This Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust is egg-free and dairy-free, and has the BEST taste and texture. I love that you can hold it with your hands, like a real slice of pizza!
Unlike my original cauliflower pizza crust, this recipe uses ground flax as a binder instead of eggs. Flax eggs are made by simply stirring together freshly ground seeds and water to make a gluey, egg-like replacement, but since cauliflower is already loaded with so much moisture, we’re using much less water in this recipe to account for that. This gives you a drier pizza crust that you can hold with your hands.
How to Make Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust
This crust is made with just a handful of all-natural ingredients. All you need is some cauliflower (bonus if it’s already “riced” for you), ground flax, almond flour, and seasonings. The key to getting a dry vegan cauliflower pizza crust that you can hold with your hands is to wring-out all of the moisture first.
To do this, you’ll need to cook the cauliflower first. You can steam it or dry roast it, if you’re using fresh cauliflower.
Frozen Cauliflower Rice for an EASY Vegan Pizza Crust
Alternatively, you can buy frozen cauliflower and let it thaw in your fridge overnight. This is my preferred method, because there’s no extra cooking involved. If you use frozen florets, you’ll need to process them in a food processor (affiliate link) first, but many stores are starting to carry frozen cauliflower rice, which makes this recipe even easier!
If you can find frozen cauliflower rice, simply thaw it in the fridge the night before (or you can heat it up if you’re in a hurry), then transfer it to a towel or nut milk bag (affiliate link) and squeeze it until you can’t get any more liquid out. I usually end up with at least 1/2 cup of liquid squeezed out, so it should be a significant amount to get a very dry cauliflower pizza crust.
Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Dough
Once you have the dry cauliflower “pulp,” add it to the ground flax, almond flour, and seasonings. It may look crumbly at first, but I find that if you mix it with your hands (or an electric hand/stand mixer) it starts to stick together nicely.
Keep in mind that this is not your average pizza dough. It won’t be stretchy, because there’s no gluten involved. Instead, it will be a pile that you’ll need to press out onto a large pizza sheet. Get your hands wet if the pizza “dough” sticks to them too much, as that will help you press it out. You want the pizza to be a flat and even as possible.
The flatter it gets, the drier the resulting crust will be. I can get this crust to be about 12-14 inches in diameter, or you can make two 6-8 inch pizzas if you prefer something smaller to work with. (It’s easier to flip if they are smaller!)
Bake the pizza crust until it is dry and easy to pick up with your hands, about 45 minutes. You can flip it over at this point and bake for 10-15 minutes more to dry out the other side, but I’m usually impatient and just start adding the toppings after I flip it over. (Tip: Use the parchment paper to help you flip over the large crust. I keep one hand on the crust itself, and pick up the parchment with my other hand to sandwich the crust and keep it from breaking.)
Since this process is still a bit labor-intensive, I recommend making a double batch so you can keep an extra crust in the freezer for an easy pizza night in the future.
Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds cauliflower rice/florets (fresh or frozen)
- 3 tablespoons ground chia or flax seeds
- 1/2 cup almond flour or meal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- FROZEN METHOD (fastest): If you're using frozen cauliflower rice (my preferred method) make sure you've thawed it in the fridge the night before. Frozen cauliflower florets can also be thawed ahead of time and used instead, you'll just need to "rice" it by processing it briefly in a food processor, before proceeding to the next step.
- FRESH METHOD: If you're using fresh cauliflower, you'll need to steam it first. Fill a large pot with an inch of water, then place a steamer basket over that. Fill the basket with the fresh cauliflower florets and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the cauliflower is very tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Process it briefly to make cauliflower "rice." Continue as directed, though you might want to let the cooked cauliflower cool so you don't burn your hands when wringing it out.
- Transfer the thawed or cooked cauliflower rice to the center of a thin dish towel, or place it in a nut milk bag. Use your hands to squeeze the rice, removing all of the excess moisture from the cauliflower. There should be quite a lot of liquid that comes out, close to 1/2 cup.
- Place the drained cauliflower in a large bowl, then add in ground flax or chia seeds, almond flour, salt, garlic and dried oregano. Stir well to mix, using your hands if needed to make it stick together. You can add a tablespoon of water if needed, but I typically don't add any extra liquid when I use my hands to mix this dough.
- Press the mixture into the parchment-lined baking sheet, using your hands to shape the crust into your desired size. The thinner and flatter you can press the crust, the better, but try to keep it as even as possible for a sturdy result. I typically get a crust that is 12 to 14 inches in diameter from this recipe.
- Bake the crust at 400ºF for 45 minutes, checking on it after 30 minutes to make sure it's not starting to burn. You want the crust to be dry to the touch and nicely golden. (Tip: You can roast vegetable toppings for your pizza at the same time! I put sliced tomatoes, red onion, and mushrooms on a separate pan, and take them out of the oven around the 25 minute mark so they don't burn.)
- For best texture, I recommend flipping the entire pizza crust over on the pan (I use the parchment paper to lift it), then return it to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes to dry out even more. However, this is optional. I do recommend flipping over the crust either way, so that the "dry side" is on the bottom, making it easier to pick up with your hands later.
- Once the crust is firm and dry, add your favorite pizza toppings and return to the oven briefly to let everything heat up, about 5-10 additional minutes. Serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freeze for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Per Serving (1/4 of the whole pizza): Calories: 150, Fat: 9g, Carbohydrates: 13g, Fiber: 6g, Protein: 7g
Recipe Notes:
- If you freeze the plain crust, you can top it straight from the freezer and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350ºF for a fast pizza night.
- For an even easier “vegan pizza,” try making my Eggplant Pizzas, Cauliflower Steak Pizza, or Zucchini Boat Pizzas using the vegan toppings that you love.
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Reader Feedback: Have you tried the cauliflower pizza crust yet? Whether it’s the original recipe or this vegan version, I hope you enjoy this gluten-free alternative!
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OMG. Finally made this today. So yummy. I used lemon pepper and diced onion in place of garlic powder and dried oregano. I think i will try without parchment paper and just use a non stick pan to get it crisper.
Loved the cauliflower crust pizza. The only changes I had made was using skim milk instead of almond milk. I am not vegan but vegetarian who does not eat eggs.
Thank you very much
Just made this cauliflower pizza crust recipe (my first time switching over from pizza dow)… boy what it good… This is a real KEEPER… the extra chia seeds added to the mixture give the crust a great slightly crunchy texture. I topped the crust with tomato sauce, fried onions and mushroom, spinach and vegan shredded cheese… WOW… I still have some cauliflower in the fridge and I will make this recipe again this weekend. Thank you so much for posting it, I’ve been wanting to make a cauliflower crust for quite some time, but I was worried it would be difficult. In fact, it’s easier than making the regular flower dow…
I think it’s time for me to try the cauliflower crust! I’m so happy I found a recipe without any dairy or eggs. Looks delicious, thanks for the recipe!
I’ve been trying some of these famous cauliflower ideas lately, and just like all the others, this one was a bust for me, too. I am very accomplished in the kitchen, but these cauliflower recipes are just ending up as soggy, liquid nightmares no matter how hard I squeeze, how long I bake, or how long I boil.
Sound great can’t wait to try it. I was wondering can I use coconut flour instead?
When you call for “almond meal” you mean the product that has a coarser grind than almond flour, right? Can you suggest a brand that you use (or do you make it yourself?) so I can get similar results as you? Do you think almond flour might work as a substitute? Thank you!
Almond meal usually refers to the ground “flour” using almonds that are not blanched. I think it’s healthier to include the skins, so that you’re using the whole almonds, but blanched almond flour might work, too. Though it’s not organic, Trader Joe’s carries an affordable almond meal that’s easily available, and Bob’s Red Mill makes one, too.
Love this recipe! The second time I made this, I used Trader Joe’s frozen riced cauliflower instead of a fresh head of cauliflower, much easier and faster.
Hi! When you used Trader Joe’s rice cauliflower, hoe much did you use? Still 1 pounds worth?
Yes, the weight won’t change so it’s still a pound! 😉
It is so offensive to call that “pizza.” Especially offensive to Italians. It may be the most delicious food in the world and that’s great, but it IS NOT pizza. Please call it something else.
I’m Italian AND a New Yorker (not the fake upstate NY, sorry guys, but Manhattan and Long Island NY, where the NY pizza legacy was created) and I’m not offended. Great for people with Celiac or a gluten intolerance. Chillax, buddy.
I am a vegan as well as a celiac and this recipe is a blessing to me!!! I’m making it as we speak and can’t wait to try it. The beauty of pizza, is that it’s a creative cuisine that can be made to our liking. Thanks for this recipe!!
I love all your recipes and can’t wait to try this one, too! Can I use wet almond pulp that’s leftover from making almond milk or do I have to dry it out first?
Made this crust for the first time, last night, for a pizza night dinner. It was AMAZING and DELICIOUS!! My husband was super skeptical so I made this crust/pizza for just myself as I’m cutting out wheat/gluten, providing other pizzas for everyone else. Many guests, and even my husband were curious and wanted to taste my pizza and they were very pleasantly surprised how delicious it was. I topped with 1/2 pesto and 1/2 marinara (the marinara side is my favorite), sauteed mushrooms, olives, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and sprinkled with a bit of cheese to keep it all together. After baking, I piled on some mini arugula! Oh, and I followed the crust directions to the T, notes and hints as well. Thank you! This is my new favorite and don’t think I can eat wheat crust pizza ever again! HAHA!
Can’t wait to try to make this! Thanks for the post.
Hi Megan,
I tried but the crust fell apart. Is it because I used cocunut flour instead of almond. I really want this to be perfect.
Yes, coconut flour can’t be swapped for almond flour– they are super different!
What else can be used instead of flax and/or chia? I can’t digest either.
Welp, I followed everything to a T and the outer edge was perfect! The center was crumbly and soggy a bit but I think I just need to make it a HAIR thinner than I did and it would have been perfect to pick up and eat. The thickness and the consistency of flax egg and amount of water added needs to be 100% perfect I think. I personally added 1.5 tbsp to the mix after adding 1 tbsp flax. If you add too much or too little I can see where that would mess things up. I also used the middle of the oven- not the top. Oh, and the cashew parm is essential. Made it for he first time tonight and the leftover “cheese” is definitely going to be a new staple of mine. Also I used TRader Joe’s bag of riced cauli and that seemed to be the perfect Amt (1lb) but didn’t even fill the baking sheet. A whole head of cauli would likely be too much “dough” to make it the right weight to pick up.
OMG! Fantastic!! Try it all you vegans out there. I have a vegan pesto I made that I used as a topping nalong with mushrooms, onions and sundried tomatoes I sauteed first. I used baby kale because I was out of spinach. Ok not perfect. I made my crust about an 1/8″ thick and that seemed to be perfect. Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe.
BTW – I used a bag of cauliflower rice I got at Costco.
WHEN I WENT TO CUT THE VEGAN CRUST AND TRANSFER IT TO MY PLATE IT FELL APART. IS THAT NORMAL?
This pizza base is absolutely delish! But can anyone please tell me the nutritional info? ?
I love this! I have made cauliflower crust a number of times but it was a recipe that involved a lot of egg and cheese and i’m cutting both out of my diet for the next month…possibly long-term.
Great recipe! I tried this for the first time the other night after a google search for cauliflower pizza led me to your site. Definitely labor intensive but worth it and I will make double next time for the freezer!
Can’t wait to try this out!
I found a bag of cauliflower pre-chopped into “rice” at the store, and I want to try to make your pizza crust with it. Do you know how many cups of “rice” 1 lb of cauliflower yields?
I have made this recipe like 5 times. Before I became vegan I also tried the non vegan cauliflower crust and this one is WAY better! I think the chia seeds just work better in this instance. If you are planning to make it my recommendation is to not even consider making it without using parchment paper.
I have tried a number of different recipes and this one blows them all out of the water. In fact when I look up a recipe and see one from Detoxinista, I always choose it. Haven’t been let down yet!🏆🏆🏅🏆🏅🥇
Can i make my own “almond meal” by blending almonds in my vitamix turing into flour?? Instead of having to buy almond meal??
IS ALMOND MEAL THE SAME AS ALMOND FLOUR?
Why not use raw cauliflower mixed with the chia egg and almond meal. It gets enough cooking in the oven
The raw cauliflower will release a lot of moisture when it is cooked, so the resulting pizza crust is soggy if you don’t squeeze out the moisture first.
Looks Delicious! What can i use insTead of almond meal as we are a nut free family?
Really loved this crust recipe. I am not vegan but was drawn to the recipe because it did not require eggs or extra cheese. I found that when I tried to make cauliflower pizza crust before it tasted too much like egg (I may have messed up along the way) and I am not fond of eggs. This definitely was labor intensive! I put some extra work it because I ground the chia seeds and made almond meal myself (only because I did not want to go to the store). Next time I will definitely get the ingredients ahead of time Overall, I am very pleased. 🙂
Looks great I’m definitely going to try it!
Thanks for the recipe. I had to sub coconut flour for almond flour because that’s all I had. I don’t know if I squeezed out too much of the water? Or if it was the coconut flour but I thought the pizza was super dry- too dry?
I also baked for less time than noted above because Preston ground and started lately cracking ( it wasn’t too thin)
Hi Megan,
I have made this lots of times, but lately, my crust is falling apart. What might be going wrong???
Has anyone had luck using chickpea flour? it’s all I have I’m gonna wing it!
Use an ole school juicer and you’ll never need to wring it out. Super dry dough/paste!
I just said out loud, “Hell yeah! Pin!!”
could the almond flour be replaced by something else?
thank you
Has anyone found a good alternative to almond flour for this recipe? My mom is allergic to almonds and hazelnuts in addition to gluten, dairy, and eggs. Did the chickpea flour work?
I’d like to know if you can use the pulp from making almond milk to replace the almond meal for this recipe? If so, would the quantity be the same? Has anyone tried this?
Thanks for the raw vegan version
Thank you for this most delightful vegan pizza crust ever! I have tried cauliflower pizza crusts before with no success, but this one is a keeper. The crust actually stayed together without falling apart! Instead of a dish towel, I used a nut milk bag to squeeze the water out. It worked like a charm. Keep doing what you do so well! Thanks again!
Thanks for this recipe. Loved the taste:) However ,I used Chia and the base was very crumbly and stuck to the baking papaer. Had to scrape it off after the first 30 mns of baking and press into shape again for the next 15mns. Any solutions to this or am I the only one who had this problem😬
Made it and love it!! Thank you for saving me on a night where I needed some comfort food.
What should I add if the crust is crumbly? More water or almond meal? I feel like I should know this but I’m drawing a blank and I don’t want to mess up my mix!
so yummy! mine fell apart, maybe it needed to be baked a little longer? but still super tasty. thank you!
My daughter is allergic to peanuts and treenuts- what can I use instead of almond meal when I make this crust? Thanks
this was a hit at my cooking class! everyone loved it!
Very Good! We topped ours with hummus and sauteed onions and red pepper.
Hello
Crust is baked and looks great. How would you go about freezing it?
Thanks so much for this recipe! I made this last night and topped it with your walnut pesto (sans basil as mine had gone bad) and some ground turkey. OMG….it might have been the tastiest thing I’ve ever made!!!!
I took leftover and put in dehydrator and liked it better dried out more!
I was wondering why you have to drain the cauliflower so much if you’re going to add in the mixture more water?