This Cauliflower Pizza Crust recipe is a healthy veggie-packed option that is naturally gluten-free and grain-free. It’s perfect for people who still want to eat their pizza, while following a low-carb or food combining diet.
How to Make Cauliflower Pizza
Making cauliflower pizza is straight-forward, but a little labor intensive. If you start with fresh cauliflower, you’ll need to steam it until tender. (You can skip this step by using frozen cauliflower– read further down in this post for more info.) Then, you’ll pulse it in a food processor until it’s rice-like in texture.
(You can save even more time by purchasing pre-riced cauliflower, either fresh or frozen.)
The Secret to a Non-Soggy Crust
Once your cauliflower is tender and “riced” you’ll need to squeeze out the moisture that cauliflower naturally contains. This is the secret to getting a dry crust that you can pick up with your hands. (I the same nut milk bag that I use to make almond milk to do this.)
Once the cauliflower “rice” is very dry, you mix it with an egg, soft goat cheese (which gives the crust a better texture than using shredded cheese), and some Italian seasonings.
If you don’t have goat cheese on hand, many readers have reported success in the comments below using other cheeses. You can try mozzarella, cheddar, or even cream cheese with similar results. The texture is the driest with the soft goat cheese, though.
The crust won’t be like anything else you’ve worked with before– you spread it with a spatula, and use your hands to press and shape the dough.
Bake until the crust is dry and golden, then flip it and bake longer until the other side isn’t soggy. I use the parchment paper to make the flipping process easier.
(You don’t need a second piece of parchment paper after you flip it– the baked crust won’t stick to the pan after it’s been flipped.)
Using Frozen Cauliflower for Pizza Crust
I’ve been making this cauliflower pizza crust for years, and there are a number of ways you can make it, but the easiest method is by starting with frozen cauliflower.
I buy 1-pound bags of frozen cauliflower, so that I don’t have to do any chopping, and then I thaw them in the fridge the night before I want to make my pizza.
Using frozen cauliflower allows you to skip the pre-cooking of the cauliflower, and ultimately saves you time, but I’ve also included directions for starting with fresh cauliflower in the recipe below if you’d prefer to do that.
You must thaw and squeeze out the liquid from the cauliflower to get a non-soggy crust.
Update: Many stores are also now carrying frozen pre-riced cauliflower, which will save you even more time, since you won’t have to break out the food processor, either. I’ve made this crust using two 12-ounce or two 16-ounce bags of frozen cauliflower, so know that this recipe is relatively flexible with the cauliflower amount.
Cauliflower Pizza Toppings
One last thing to keep in mind when making a cauliflower pizza crust is that you should try to keep the toppings minimal. Go light on the sauce, so that it doesn’t re-hydrate the crust and make it soggy, and the same goes for the cheese. (Remember, there’s already some cheese baked into the crust, too!)
How to Make It Without Cheese
If you don’t tolerate dairy well, I’ve made this crust by omitting the cheese and using an extra egg instead. The crust texture is a little “egg-ier” that way, but it still holds up.
I’ve also posted a Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust recipe, if you need an egg-free and dairy-free option.
How to Freeze Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Because making a cauliflower pizza crust can be a bit labor-intensive, I like to double the recipe and make two large crusts (or 4 smaller crusts for individual pizzas) and freeze the extras for an easy future meal.
I’ve found that this works best by baking the crusts, and then freezing them in an airtight container. That way, when you’re ready to make a pizza, you can simply place the frozen crust on a pizza sheet and bake it at 400ºF just until it’s heated through, about 10 minutes.
Then add your toppings and bake for 5-10 minutes more, until the cheese is bubbling.
The Secret To Perfect Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Ingredients
- 1 pound cauliflower florets (or thawed from frozen; see notes)
- 1 large egg , beaten
- 1/3 cup soft goat cheese (or grated Parmesan)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 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 the frozen & thawed caulifower, so it will save you time! Tip: You can use up to 1 1/2 pounds of cauliflower, if you want to use two 12-ounce bags. It still holds 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, and spices. 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"thick.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 400ºF, until dry and golden. Use the parchment paper to flip the crust over, and bake again until the other side is nice and dry, about 10 more minutes.
- 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
Nutrition information is for 1/4 of this recipe. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
If you try this Cauliflower Pizza recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all learn from your experience!
More Cauliflower Recipes:
- Mashed Cauliflower “Potatoes” (or try my Slow Cooker version)
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Mouth-Watering Cauliflower Steaks
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo
- How to Make Cauliflower Rice
I can’t wait to hear what else you try!
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Reader Feedback: Have you tried a cauliflower pizza crust yet?
I have tried this twice now, wasting a lot of cauliflower. The problem I have is the parchment paper sticks to the dough breaks it all apart.
Just made tonight. Thought taste was good but forget about picking it up! ( fork). Maybe I made it too thin ?
I bought a pre made cauliflower crust but I cannot get it crisp! Any suggestions?
Try putting the crust on a wire rack (like a cooling rack for cookies) and then place the rack on a larger sheet pan so that it’s easy to handle with your oven mitts. This will allow the bottom of the crust to cook at the same time as the top, without getting so soggy. I’m not sure how “crisp” it will get, since I don’t know how the crust was prepared, but that would be my best bet for cooking it!
Loved this pizza!!! I used 1/3 cup of whipped cream cheese instead of goat cheese and and 1 10 oz. bag frozen cauliflower and 1 10 oz bag cauliflower rice, I cooked it in a skillet while still frozen until it was pretty dry, then I used a tea strainer that you would sit in a cup to strain and took a muddler and squished all the liquid out and it turned out great! I could cut and hold like normal crust, it was thick and fluffy.
What about vegan cheese? Dairy farms are beyond evil and I avoid all products made with animal products as well as products made in China.
I believe some of the comments have noted success using vegan cheese in this recipe. However I also developed a vegan cauliflower crust recipe several years ago that is a big hit with those that don’t eat dairy or eggs: https://detoxinista.com/vegan-cauliflower-pizza-crust/
This sounds wonderful. I am a bit confused by the recipe. If you are using frozen cauliflower rice, would you still need to steam it since it’s not cooked. I see you mention cooking the fresh cauliflower but what about the frozen?
When using frozen rice, you just need to thaw it completely. Then you can squeeze out all the moisture from it (there’s a LOT!) and continue with the recipe. You can cook it if you prefer, but then you will still need to squeeze it, and you’ll have to wait for it to cool so you don’t burn your hands.
I have made this several times. I do add a little coconut and almond flour to i, about 1/4 cup of each. I think it improved the”hand”. Also, we sprinkle cheese on the hot stone when we flip the crust to give us a crunchy bottom.
Excellent crust. Used store bought frozen riced cauliflower and it came out perfectly
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https://photos.app.goo.gl/nDUQZQbMCbLB1kCW8
Tried again with some cauliflower that had been accidentally cooked to mush. Couldn’t get enough water out and dough was too sticky. Added 2Tbsp coconut flour, and it came out perfectly. Browned nicely as well.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MeR6mJZJUaKTM7jT9
Thanks for this recipe. Out of necessity, I made substitutions: 1 pound fresh cauliflower, 1 egg, 1 oz. Neufchatel cheese, Couple of pinches of Grated provolone, marjoram. I baked for a little less time on the second side. I cooked on a silpat and was able to flip with two spatulas. It held together well and is cooling. It smells great.
I made a double batch using two heads of cauliflower and when it was time to turn the pizza crusts broke into two so it would be better to make two smaller pizzas then try to make one large one
I think two smaller crusts will be easier to flip and work with.
Can you use cauliflower mashed instead of riced? After cooking in an instant pot it really easy to mash like potatoes.
As long as you still squeeze out the moisture, I imagine that would work!
I made this and the dough got stuck to the parchment paper. Can you please share any tips on how to make this without it happening again?
It’s normal for the parchment paper to be “peeled off” if that’s what you mean, but if it’s actually stuck I would make sure you didn’t accidentally use wax paper instead, because I know that’s a common mistake, too!
Can you make it without eggs?
Try my Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust instead!
Absolutely lovely. Easily one of the best I’ve made, if not the best.Ready made, frozen ones have always been either bland or soggy. This one turned out perfect.
I used a mixture of wet mozzarella, grated dry mozzarella and cheddar along with a few chia seeds mixed in.
Worked really well.
The taste was great, but my crust got stuck to the parchment paper. It was a bummer because it really looked great. I went ahead and flipped the whole thing over and baked it for a little bit longer, thinking maybe that would help. It didn’t, so I used a spatula and botched the whole thing up. I did try some of the scraped up pieces and boy were they yummy. Not sure what to do differently next time. Maybe I’ll add a little cooking spray before spreading the dough onto the parchment paper? Anybody have a suggestion or similar experience?
My Family tried this last night with toppings we picked from our garden. It was so good. Everyone enjoyed it. This was our first attempt at eating with cauliflower and it was a huge success! Thank you for this recipe, we will be using this over and over again!
I had ground up raw cauliflower and froze it. I’m wondering if I can use this for pizza crust since it wasn’t precooked? If I steamed it now I’m afraid I’d never get enough water out.
Thank you!
Just let the frozen cauliflower thaw in the fridge overnight, then squeeze out the water– no need to cook it, but it will need to be squeezed to get out the existing moisture.
Order a yard or 2 of, not too fine, silk screen from Amazon and use it to line the steamer for the Cauliflower and to squeeze out the water when it’s cooled. Also makes a great nut milk strainer. Good luck!
Have basically used this same recipe but not with goat cheese….will definitely try that next time. Initially used a cauliflower crust because a good friend of mine was on the Keto diet. Actually having a pizza/pool “party” later and have everything chopped up along with 2 cauliflower crusts. Such a great change from typical crust.
Haven’t tried this yet but will be making it tonight with the kiddos. I have made mashed cauliflower several times and bake the cauliflower to soften it rather than boil it. I will try the crust using this method to avoid all the moisture and let you know how it works out. Has anyone else tried baking the cauliflower instead?
❤️❤️❤️
This was so easy and tasted absolutely amazing. I used light cream cheese instead of goat’s cheese and Yummo.
I can’t wait to cook this for my two year old.
tasted like a thin egg souffle and did not get crispy. ..
LOVE this recipe! I didn’t want to use goat cheese so I used 2% mozzarella which I’ve done for zucchini cakes before. PERFECT!
Yes it’s a little laborious but it’s low carb and delicious!! Saves me money. I prefer fresh cauliflower, pulsing it through a food processor and then nuking it for 5 minutes. Then I squeeze as much liquid out as possible.
Thanks SO much for sharing this!
This was so awesome! Everyone loved it.
I have tried other recipes before, but this one totally fell apart! :/
I found the whole process to be labor-intensive, but we loved the outcome & will try it again. I used 2 cauliflower heads and cream cheese since the store didn’t carry goat cheese. I also didn’t have parchment paper, but it cooked fine on my non-stick, large pizza pan with small holes in it. I took a 2nd pan & set it on top – then flipped it.
The next time I try this, I’ll use my Instant Pot to briefly cook the cauliflower, rice it, squeeze out the liquid, and make the dough & refrigerate it. I’ll cook it for dinner the 2nd day.
Are you able to use pre-made riced cauliflower from the produce section? If so do you still cook it and drain the liquid before. Also the pieces look kind of big, what size should they be?
I used three bags of Green Giant Riced Cauliflower and it worked well and definitely cut labor time. My crust was a bit delicate but it could have been because I used vegan cream cheese rather than goat cheese. Hope this helped 🙂
Just made this recipe tonight and my whole family loved it!! I didn’t have any goat cheese in my fridge, so I used vegan cashew cream cheese instead. This was a better alternative for my family too, as some of us are dairy sensitive. My only complaint is that the crust could have been a bit crispier. The crust was very delicate, and I wasn’t able to flip it in the oven. However it’s incredible taste made up for the fact that we ended up eating the pizza with a fork. I will definitely try this recipe again and play with the ingredients and cooking time to create a sturdier crust. Let me know if you have any ideas of how to solve my issue. 🙂
HANDS DOWN THE EASIEST AND BEST DAMN CRUST IVE EVER HAD! JUST MADE MY FIRST CAULIFLOWER CRUST PIZZA WITH CHICKEN PEACH AND PISTACHIO TOPPINGS (AMONG OTHERS) WOOOO!!!
This is delicious! I used store bought rice califlower and I sauted it on the stove on high heat to aid in drying it out quicker. I added my own seasonings while sauting and the four cheese after I removed from stove. The egg was added once the mixture cooled down. The crust held up well. Great recipe! Thank you!
Hi,
this recipe look amazing, i would like to try it. I was wondering if i could use lactose free cheese? the ones i see are type mozzarella-cheddar.
Kind regards,
.Maria
Left out the goat cheese and and used two eggs–SO GOOD!! Staple in our house!
Just made this tonight – it was fabulous! Followed recipe pretty well, but subbed hard cheeses for goat cheese. AND because my husband likes a lot of sauce, and a crispy crust, I did the following and it worked great: I used a pizza stone as one commenter suggested. After I cooked both sides of the crust, I put a thin layer of the hard cheeses over the crust, popped it in the broiler just long enough for the cheese to melt (thus coating the crust with a ‘protective barrier’ from the sauce). I then added generous sauce, toppings, and mozzarella cheese, and broiled once more. Crust was perfect for picking up and eating, and held toppings of ground beef, green chil, spinach, mushrooms, onions and mozzarella – YUM! Thanks for the recipe!
Making it for the third time. Delicious recipe. I used mashed feta instead of goat cheese one time. This time,a combination of soft goat and chopped black olives.
The recipe makes an 8in size pizza.
My husband & I are very new to the low carb world so I’m glad I found this recipe bc I’m already missing pizza. We’ve learned tons from Dr. Eric Berg (husband foundries posts on FB & since we started this just 12 days ago, I feel like I’ve turned the clock back 10 years already in how I feel. Something I want to add though is that if lactose intolerant, 1) aged cheese has no lactose, it’s destroyed in the aging process, pick a good pecorino or similar I’ve tried goat cheese a few times, keep waiting to see if my preference changes bc my kids like it but so far it’s a no-go for me:(. I am so anxious to try this recipe so thank you for posting & sharing!
My first try at making a cauliflower pizza crust and it was perfect. I can’t wait to make it again and again. I didn’t thing it was a lot of work now that I did it. It’s very simple and the fact that I was able to make it ahead of time it’s even better. In my opinion I thinkk that getting frozen cauliflower rice makes it easier and a milky bag it’s a must. . Thanks for a perfect recipe. This is the first time I write a review about a recipe. Looking forward to trying more of your recip.
Think I did something wrong – I used frozen riced CF (thawed) with the egg and goat cheese mix. When I tried to flip it, it stuck to the parchment paper. I think I can salvage it (sorta) but I don’t think it’s going to hold together to pick up.
I am planning to make this and buy frozen cauli rice.. could I use cauliflower instead?
EVEN WITH BAKING PAPER AND OILING THE PAPER WITH OIL IT STILL STICKS TO THE PAPER?
WHY?
I think because ur shaping and pressing down the pizza base on the paper – which makes it stick – u somehow need to roll it out and then transfer to a baking tray
Are you definitely using parchment paper and not wax paper? Because that would definitely cause sticking. When you flip the crust over, the parchment paper should peel right off.
OMG – ur right – I was using wax paper – I didn’t know there was a difference! 🙁 OMG – I tried twice and both times destroyed the pizza! thank u so much! I thought all baking sheets were the same 🙂
What size serving are the macros above listed for?
The nutrition information is automatically calculated for 1/4 of the pizza.
Good luck getting the water out and not having a soggy crust. Not worth the labor.
5 stars! Hubby loved the results; used main recipe but used fresh cauliflower that I first riced before microwaving to tenderize. Did breakfast items on stovetop, mushrm, onion, sausage, tomato, then sprinkled baked crust with ranch & honey mustard dressings before toppings were spread. Topped with Italian cheese (misc herbs used). Thank you!
I have made this a few times my husband loves it.
Relatively new to the cauliflower pizza crust crowd. Loved the idea of freezing extra crusts! Because a ‘large’ crust takes up a lot of freezer space, I tested whether the crust could be frozen uncooked to be used at a later date without the crust becoming soggy when cooked. AND…it works! Did a side-by-side test making a pizza w/ fresh ‘dough’ and one using frozen ‘dough.’ Absolutely no discernible difference – both could be held like a regular pizza slice. YUM!!
This recipe was very easy to make. I make a slight modification.added 1.5 tbsp of flax seed flour to the recipe. The pizza was amazing and I now can eat one of my favorite foods without the guilt of too many carbs
Epic failure! I followed the recipe exactly. I won’t be making this crust again.
I really enjoyed trying this, but bit of a labour of love though, and as I doubted I’d squeezed enough water out I put a couple of spoonfuls of flour in. Worked well. I just did half quantities and used only the egg white. thanks I’m going to try it instead of rice next. Happy healthy diet!
I tried your cauliflower pizza crust with riced cauliflower and it couldnt have been easier to have such a healthy alternative. We did add garlic powder and chopped spinach in the dough before combining and topped with very little sauce, onions, peppers, mushrooms, diced turkey then cheese sprinkled ontop. It was delicious and surprisingly my husband was totally amazed at how good it was!!! Thanks for keeping us healthy- do you have any healthy barbeque suggestions?