oil and barbecue sauce for the bottom. Our second we did with a pizza sauce and did half veggie and half turkey pepperoni and onions. Delicious as well! Thanks for this wonderful recipe!!!!
so sorry for any confusion. I did not add 2 extra eggs… 2 eggs total. They weren’t huge and I didn’t think it would hurt and it didn’t 😉
Great. On a side note, check the ingredients in Daya. If you want to eat healthy not sure it is. A bit of real organic cheese is better I think.
Olena its EXQUISITE! I used a t shirt to squeeze as my linen dish towels were dirty 😉 worked great. I froze it in dry ball as the night I made it I was too tired from squeezing to go further. Came out spectacular. Added in addition to recipe, garlic to crust and 2 eggs. As soon as I cleanse the house from dairy cheese, which this pizza pretty much did 😉 I will use the vegan non-dairy Daiya cheeses for recipe. I have used Daiya for many things in past and it works wonderfully. Used LOTS of crimini mushrooms and plenty of garlic sauteed up on top with plenty of cheese of course. It could not be classed as healthy with the amount of cheese I used but it was DELICIOUS!!! It holds up just as if it was a flour crust! No complaints! In fact I thought I was going to need to complain (to myself 😉 ) as the cauliflower smelled so much like cauliflower as the steps progressed and I do not like cauliflower but the end product has NO cauliflower taste or smell 😉 YEAH! Now that may be that I have so overwhelmed it with cheese… but I’m happy! Thank You Olena for sharing and as others have shared… for Your precise directions. Nicely done! Now many of us that are not able to have grains can still eat junk food! 😉 On another topic – say to Your friends: if You think the microwave is healthy then You have not watched a piece of liver cook in the mircro… and then maybe set up a demonstration with a chicken liver… That is so destructive on a molecular level it is horrific!! Since I saw that, I don’t use it! Much blessing upon You & Yours Olena for all Your hard work!
Awesome! Yes final product doesn’t have much cauliflower taste. I agree. Glad it worked and you for creative with the shirt.
I used my juicer to get the liquid from the fresh cauliflower and then used the pulp. It worked as a charm.
That’s very ingenious of you! How did it turn out?
ok…..Made this before, but a slightly different way. We just boiled the cauliflower florets and then mashed them down, took a paper towel to them added mozerella, Parmesan etc. . It was ok, i think because we didnt get that much water out of the crust before baking. This time everything looks and taste great! BTW…all the women who responded to this receipt are stunningly beautiful. I hope everyone has a great day and enjoy the receipt!
I was so excited to find your recipe and try it. I have university age boys and made 2 pizzas, there wasn’t a slice left. They said it tasted better than any pizza they have bought.. Now they are requesting a pizza night once a week.. Next is the breadsticks for football Sundays.. Love your site and your recipes are amazing!
For 2 university boys, I would quadruple the recipe.:) Thank you so much, Lynn!
I just wanted to say thanks for posting this recipe without microwave directions! I have stopped using the microwave and can’t believe the amount of healthier food recipes have microwave directions!!!!
I recently wrote how I stopped using microwave because it’s not healthy and many people wrote me back saying it is perfectly OK.:)
Hey…thanks for this recipe…I have made it a couple of times now with different toppings…
I’m a guy whose favorite food is pizza. Been eating clean and healthy for a few years now. This is the closest I come these3 days to chowing on actual pizza. It’s great.
I have sent this to people over the place. You are helping to feed a bunch of folks…
Enjoy and thanks for free advertisement!:)
I put the cauliflower inmy vitamix with lots of water to crumble it . It worked great..
I just made this and it is absolutely DELICIOUS! With a recent discovery of Gluten intolerance, this is PERFECT for my pizza cravings!!! Thank you soooo much for posting this!
I’m wondering; would this recipe work if I blended freeze-dried cauliflower so I don’t have to squeeze out any moisture?
I don’t know what it looks or feels like. Sorry but no idea.
I made this tonight. The crust got stuck to the wax paper. Would a glass casserole dish work better do you think??? It tasted great but it was just like a big pile of pizza haha. I could not pick it up with my hands. I think i need to get a cheese cloth. I kind of strained it out by hand and also used one of those hand held strainer things….
You need to use cheesecloth or linen kitchen towel and bake on parchment paper. No glass dish please.:)
I used parchment paper and mine got stuck too!!!
Spray well with cooking spray, especially near the edges. I had no problems using Misto. Maybe it sprays better than Pam or any propellant sprays?! Another reason to ditch them.:)
Brilliant idea! I tried this tonight with mixed results. It was tasty but I think I patted it down too thin in hopes to make it bigger–this make it fall apart in some places. You were right…it did take a lot to wring all that water out. I’m going to experiment with this again. Thank you!
Thank you! I followed your instructions meticulously, and it turned out absolutely delicious! Even my husband liked it, and neither of us really like cauliflower to begin with. I used a linen tea towel to squeeze out the water, and it seemed to work well. For toppings, we made a Greek with peppers, onions, tomatoes and feta cheese, and a Chicken Bruschetta (which was my favorite) with pesto sauce, chicken and tomatoes, topped with fresh basil and parmesan cheese after baking. Thanks so much for the step by step instructions!
I use a potato ricer to squeeze out the excess water. My potato ricer only compresses the cauliflower it does not push it through. Much easier than cheesecloth and you don’t burn your hands.
Just made this for lunch, the crust is absolutely delicious! My crust held together, its just a little soft. I didn’t double/triple layer the cheesecloth and while squeezing the water out I was also squeezing cauliflower out, I’m guessing that’s why the crust was a little soft. Topped mine with cheese, gluten free uncured pepperoni, a little bit of chopped onion, spinach, diced cherry tomatoes and some more italian seasonings. Thank you so much for the recipe, I will definitely make this again!
Made it and it turned out pretty tasty. Just one problem I had: how do I squeeze it out without burning the hell out of my hand? It came out of the microwave piping hot and I had a really hard time getting all the moisture out by hand. It came out a tad soggy
You have to let is cool a bit. Spread it out and it will cool faster, then squeeze.
I can’t wait to try this recipe, it looks amazing! I’m on weight watchers and noticed you counted the crust as 2pp. Does that include the cheese you use in the crust as well? I’m really trying to avoid cheese – do you think it will work without adding it to the crust?
Thanks!
Yes, that is including the cheese. I don’t think it will work without cheese. It acts as a glue…I’m not eating much cheese either, so I understand where you are coming from… Don’t add any cheese on top, save there.:)
In a word: FANTASTIC. I made Margarita style pizza (basil, raw garlic, tomato, goat cheese, fresh mozzarella) and it blew me away. I squeezed, squeezed and squeezed some more until the cauliflower was bone dry. Then, like some of the suggestions I have seen, I turned the crust over once to ensure moisture was gone. The crust was perfect.
I am going to experiment with appetizer sized fig and caramelized onion pizzas by using a juice glass to make the small pizza shapes and serve them at an upcoming wine and cheese.
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. I will never make traditional pizza crust again!
Sounded so delicious that I am now baking the first stage of this recipe … Smells good already … Two questions … is it hard to flip the crust? Also for the only cheese pizza … Any tomato sauce on that one? Thanks
Ok so I did a half and halfer … It’s in the last stage in the oven … waiting for the first taste 🙂
I did put tomato sauce on my cheese pizza. And I think you have figured out the rest.:) I’m sure you can flip the crust.
So excited to make this tomorrow!
Thank you for this recipe!!!!!! I have 90 lbs to lose and this recipe is the only thing that helps me cut out bread.
Good luck! You can do it, trust me! It’s easier than you think!
I wonder if they have a home version of a centrifuge? A centrifuge would remove 99% of the water. Salad spinner…no….centrifuge…yes!
Hi new to your website by way of Instagram and you are totally breaking me out of my food rut! Sorry if you’ve answered this question before but what’s the correct method for freezing? Do freeze it in the cooked squeezed out ball and then defrost that to form flattened crust or do I freeze it after the initial bake before you add toppings?
Hi Jillian. Freeze after an initial bake, tightly wrapped in plastic.
I was searching for cauliflower pizza crust and yours popped up first. I used a different one last time, I have to say I really really preferred yours it held up very well and I added fresh basil and parsley from my garden and used canned chopped tomatoes with Italian seasoning I had in the refrigerator along with garlic powder. I ripped my flour sack cloth while squeezing, I felt it was a little moist when I flatten it so I took a couple of napkins pressed on dough and removed the excess, it worked! Thank you for the recipe this will be my go to for pizza crust.
I can’t wait to try this! Looks delish 🙂
I made a regular cheese pizza but also made a homemade low-carb pizza sauce to put on as well – I felt like I was eating pizza but without the guilt. Thanks!
I am cooking the crust now…for the person who was not impressed cause it fell apart, did you put an egg in it? I quickly put this together and forgot the egg. So I tried again mixing all the ingredients plus toppings (just cheese) together and cooked it again. It is looking good and golden brown now. And just finished..
It looks delicious! I love this topping: tomatoes, cheese and mushrooms, all cut in small pieces, and mixed with olive oil, salt and oregano.Thanks for your recipe!
Mine came out great! I grated mozzarella for my cheese, and dusted it with parmesan before the final baking. I couldn’t find cheesecloth at my walmart, so I used white flour sack and folded it twice, using a new sheet on the second draining.I also used crisco and a brown paper bag to get a light coating on my pizza pan. I had no problems with sticking.
Mine crust sticked the parchment paper…. Otherwise awesome
I am about to make this tomorrow, can not wait! I am worried about the sticking also..can we spray a little olive oil on parchment paper, or Pam even tho I really hate Pam lol anything to prevent sticking and ruin all the hard work. Figured I’d ask before I did something wrong, thanks so much!!!
Yes, you can brush or spray oil. Please n oPam, it’s a killer for your health. I never had a sticking issue though.
Planning to try. but based on all the enthusiastic replies I’m thinking out loud and wondering if buying cauliflower when it’s nice in the fall, bake it. press it, THEN DRYING IN A FOOD DEHYDRATOR to have it on hand and shorten the process. FREEZE IN PIZZA mAKING PORTIONS. I’ll let you know how it goes. storage estimate anyone?
Delish! I had tried this awhile back with a slightly different recipe & it did not come out as well. Glad I gave it another shot! I also used actual cheesecloth instead of a towel this time–last time two towels ripped, so I couldn’t finish draining, prob why not as good, but I also went really thin this time and precooked the crust a full 20 min. We topped with crumbled sausage, red peppers, jalepenos & Italian cheese blend. I used freshly grated asiago for the cheese in the crust. This pizza came out better than any healthy dough pizza I’ve ever tried. Will def make again! TFS
So glad to hear that, Meggo! Cauliflower crust requires precise cooking method but is really easy once you got a hang of it.:)
I just saw this recipe and the cauliflower is in the oven for the first round as I write! Really curious as to how it will turn out and if my man will like it too. We are both older and need to lose some serious weight. Finding a crust that is not high on the carbs is exactly what we need!
It worked! And it is delicious! My husband did miss the chewiness of the traditional pizza crust but did find it interesting and good! So easy that I don’t even need the recipe!
Made a cheese pizza with this recipe last night. Turned out great. Thank you for articulating the instructions so clearly. You must be an elementary school teacher, correct?
I’m not a teacher but I have kids and went to University, which seems to be for ages. LOL. Thank you for the compliment and glad you enjoyed the pizza.
Made this tonight. It was delicious! I topped mine with parmesano reggiano, mozzarella, homemade pizza sauce, bacon, ham, sausage, pepperoni, roasted red peppers, yellow squash, and mushrooms! To. Die. For! Thank you!
I’ve always been curious about cauliflower crusts, but was worried about them being soggy. It seems that you’ve found the way around it AND you did something that most people fail to do. When you mentioned using a “large head of cauliflower, you clarified what size that was – a 7″ – 8″ in diameter. Also you did a wonderful job of explaining everything to make a cauliflower crust successful!
I’ll be trying this recipe out tomorrow, for sure, with added confidence in the outcome. I’m thinking about throwing some roasted fermented garlic I have in the fridge, in with the mash when I bake it.
Thanks for the wonderful explanation on how to make a pliable cauliflower crust!
Made this tonight, doubled it for two pizzas, made pepperoni and cheese for my daughter and she are half the pizza, and she is picky as all get out! I made turkey sausage and caramelized onion for myself and it was amazing! Thanks for the recipe, so happy with it! PS. I baked the crust then flipped and baked again as others suggested!
Tastes really good! But it sticks to the parchment paper and yes I squeezed the cauliflower well!
SO DELICIOUS!!! I just made this and frankly can’t wait to make it again! I do wish I had flipped the crust over before baking with the toppings though because I think that would really have made it perfect. Put the extra shredded Parmesan, fresh mozzarella, Gorgonzola, and sun-dried tomatoes on top – so delicious!!
What brand/type/store of mozzarella cheese do you use on top?? It browns so perfectly!!
That was mozzarella from Costco. I believe shredded one. Green and red label. Can’t remember the brand but you will know once you see it. Saputo maybe?!
My son can’t have eggs (or soy, corn, wheat, peanuts) Every recipe I try with various egg relaxers including flax seed, turns out crumbly. It’s so frustrating. Any suggestions?
*replacers lol
Unfortunately I haven’t tried this recipe with any egg replacers. Read in the comments above, I think someone used cornmeal and cheese.
you can use egg white only my husband cant eat yolk because he has IBS and it has a high content of fat so two egg white equals 1 egg! Hope this help!
Made two of these last night. I tried really hard to squeeze the liquid out (I also do this with my zucchini crust) and even ripped a hole in the cheese cloth but it still wouldn’t pick up like pizza. I’m wondering if baking it longer helps and its interesting that letting it cool hardens it. Should I let it cool before I put the toppings on? The edges were crispy but that was it. I 2nd the hand burning part too. I found this took a long time with the baking, cooling, baking, toppings and baking again so I probably rushed the baking part. I’m just debating this vs. a zucchini crust.
Hmm, I really don’t know what went wrong. The only thing I could think of is your oven temperature. Try to bake it at a higher temperature. Ovens really vary. I honestly didn’t have problems like you and seems like you squeezed the liquid out well.
Hello! I am excited to try this recipe tonight! I was wondering though…..I can’t have cheese so would the crust still turn out if I left it out?
Hi Nikki. I haven’t tried it without cheese but I don’t think it will work out. I know some readers tried to make the crust with cornmeal and vegan cheese. Not sure about the proportions.
Nikki, did you try this without cheese, & if so, did it work?
I made this tonight and it was perfect! I also made your cauliflower breadsticks. Flipping it over works really well for crispy crust!
OK, I really have to try flip over the crust next time. You guys keep raving about it.:)
Finally, a cauli crust recipe that doesn’t use a microwave! Thanks!
Yeah, no microwave cooking in my house. I’m actually thinking about getting rid of the microwave completely.
Can’t wait to try this!
Yum, yum, yum!!! I was looking for a low carb alternative to pizza and stumbled upon this recipe. It turned out great!! For my toppings I added garlic, butter, spinach, and mozarella. The only downside for me was the size of the pizza– they really do end up being pretty small. I will definitely double the recipe next time. Thank you for this!!!
I love your toppings!:) Double is the way to go with this recipe for sure!
I’m making this right now. It looks like a have a lot more cauliflower than you? Should I add more egg? I’m afraid of it falling apart.
Hard to tell because I can’t see the dough. Try to squeeze the liquid out more a bit. In any case an extra egg won’t hurt for sure.
I tried this last night and i’m very impressed. I gave some to my colleagues and they couldn’t believe it was cauliflower!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
You are welcome, Kelly. High five for sharing. I have hard time sharing this one even with my kids and husband.:)
Just tried making cauliflower pizza for the first time tonight! It turned out to be more of a casserole than a pizza (fork was completely necessary because it didn’t stick together as I’d hoped).. Although it was still really good! I put on tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh basil, some calamata olives, and lots of onions! The recipe I used didn’t call for a bake then squeeze so I’m excited to try again with that method!! And definitely trying the mediterannean:) thanks for all your awesome recipes!!
Hi Jen. You have to pre-cook the cauliflower and squeeze the moisture out. A must! I have seen recipes online that do not call for this step and pizza photos looks legit but I honestly don’t believe it works because cauliflower has high water content. Let me know how this recipe turns out for you.
Made this for dinner tonight and I was a little skeptical being a pizza puritan. It was surprisingly delicious and I almost wish I made two! I will definitely be using this as a go to recipe ^_^
but don’t have to cook what goes ON the pizza? If I put on cheese I’d like for it to melt. I also want the sauce to be hot. So do I decrease the amount of time the crust is in the oven initially and then put it back in? Will that make it soggy?
You cook the crust first and then add your toppings and bake again until cheese is melted. Recipe is for the crust only and I left the toppings part up to you.:)
I was so intrigued by this idea! So, we made this for supper tonight. I could not find cheese cloth (though I did not look very hard) I used a linen dish towel and that worked fantastic! However, our pizza looked amazing..smelled amazing, but I didn’t think very well and missed the step about putting parchment paper down and our pizza then became..pizza salad, lol. It was a crumbled up mixture..but still SO delicious! WILL definitely make again!!
It was pretty good. I warmed up some tomato sauce for dip. I reduced it because it was pretty runny. I’d totally do this again. Thanks!
Hi, love the idea, love the directions – trying it for the first time tonight. Any suggestions for easier ways to squeeze the water out of the cauli. without burning your hands? Can you let it cool? I dont know about anyone else but it was really hot when I was trying to squeeze all the water out of the cooked cauliflower. Thanks
You gotta let it cool for sure before trying to squeeze!
Omg! I am soooo sad I went against my gut feeling and only made one pizza crust! My sister loved it and we’re both converted now! No going back. The only thing I’m gonna change is flipping and cooking again. AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!
I warned ya.:) That is a great idea about flipping the crust if you want it to be super crispy.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I made this for the first time tonight. I made two pizzas at one time like you suggested. I am in shock. I was expecting it to be ok, possibly a disaster. I took time to make sure water out of cauliflower as much as I could. My husband and 8 year old loved this. I mean, we could hold it in our hands like a regular pizza. If I had not made it, I would have thought it was a crust and not made from CAULIFLOWER. I feel incredibly lucky to have found your recipe. THANK YOU.
Crazy, huh?! Me too. Would never think it’s that good. You are so welcome!:)
You are my favorite person on the internet!! I made your recipe and the pizza was AMAZING! Thank you!!!!
Can you make this using frozen cauliflower ??
Yes.
if using frozen cauliflower, shoudl you defrost it first or you can put in food processor still frozen?
I think you could process it frozen. Really doesn’t matter. Try and see if it works.
Hi Kellie. Do you recall if you prepared it frozen or thawed and how it turned out? I’m curious to try but want to make sure I prepare it correctly.
Couldn’t wait for today to finally come! Friday night ritual of pizza/movie night with my daughter and I am low carbing it! Came out great, and I didn’t have any eggs!! Had to Google substitute… it was still firm enough to hold like a regular slice, but I imagine using a real egg will make it even better! Followed recipe to a T (minus egg)… Thank you for doing all the hard work for us finding the right combinations! Used mozz and turkey pepperoni for toppings 🙂
This was DELICIOUS!!!! I made it with canalized onions, red peppers, blue cheese with a 3 cheese (pecorino, pepper jack, manchego) for melting. It was plenty large enough with a bowl of soup for my husband and I for dinner. Next time when I put it back in the oven to melt the cheese I will try to slide it off onto my pizza stone to see if that makes it a little crispier. Love the alternative to flour. Thanks!!!!
I just want to say this is awesome ! It totally worked for me. It did’t fall apart or anything. I added alittle garlic salt with parsley to my crust and it was awesome. My boys 4 and almost 2 are super picky and they even liked it. Thanks !
will be trying this soon! thank you!
Looks delish. Plan to make it soon! Thanks for sharing!
I made this tonight for dinner. Wow!!! It was delicious and my hubby loved it. He is a pizza lover and he just kept saying, “this is legit!” Thank you for sharing this recipe! We will definitely be making it again in the very near future 🙂
I love the legit part LOL. You are welcome.:)
Do you put half a cup of cheese into the ingredient mixture or is that how much you put on the top? And how thin should you pat out the crust? I’m afraid I made mine too thick. The bottom edge is crisp but the rest isn’t 🙁
Yes, 1/2 cup cheese into the crust. On top you put any extra toppings which I didn’t include in the recipe. Approximately 1/4″ thick. Cooling helps to bind it. Did you cool it at all?
Yes I tried this the other night with a different recipe that DIDNT tell me to ring it out with cheese cloth, I figured I maybe should but didnt have any and put faith in the recipe, it failed miserably 🙁 I save the crumbled up roasted cauliflower. Do you think I could ring that out and try again or better just to start fresh. Its already been cooked for a while and has all the other ingredients in it lol maybe I can use it for something else and start fresh for cauliflower pizza because I was so excited for this pizza!!!!! 🙁
Oh my. What a mess.:( Yes you could save that crumbled cauliflower by squeezing the liquid out and adding egg and cheese again. You need a binder all over again. I don’t know if you want to do that or just start fresh. Cauliflower is very cheap now. I’m sure fresh would taste better. Good luck! I’m making more of similar recipe tomorrow trying to squeeze with kitchen towel or…
Made this today, just amazingly delicious!
Yay!!!
i steamed my cauliflower… in oven now, but think i messed up..was supposed to grind it raw right? omg..all this work ..hope it turns out
Did you steam it whole or chopped? I would mash it with a masher and then squeeze the liquid out. Yes, grind it while raw and then cook, then squeeze.
Does the 2 points for WW only account for the crust? Just trying to figure out if I need to add points for toppings, thanks !
Only for the crust, no topping of any kind.
I’m making this tonight! I’ll let you know how we like it 😉
Can egg be subsituted with something else?
Well, I haven’t tried that but I don’t see a reason why not. I probably would try to replace egg with flax or chia egg replacer, almond flour, chickpea flour or cornmeal.
So glad I found your site and this recipe! Going to try it tonight for a small dinner party!!! Thank you!
Enjoy and please let me know how it turns out.:)
Love your recipe and it was pretty easy to prepare didn’t even taste like cauliflower which is a plus since my husband doesn’t like cauliflower. The only two problems I had one was I used the cheese cloth and ended up putting a hole in it from squeezing it too hard curious if just a hand towel would work better. And the other issue I had was it being just a little bit juicey in the middle and you couldn’t hold it like a pizza not sure what went wrong but it was tastey and very filling! Thanks again for a good recipe!
I had my cheesecloth double layered. At some point I heard it about to reap but it didn’t. Maybe next time try to fold it three or more times. I will try hand towel next time out of curiosity. But I guess it depends on a hand towel material as well.
As for the juicy middle part…Hmmm. Maybe try to make it thinner in the middle and also the longer pizza cools off, the sturdier it becomes. You know what I mean.:) Glad you liked the recipe.:)
I bought a pack of cotton cloth baby diapers (flat) for using in place of cheesecloth. Works great, I use it for all things food. Straining my bone broth, squeezing liquid out of cauliflower, and other veggies as needed. Then I wash it, instead of tossing cheesecloth in the trash!
Genius! I don’t know what they look like or where to buy but I will keep that in mind!
I think I would try using a white cloth napkin. That is what I strain my almond milk through and it works great.
It will work. I now use kitchen towels!
I think the purpose of the cheesecloth is so that cloth fibers dont end up in the final product. If you use a towel… You may end up with fibers in your food!
2 things: AMAZING and THANK YOU!!!! So, so, so good. Followed directions 100% and really spent a lot of time squeezing the liquid out. Turned out perfect and delicious. What I did was turn the crust upside down so both sides got crispy. Husband LOVED it – this will be our go-to recipe for pizza crust now. Takes no longer than regular crust from scratch and yes sooooo much healthier! Thx.
Oh, good idea to bake the crust on both sides. Yes, squeezing the liquid well enough is key. I think it’s one of main reasons why cauliflower crust pizza recipe fails for some folks. I literally spent about 5 minutes on and off meticulously squeezing out the liquid. Glad you liked it.:)
Testing…testing… In all seriousness, this is an amazing creation. 🙂
Was not impressed…used a pizza stone (maybe I didn’t cook long enough) but I couldn’t pick it up like a real pizza…it broke apart…I used a fork to eat it…
Probably didn’t squeeze the liquid out well enough. It’s important to use cheesecloth and really make the cooked cauliflower dry. I don’t think pizza stone would be a problem.
You are awesome- I am eating this stroke of genius as I type (leaving its’ juicy residue all over the screen). You had me at ..”room for more wine”.
Thanks for doing all the leg work .. That’s exactly what I look for when I’m trying to find something to feed the child when it’s already an hour past her bedtime. Trialed, failed and successful end result. Said child helped with this and has demolished half the pizza.
Wish I knew how to stick up a photo of it. It was piled 3 storeys high; home-made roasted garlic tomato paste, tri colour cherry tomatoes, bacon, red pepper, portobello mushroom, fetta, sprinkle of cheddar, fresh basil and oregano. And I could hold a slice with one hand- no breakage. I did add a smidge of chickpea flour to the dough mix – barely a 1/3 cup- to one large cauli. Made enough for 3 ppl. (Or 2, with some for the late night fridge-raid).
Now..
Let the wine continue
Haha. Had a good laugh. You can share a photo on Instagram if you have an account. Just tag me @ifoodreal or #ifoodreal and I’ll see it.:) Glad it worked and you enjoyed it.:)
Buying cauli tomorrow – on a sensible eating plan, but would love a pizza!
Happened upon your page here… and I’m totally bookmarking you now! thanks for the info. As a mother of four – anything that I can do to trick my kids into eating veggies will work for me!
Hi Amber. I seriously want to jump through my TV screen, grab all Olympic medals and hang them on your neck. 4 kids?! OMG. You might want to make 3 of these pizzas at a time.:) Glad you found me.:) Enjoy!
Wow, that looks delicious and interesting. Honestly, I would never thought of using cauliflower for pizza crust.
Obviously someone thought of it back in 2012. I’m thinking of a broccoli crust now.:)
Hmm, broccoli crust? Never know, maybe its another great discovery;)
Never know. Never give up. I’ve seen zucchini crust.:)
By the way, speaking of zucchini, love, love, love your post of meatloaf, that is truly very inspiring. I’m just learning and experimenting with using more veggies in my diet, and I love what you have here.
Awesome! Yes, I heart zucchini. You might also like my Thai Zucchini Meatballs then. You should also start drinking green smoothies.:)
Leslie D, did the stone work? Thinking of making it tonight for my grandson.
For the cheese one did you just use cheese or was there anything else on it?
Just shredded mozzarella cheese. That’s it. Sprinkle on top.
Do you think you make the crust and stick it in the freezer for later use? Just thought that would be more convenient for a night when you just want to slap a pizza together and call it good :). Looking forward to trying this recipe in the near future!
Yes! Should be fine!
Would you freeze the crust before or after u bake it? Have u frozen one before? I just made this yesterday and it was amazing but time consuming, especially with a busy schedule. If I could make some on my day off and freeze them it would be perfect! !
Yes, it is time consuming. I haven’t frozen one before but I’m pretty sure you can freeze it baked. I think someone left a comment earlier saying they tried freezing. I would quadruple the recipe and freeze next time myself.
Wondering if you had success with freezing the dough for a quick pizza later? This would be wonderful to have on hand.
I haven’t but I don’t see a reason why not to freeze baked crust. Unbaked flattened crust is more challenging to freeze. Dough I don’t think would work.
Woah your cheese looks so magical, oh my god.
I don’t think baked cheese can ever look unappetizing lol.
Will this work on a pizza stone??? Trying this out for dinner tomorrow, looks so yummy.
I don’t own a pizza stone but I assume yes since pizza didn’t stick to the parchment paper. I didn’t spray it either. If you are wondering if it will stick to the stone or not. If you are wondering if you can cook it on a pizza stone then I don’t see a problem. Cooking time might be different though.
Yes I was worried about it sticking, I will let you know how it turns out. Thank you!
Line it with parchment paper and you will be fine.
Ime on weightwatchers diet this looks fab am sharing with my friends
Olenaaaaaa you’re killing me! I packed soup for lunch and now all I want is ten pieces of this pizza. DELISH!!
That looks so delicious, especially the Mediterranean pizza! The pictures are so nice that for a moment I feel like those pizzas are right here in front of me…but then I just wish:)
Yeah I wish all these three would magically appear for dinner in my kitchen tonight. 🙂
That looks really good! Thanks for taking the guess work out of the crust- it looks really easy to do. I’ve been craving pizza so I’m making this this week!
Let me know how it turns out and what toppings you used.:)
Hi awesome recipe, but the crust burned along the edges after adding the toppings.Not sure what I did wrong, maybe should have added the toppings before baking the pizza the second time? Anyways awesome recipe thanks for sharing!
Not sure. Maybe you need to lower the T, all ovens vary.
Try lining the edges with tin foil and covering just the edges before putting the ingredients on the crust.
Holy Cow! AMAZING! I have tried several gluten free pizzas the past 2 weeks and thrown them all away
Loved it! Loved it! My new go to pizza crust 🙂
My 10th pizza was fine and well made.The toppings I put on the pizza are cheese,mushrooms and sauce.
This looks delicious! I had never heard of cauliflower crust before. I’m surprised and intrigued to try it. Thanks for sharing.
No?! Well there you go. Jump onto the cauliflower crust pizza bandwagon.:) It’s all the rave now:)
Could I use a salad spinner to dry the Cauliflower ?
Unfortunately not.
Do you put sauce on your crust?
Yes, I do.
From what I can tell
1 egg= 2 pp
1/2 cup cheese = 4 pp (part skim mozzarella)
How is one serving of crust equal to 8pp? It says no toppings in the description. I’m sorry if I’m misunderstanding something here. Thanks!
It says 2 points.:)
Its saying how many calories there are without toppings.
Can you please tell me about how many cups of the cauliflower you use once it has been grinded up in the food processor to make the 12 inch pizza?
I haven’t measured so I can’t say. Probably around 6-7 cups.
6-7 cups from a head of cauliflower? No, Olena, you had to mean 2 cups. I make this crust almost every week and only use 2 cups out of a medium head.
Measured before cooking and squeezing liquid out, raw cauliflower. Cauliflower is mostly water. 2 cups after squeezing is good for crust for sure.
🙂
Didn’t really like it……….