Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Recently, my Mom and cousin shared a recipe on Facebook for a no carb pizza crust, containing cream cheese, eggs and a few other ingredients, which my Mom decided to try. She said it was very good, but didn’t get crispy. I was thinking about it today, but being a thin, crispy crust lover, I figured it wouldn’t suit me. The wheels started turning, as did my search for a no-carb/low-carb crust alternative. I came across a few using cauliflower, which received fabulous reviews so decided I would give it a shot, making my own adjustments. Well, let me tell you that I was floored with how good this crust is. Seriously. Delicious! While it’s not zero carbs, it does only contain 15 carbs (9 net carbs) for the whole crust!!! And as my friend, Johnathan says, “Definitely a healthy alternative. And is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, potassium and folate.” I should add the crust is gluten-free, and after doing the math, one slice of my pepperoni pizza (10 inch pie cut into six pieces) is a mere 133 calories! However, I sliced mine thinner into eight pieces, so just 100 calories per slice.

The original recipe calls for cooking it at 450°F for 15 minutes, but that resulted in very crispy edges. Mind you, I have an antique stove, so my cooking times need to be to be watched (except in the case of today when I was doing other things). That said, I recommend using a lower temp and keeping an eye on the crust so it doesn’t burn.

Update 6/22/13: I made this again last night & changed a few things due to what I had on hand… substituted liquid egg whites for the egg, used a part-skim Mexican cheese blend instead of mozzarella, and added a teaspoon of dried basil and 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley to the recipe below. For my first pizza, I finished cooking it (with the toppings) under a broiler, but last night, just turned up the oven and finished it off in there. I prefer that method, so changed the directions below to reflect that. I’ve included a few more pictures so you can see the difference in the two pizzas. Both versions are amazing – it’s really just a matter of personal preference. Obviously, using egg whites reduces the calories so if that’s a concern, I’d recommend going that route.

Ingredients (Crust)

• 1/2 medium-large head cauliflower (or 2+ cups shredded cauliflower)
• 1 large egg (or 2 egg whites = 1/4 cup liquid egg whites)
• 1 cup part-skim shredded Mozzarella cheese (or Mexican cheese blend)
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (feel free to add some dried basil, parsley, etc.)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Ingredients (Pizza)

• 1/2-1 cup pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
• Toppings of your choice (I used pepperoni and goat cheese)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Grate the cauliflower in a large bowl using a box/cheese grater until you have 2 cups of cauliflower crumbles.
4. Place bowl in microwave and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until softened (no water). Remove and let cool.
5. Mix in the egg, Mozzarella, Parmesan, oregano, garlic & onion powders, salt and pepper, stir well.
6. Once combined, pat into a 10-inch round on the prepared pan. Spray lightly with non-stick spray and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden (make sure to monitor it).
7. Remove from the oven, turn the oven up to 425°F. *See note below.
8. Spread pizza sauce over crust, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch border around the edge.
9. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese (or the cheese of your choice), and add your favorite toppings.
10. Place back in the oven for approximately 5-10 minutes, or until cheese has melted and toppings are hot. Keep an eye on it to avoid burning.
11. Slice and serve immediately.

Note: you can also turn the oven to broil and place under broiler for 3-4 minutes.

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