If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that cauliflower is one versatile vegetable. It’s a nice, crunchy raw snack; it blends in seamlessly with spuds for lighter mashed potatoes; it roasts up whole for a statement-making weeknight dinner. Our latest incarnation of the cruciferous veg: this healthy, grain-free pizza crust, which involves cooking and baking baking the florets with almond meal for a tender and flavorful crust. Choose your own toppings such as fresh spinach, red onions, black olives, marinara sauce, shredded cheese, mushrooms and zucchini. Pro-tip: Add an extra pinch of chili powder to the dough for spicy kick!
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons almond meal, plus more if needed
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- large pinch chili powder
Topping Suggestions: fresh spinach, sliced grape tomatoes, diced red onions
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place cauliflower in a food processor; pulse until finely ground and resembles rice. Transfer to a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover then reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes.
Drain cauliflower and place cooked cauliflower in the center of a large piece of cheesecloth or cotton cloth. Twist to seal the cheesecloth or cloth and wring the liquid out of the cauliflower.
Transfer the drained cauliflower to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients; mix by hand with a large spoon to combine. If needed, add more almond flour to keep the dough together.
Transfer mixture to the prepared baking sheet and use the back of a large spoon to gently flatten the dough to your desired shape. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; set aside to cool before serving.
Note: Add toppings and/or tomato sauce after removing crust from the oven. (If you’re adding cheese or veggies, you can serve the veggies on top of the crust raw or cooked. To heat the toppings, place the pizza back in the oven with the toppings for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted).
Crust Nutrition* (per serving): Calories: 220; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 212mg; Sodium: 761mg; Carbohydrate: 25g; Dietary Fiber: 11g; Sugar: 11g; Protein: 16g
*Note: The nutritional information does not include any pizza toppings.
All photos courtesy of SELF.
