Cauliflower Crust Pizza
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Learn how to make my cauliflower pizza crust for a wholesome way to satisfy your pizza cravings! It’s crispy around the edges, yet chewy in the middle, and it holds its shape the entire time.
Anyone who’s watched their carb intake knows that cauliflower quickly becomes your best friend, especially when we’re talking cauliflower mac and cheese, cauliflower mashed potatoes, and this cauliflower crust.
I’ve been making cauliflower crust pizzas since my early low carb recipe experiments back in 2014, and after literally dozens of tweaks, this version finally nailed that balance of chewy yet sturdy.
I’ve tried every cauliflower crust in the book, and most are soggy or lack flavor. Worse yet, the pizza tastes like a vegetable! My crust, on the other hand, is chewy, firm, and layered with cheese in every bite.
Arman’s tips before starting
Squeeze out as much moisture as possible. This is the most important step in the entire recipe. After cooking the cauliflower, I wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out every bit of liquid I can.
Lightly wet your hands when handling the dough. The mixture can be a little sticky, so I either dampen my hands with water or lightly coat them with cooking spray before pressing it into shape.
Season liberally. Cauliflower is very mild in flavor, so don’t be afraid to add extra kosher salt, black pepper, or whatever seasonings you prefer.
Broil at the end. This is my favorite trick for an extra crispy crust. Once the cheese has melted, I switch the oven to broil for the final 2 to 3 minutes to get those golden, bubbly edges.
What readers are saying
★★★★★ – “Finally, a cauliflower crust that actually holds together! I followed the recipe exactly and was able to pick up slices like real pizza. Game changer.” – Melissa (Facebook).
★★★★★ – “I’ve tried so many cauliflower crusts, and they all turned out soggy… except this one. Crispy edges and cheesy flavor, and my kids loved it too.” – David (Email subscriber).
Key ingredients
Here’s what goes into this cauliflower pizza recipe, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower. I tested this recipe with both fresh and frozen cauliflower rice, and both worked just as well. If you go the frozen route, make sure it’s been thawed overnight and the excess moisture has been squeezed out.
- Garlic. I prefer freshly minced garlic, though garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Mozzarella cheese. Helps bind the pizza crust together. I suggest part-skim or low-moisture mozzarella, as they have less liquid and will yield a crispier crust.
- Parmesan cheese. Adding Parmesan to the mozzarella helps the crust hold better while giving extra flavor.
- Large egg. Works with the cheeses as a binding agent.
- Italian seasoning. A must for any good pizza recipe! If you don’t have this, use a mix of dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, and parsley.
- Toppings. I used tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese, but add whatever you like!
How to make a cauliflower pizza crust
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet or pizza stone. Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until riced, then transfer it to a large bowl.
Step 2- Add seasonings. Add the spices to the cauliflower mixture. Squeeze the mixture with a clean dish towel until it’s dry.
Step 3- Finish the crust. Add both cheeses and eggs to the dough and stir to combine.
Step 4- Shape and bake. Spread the crust mixture into a circle on the baking sheet. Bake until golden.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this crust without cheese?
Yes! For a cheese-less cauliflower crust, swap it out with ground flaxseed and blanched almond flour. I found it to be thicker and sturdier (I tested it twice), but it lacked some flavor, so add extra seasonings to compensate.
Can I make this crust without eggs?
The eggs in this recipe help bind the crust. If you’d like to make it without eggs, try one of these egg substitutes.
How do I prevent cauliflower pizza crust from sticking to the baking sheet?
I find that always using parchment paper or a silicone baking mat prevents the cauliflower crust from sticking to the baking sheet.
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Video
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower chopped, 700g
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 2/3 cups mozzarella cheese low moisture, 170g
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated, 50g
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220C/440F. Line a large pizza stone or baking sheet and set aside.
- Add the cauliflower to a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Transfer into a large bowl.
- Add spices, salt, pepper and Italian mixture to the cauliflower and mix well. Transfer it into a cheese cloth or kitchen towel and squeeze out excess moisture. Add the mixture back into the bowl. Add the cheeses and eggs to the cauliflower mixture and mix until combined.,
- Spread the cauliflower mixture into a 12-inch-wide circle on the parchment paper. Bake until the cauliflower crust for 12-15 minutes, until it is lightly golden.
- Remove the crust from the oven and add your favorite toppings. Place back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove the pizza from the oven, slice, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
More healthy pizza recipes
Originally updated July 2023
I have made several other varieties of Cauliflower Pizza Crust but yours has the most flavor. I will definitely make it again as my go to cauliflower pizza crust. I used a restaurant style pizza pan which is 12″ around. I would like the crust crisper, and I wondered if you had a weight for the riced cauliflower.
I put the riced cauliflower in a towel as directed and it was not watery at all, so that was not the reason. If you could give a weight or measurements in cups I think that would be helpful. Thank you Arman
Hello Paul- thank you so much for your kind words. When developing this recipe, this was imperative that is was delicious and better than any other one on the internet, because they’d always turn out soggy or limp. My team and I are slowly working on providing metric measurements for all our recipes! I haven’t updated it just yet, but for this crust- In testing, I got on average 4 1/2 cups of riced cauliflower, which worked out to be about 450 grams. You have some wiggle room here, so anything between 400-500 grams will work!
Turned out amazing! I’m trying to go keto so this was an amazing alternative to a normal pizza. And the taste was *chef’s kiss*. 😁 i think i screwed up the proportion a little and the we couldnt hold it like a pizza but it didnt take the focus away from the taste.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. Could you create a section for some keto vegetarian recipes please? 😬
Hi Jayshree- thank you for your kind words! We don’t have a specific section for that, but I’ll email you all the recipes that fit into that box. Keep an eye out in your inbox in the next 20-30 minutes 🙂
I’m really excited to try this, as I LOVED your cauliflower tortillas. But don’t you have to microwave the riced cauliflower before squeezing moisture out? I’m not seeing that step here…
Thanks so much Brittney! Because we’re pre-baking the crust and giving it a good squeeze before hand, the microwaving step isn’t strictly needed. You definitely can still do that though if you’d like to try to get even more moisture out of the cauliflower. Just cover it up once you’ve riced it and microwave it for a about 3-4 minutes. Then you can drain and squeeze it dry. Let us know how you go!
Question, do you need to cook the cauliflower first?
Hi Lori- I’ve recently updated the recipe card to be a little easier to understand. There is no need to cook the cauliflower first 🙂
Can I also add cooked caulflower on top? It should be good
You can! You must love cauliflower haha- that would be a delicious, cauliflower overload!
Can you use frozen riced cauliflower in this recipe?
Hi Stephanie- sorry for the delayed reply. Yes, it can. Aim for 4 1/2 cups (about 450 grams) of frozen riced cauliflower, then thaw it.
Wow this is so low calorie and healthy pizza. Great!
The crust was delicious and not difficult to make.
Topped with onion, salami and cheese this base is fabulous. Les heavy than the almond flour base and very, very tasty. No negative at all.
Is the mozzarella cheese shredded or soft mozzarella cheese?
I make this cauliflower crust pizza every week.
Wow for a gluten-free snack
I cannot have egg. Would flax egg work?
Not sure! You can try and see
Best cauliflower pizza crust recipe EVER!!!
Very tasty!
So delicious.My Pintrest page is mostly your recipes
never tried making this before, so thank you for the recipe and the tips, especially flipping half way through, good idea!