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I originally posted this recipe back in 2011, when I learned the secret to making a cauliflower pizza crust that isn’t soggy. (Hint: you need to squeeze out the moisture from the cooked cauliflower before making your crust!)
Now that we’ve been making this pizza crust for over a decade, I’ve learned some time-saving tricks, like using frozen cauliflower to skip the cooking process. Sometimes you can even find frozen riced cauliflower, which lets you skip using the food processor.
Be sure to read all the tips below if you’d like to make a frozen pizza crust for future use or need to make any substitutions.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Featured Review
“I have tried a few different cauliflower crust recipes and this is by far the best one! I have made it exactly as the recipe indicates many times and it always turns out perfect.” – TP
Cauliflower Pizza Crust Ingredients
- Fresh (or Frozen) Cauliflower. While you can certainly make this recipe with fresh cauliflower florets, it’s 100% easier to start with thawed frozen florets. (You can either let the bag thaw in the fridge overnight or warm it up to thaw it faster.) Your life will be even easier if you can find frozen, riced cauliflower at the store. I’ll walk you through all the variations I’ve tested below.
- Egg. This adds protein and holds the crust together. I don’t recommend using an egg substitute for this recipe, but I have tested a vegan Cauliflower pizza crust if you need an egg-free recipe.
- Cheese. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of goat cheese, soft goat cheese (also known as chevre) creates the best texture for cauliflower pizza crust. I highly recommend trying the recipe as written, but other varieties of cheese will work as well. Read the comments below for feedback on mozzarella or Parmesan.
- Spices. I think pizza crust tastes best with a little extra flavor. Adding oregano and salt boosts the overall flavor so you don’t feel like you’re eating a crust made mostly of cauliflower.
How to Make Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If you’re using fresh cauliflower, place the cauliflower florets in a food processor fitted with an S-blade. (Mine is a 12-cup size.)
Briefly pulse the florets until they have a rice-like texture.
Step 2:
Transfer the cauliflower rice to the prepared baking sheet and spread it out into an even layer. Place it in the oven to soften and cook for 15 minutes.
Alternatively, you can place the cauliflower in a covered microwave-safe bowl and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on high to steam it. Or, you can cook it in a large skillet with a 1/4 cup of water for 8 to 10 minutes, until it has softened and the water has evaporated.
Once the cauliflower has cooked, let it cool for 10 minutes, or until you can safely handle it without burning yourself.
Time-Saving Tip
If you buy frozen cauliflower florets, you can simply let them thaw overnight in the fridge before making this crust. They will have a tender texture, so you can skip the cooking step altogether. Simply pulse them in a food processor and then wring out the moisture as directed.
Step 3:
Transfer the riced cauliflower to the center of a clean dish towel or cheesecloth. Arrange the towel filled with cauliflower over a small bowl, then squeeze as much liquid as possible from the cooked cauliflower.
It might not feel like there’s excess moisture at first, but you may be surprised by how much liquid is released! (There should be at least 3 to 4 tablespoons of liquid in the bowl.)
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Step 4:
Place the cauliflower rice that you just squeezed into a large bowl, then add in the egg, cheese, oregano, salt, and a pinch of black pepper, if desired.
Use a spatula to stir well until the cauliflower mixture looks relatively uniform.
Step 5:
Arrange a fresh piece of parchment paper on the large baking sheet, if needed, then place the cauliflower mixture in the center of the pan.
Use your hands to gently press the cauliflower pizza dough into a round pizza crust, about 10 to 12 inches wide. It will be thin, but there shouldn’t be any holes in the crust.
Note: Get your hands wet if the crust is sticking to your fingers; wet hands help prevent sticking!
Step 6:
Place the cauliflower crust in the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 400°F, or until golden brown. Then it’s ready for toppings!
Add a thin layer of pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and any toppings you love, like pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, fresh basil, or olives.
Return the pizza to the oven to bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 more minutes. You can turn on the broiler and watch closely if you want the cheese to turn golden even faster.
Let the pizza cool for 5 minutes, then cut it into slices. Because you took the time to remove excess moisture, the crust should be easy to pick up with your hands!
Storage + Reheating Tips
Leftover pizza slices can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Making a Frozen Cauliflower Pizza Crust: If you’d like to freeze a whole pizza crust, bake the crust as directed for 30 minutes, then let it cool completely. You can freeze the pizza crust tightly covered for up to 6 months. Since you’re already cleaning your food processor after this, you might as well make a double batch!
When you’re ready to bake your frozen cauliflower pizza crust, place it on a baking sheet and add your toppings. There’s no need to thaw the crust before baking. Bake at 400ºF for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust (Best Texture!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound cauliflower florets (or thawed from frozen; see notes)
- 1 large egg , beaten
- ⅓ cup soft goat cheese (or grated Parmesan)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. If the cauliflower isn't already riced, add the cauliflower florets into a food processor and pulse briefly, until it has a rice-like texture. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread the cauliflower rice out in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.
- If you're using frozen cauliflower, be sure that it is completely thawed, and process it into a rice-like texture using a food processor. (Alternatively, you can start with frozen cauliflower rice that has been thawed, to skip the food processor step.) There is no need to cook thawed frozen cauliflower so it will save you time! Tip: You can use up to 1 ½ pounds of cauliflower if you want to use two 12-ounce bags. This crust will still hold together well!
- Once the riced cauliflower has been cooked (or thawed), transfer it to a clean, thin dishtowel. Wrap up the steamed rice in the dishtowel, twist it up, then SQUEEZE all the excess moisture out! (Be careful if your cauliflower is still hot; let it cool before handling.) A lot of extra liquid will be released, which will help you avoid a soggy pizza crust.
- In a large bowl, mix up the squeezed-out rice, egg, cheese, oregano, and salt. It won't be like any pizza dough you've ever worked with, but don't worry, it will work!
- Press the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (It's important that it's lined with parchment paper, not wax paper, or it will stick.) Keep the dough about 1/4-inch thick. Wet your hands to prevent sticking, if needed.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 400ºF or until the top looks dry and golden.
- Add your favorite pizza toppings to the crust, such as sauce and cheese, then return the pizza to the 400ºF oven. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, just until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Slice and serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Low-Carb Recipes to Try
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Zucchini Hummus (no beans)
- Cottage Cheese Dip
- Mexican Chicken Soup
- Healthy Chicken Burgers
If you try this Cauliflower Pizza Crust recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
I put the dry cauliflower rice into a 1 qt Pyrex measuring cup, cover with plastic wrap and microwave about 5-6 minutes. It doesn’t get soggy, and thus no need to squeeze out water.
I microwaved mine too but still managed to squeeze a lot of water out…too much I think; it didn’t make a very big pizza. Next time I will double the amount of cauliflower used.
How long can you freeze this?
I just finished the crusts and I am not even hungry, but want to eat them SO bad! Look divine! How long can I freeze or refrigerate this to bake later?
I’ve re-heated a crust that was frozen for 2 months, and it tasted just fine… so I think the shelf life is pretty long, provided it’s sealed well.
Do you have to have goat cheese in the crust, i would like to veganize the recipe. I am going to replace the egg with a flax “egg”, but i am not sure sure about the goat cheese?
I’ve made it many times without the goat cheese, so I know it works either way. I haven’t tried it with flax eggs, though, so be sure to let us know if you have any success!
I was glad to look through the comments and see that someone else also ended up with a WAY smaller pizza lol I ended up making 2 batches for one crust. I, also, measured 4 cups raw and riced and mine was about half the size of yours. After I doubled it, it was DEEEELISH. Thank you so much!
I am thrilled to see this recipe. My family loves pizza but what a blessing to find a recipe that is low-carb. We are not doing dairy and so I use Daiya cheese. I’m just not sure if this would work or not? Are you familiar with this type? Thanks!
I haven’t tried it myself, but I think a previous commenter said that it worked! Please let us know how it goes!
Oh man, I seem to be the only one who failed at this recipe. 🙁 After 30 minutes, the top and bottom of my crust were cooked well(almost burnt), but the middle portion was still kinda wet. The top & bottom kinda separated from the middle (showed when I was slicing the crust). I squeezed as much water as I could from the cooked cauliflower so I’m not sure what went wrong. (how dry does the cauliflower have to be?) I also found out I’m not a fan of goat cheese. Next time I might try raw cauliflower rice and a combination of yogurt cheese and parmesan.
Sorry to hear that, Don. The cauliflower does need to be very dry. Raw cauliflower rice works well, too, but the result is a little soggier, thanks to the extra moisture that isn’t removed. Still delicious, though, since I’m usually just making it for myself! 😉 Better luck next time!
Thank you for this recipe. I had to modify it a little bit, (I only had 2.5 cups worth of cauliflower at home). I also didn’t have any goat cheese on hand, so I used grated parmesan cheese, and it still came out really good!!
Can I just use steamed cooked cauliflower and mash it?
I haven’t tried it that way, but I bet it would work! Just make sure you squeeze out the moisture well before mixing it with the egg and spices. Please let us know if you try it!
I have made this twice and it has turned out awesome both times! Never thought I would like something like this, but it was great. Even my husband, who LOVES “regular” pizza more than anything liked this 🙂 I do have one question though…..you write about making extra and freezing. I have my extra sitting out ready to go, but I’m not sure if I’m suppose to put the toppings on before or after freezing. You mention both ways in above, but I wasn’t sure if one was a typo. If it can be done either way….which way do you think turns out best? Thanks in advance for your response, and thank you for the great recipe! 🙂
I prefer freezing just the baked crusts by themselves, then adding the toppings later, right before baking.
Thank You! I’m doing that now!! 🙂
Hi! This looks amazing as all the prefab GF pizza crusts dont work for me as I cannot tolerate any of the binding agents (xanthum gum, etc.) I eat eggs but am dairy-free. I was wondering if doing this without cheese would work? THanks so much for this awesome website!
Yes, you can omit the cheese. Hope you enjoy it!
I omitted the cheese and it fell apart. Tasty, though.
I’m sorry to hear that! I make it without the cheese all the time, so perhaps it just takes some practice to get the thickness right. I think the cheese-less version might need to be a bit thicker to hold together well. Glad it tasted good, anyway! 🙂