NOW, for the recipe that you all voted for on Facebook last week – Meat Lovers Pizza with Cauliflower Crust!
I kept seeing the infamous cauliflower crust pizza popping up on Pinterest and was very intrigued but slightly skeptical. I couldn't imagine how a pizza made of cauliflower could be sturdy enough to hold all of the toppings I like to pile on my pizza until I made this Meat Lovers Pizza with Cauliflower Crust!
My instincts were accurate, because I was disappointed with the recipes I tried that I found online. First off, all of them use mozzarella which is not allowed on SCD because it is generally processed with emulsifiers and doesn't have bacterial growth. It also melts down to be stringy and didn't create a strong crust. The cauliflower also holds so much moisture in it that it was a little too damp for my tastes. Don't get me wrong, it tasted good, but I like to be able to pick up my pizza and you couldn't with these recipes.
For this recipe, there are no forks necessary! I added some coconut flour and used Parmesan cheese instead and came out with a pizza crust that I love! I like to make them into individual pizzas so people can chose their own toppings, but also because it does make it a little easier to pick up with your hands.
Cauliflower is fiber rich and contains high amounts of vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids which both help reduce inflammation. Because the crust is pre-baked, you will need to cook the vegetables and meat before baking the entire pizza.
Rose Beyke
Sounds delicious and easy! Congrats to Ember!
Amber
Hi There Danielle,
Just beautiful. What a great recipe. How wonderful to enjoy pizza again!! Meat lovers – yes please. I love your choice toppings. I don’t eat dairy, but this crust is soooo calling my name. 🙂
Hugs,
–Amber
P.S. congratulations to the lucky winner! And thank you Danielle for this great giveaway.
Against All Grain
Thanks Amber! I do minimal dairy but find I can handle yogurt and some cheeses. I try not to overdo it, but I love cheese!
Danielle @ Fresh4Five
Going to try this (dairy free)! looks AMAZING!! I am slightly obsessed with cauliflower these days 🙂
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom
I can’t wait to make this! Thanks! You do a beautiful job – great recipes.
Neveen
Just wanted to let you know that I made this last night for my little guy. He loves pizza and though I usually make a sourdough crust for our pizzas I am trying to incorporate more grain-free meals into our lives. I’m going to eventually get on GAPS. It was really good! The crust came out pretty soft, though I think the cauliflower was a bit wet and I don’t think I patted it down enough so it was thick in the middle, but the taste was fabulous! Used two kinds of cheeses in the crust. Since I decided to make it after I got home from work, i was under some time constraints, so I decided to forgo cooking the cauliflower and seeing what would happen. It cooked up in the oven just fine. Then I threw it in there for another 5 minutes after I added the toppings so it cooked even more. Thanks for the recipes! I just love them.
Against All Grain
Thank you for coming back to let us know how it turned out! I always love to hear feedback. Yes, the crust may have been a little soft because the cauliflower lets out a lot of moisture as it cooks, so by cooking it ahead of time, you’re able to get rid of some of that moisture. But I’m happy to hear that you can technically skip that step and still come out with something tasty, albeit a little soft! What kind of cheese did you use? That may have had something to do with it too. Parmesan hardens after it is baked at high temperatures (think Parmesan Crisp Chips) so that is why I chose it to use in my crust. Also happy to hear it is kid approved! They’re so hard to please sometimes! 🙂
Neveen
Thanks for the info. I didn’t realize that the cauliflower would release moisture. The crust didn’t come out so soggy that you couldn’t pick it up, but it was soft. I still have to get used to the texture of grain-free baked foods. I knew where you were going with the Parmesan cheese in the crust but since I was making it for my son, I didn’t want it to be as salty. I used a combo or parm and swiss. He did get the second half of the pizza last night and that was really soggy, but I’m assuming it’s due to the toppings. Next time, I won’t start the crust when I’m crunched for time and will cook the cauliflower. One question I do have is, if you decide not to pre-cook the cauliflower, would you add more coconut flour to absorb the moisture? I’m really new to grain-free baking so I’m just learning about the different flour properties.
Thanks so much for answering back. I’m really enjoying your blog and have made a couple of your muffins to rave reviews from my toddler and my grain-loving husband.
Katie
I am definitely intrigued by your recipe. It looks absolutely delicious!
Cybele Pascal
Hi! You are breaking my heart! I want so much to feature your recipes this week at Allergy-Friendly Friday, but neither one has hyperlinks back to AFF. I really love your food, so please trackback so I can feature your recipes in the future.
all best,
Cybele
Against All Grain
AHH I totally forgot to add in the links!! I’m usually so good about doing it right away but I procrastinated and forgot. Linking up now!
Frannie
I am currently stuffing my face full of this pizza…well, the crust recipe w/ pesto, artichoke & sundried tomatoes. YUM!!! easy to make, stays together and doesn’t have an overly cauliflower taste (with the added coconut flour’s help). I tried another recipe like this last week but it didn’t have the spices nor the coconut flour. It was edible but no this one is definitely a keeper! Thank you!
Frannie
I forgot to add that I chose to microwave the grated cauliflower for 8 min on high (per the previous recipe’s suggestion) then add the rest of the ingredients. this make the whole process so simple and quick. I don’t usually microwave things but in the case for time…I thought it worked out great.
Against All Grain
Glad you liked it! The microwave is definitely helpful if you use them. I try not to as well, so I didn’t include it in the instructions. Enjoy!
noosh.
this looks amazing! have you tried making it without cheese in the crust, or any ideas for a dairy free one? i might play around with it, but thought i would check first. thanks! :))
Ashlee
LOVE This! Thank you for all your great recipes.
Willy Fog
Hi!
I was searching for a gluten-free, grain-free bread recipe and found your site. And I see you have some interesting recipes, such as this one!! What a delight. I look forward to exploring more and trying out your ideas. Thank you so much for putting the work, time and effort into this and sharing it with all of us. 😉
Willy Fog
And PS: I LOVE your print button!
Julie
I loved this crust. I made mine a bit too thick so it was not as crisp as I would have liked it. For toppings, I only had tomatoes and shrimp. The shrimp paired well with the coconut in the crust but I was missing a layer of flavor. Maybe something spicy to offset the sweet? I made almond milk this a.m. and thought about adding some of the left over almond meal but didn’t. Maybe next time.
Any ideas on another topping to fill out the flavor?
Against All Grain
It’s not a very crisp crust so rolling it thinner may not even help. If you added some parmesan cheese that would help, but not sure if you can do dairy. For shrimp and tomatoes – I would add a little lemon juice, parsley, and garlic.
leni chan
Hi, Love love this recipe and so does my almost 4 year old, although wondering if you have tips on getting it crispier… at least on edges? I thought possibly drying it in oven first then turning up the heat? thanks
Nicole
I use my pizza stone to make the crust crispy!
Qehn
Just made this for dinner. I tried a few tweaks. I used soy flour instead of coconut flour as that was on hand, and it turned out fine. I think I might try cooking the crust longer on a lower heat to see if that releases a little more moisture. I also changed the toppings. I am a Muslim, so I used hallal toppings, but it seems like most anything will work. I must say, I had none of that bloated feeling I always had after indulging in regular pizza. I stuffed myself, and I feel great!
Berneda
Do you know if this crust can be made in advance and freeze it? It would help with busy week nights.
Nicole
I am just now trying this pizza crust and I noticed that the garlic is to be “crushed”. I didn’t see anything in the recipe about chopping it up any more so I ended up mincing it to mix into my ingredients. Was I supposed to take it out of the mix at some point?
Thank you for all these great recipes! I love everything I have tried:)
Ryann McInturf
Hi,
This recipe looks so good! What can I use as a replacement for the cheese to make it 100% paleo?
Against All Grain
The cheese is necessary to make the crust hold together and maintain a crunch. I’d use my cashew almond crust if you’re looking for a dairy free pizza.
Against All Grain
The cheese is necessary to make the crust hold together and maintain a crunch. I’d use my cashew almond crust if you’re looking for a dairy free pizza. ” target=”_blank”>
Hannah A.
Hello, and thank you in advance for the recipe with detailed photos and instructions! My fault in preparing cauliflower as a mashed potato or crust alternative seems to be boiling vs. steaming. I’m wondering, what brand/size steamer basket do you use?
Against All Grain
I’m not sure I’ve had mine for years! It really doesn’t matter though as long as the veggies don’t touch the water.
Hannah A.
Thank you! I’ll be on the lookout for a suitable option. 🙂
Jenna
awesome recipe, can’t wait to make it! could I substitute the coconut flour for rice flour? sorry if this question has already been asked, there’s so many to read through! thought this might be quicker 🙂
Against All Grain
Bummer! Coconut flour is important because it is also used as an absorbent, so if you took that out or subbed something else in for it the texture would be completely different. You can try it though, I don’t know exactly how it will turn out!
Kate
Hi Danielle,
I knew I had to try this pizza crust when you recently posted it on facebook. I’ve made it 2 times since then and it is so yummy! Definitely not too strong of a cauliflower taste, and it held up to lots of toppings well. Even my grain-loving friends liked it! Thank you!
Kelly
Hi Danielle
Between your steps 3 and 4, I put the cooked and cooled cauliflower into a nut milk bag and squeezed all the water out of it. Crust was crispy and held up to lots of sauce and toppings. Delish!
Kelly
Joy Manoleros
Can you make these crusts ahead and freeze them??
Against All Grain
I’ve never tried it but I think it would work! To defrost it just put it in the oven on a low setting until it’s thawed out.
Rachel
Made this crust last night but added one more egg, and it turned out amazing!!! Definitely a recipe to share! My non-paleo boyfriend was super impressed! Thanks so much. Love your recipes!!
Amanda
Danielle- I’m new to following your blog and recently purchased your book. So, I knew when I saw this posted on Facebook today, we had to try it. I am always skeptical of “faux” anything, but since you shared it, I had to try it. My fiance and I both loved this. We topped ours with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onion, red bell pepper, and bacon pieces. Thank you for coming up with such a great recipe and sharing it!
Karen Jones
Do these freeze well? I’d love to make ahead.
Against All Grain
I have heard that people have had success freezing the crust ahead of time. Just make sure that you store in an airtight container.
Marilyn
Hi Danielle, I tried this cauliflower crust pizza tonight…it tasted delicious…I don’t do dairy, so I tried part Daiya and part nutritional yeast…I know that will not act like Parm, but wanted to give it a try. I put the crust directly on the pizza stone, and it was still very soft when it was done…the edges were nice and brown though, but I did have to use a fork to eat it. However, the pizza stuck to the stone…did you put your crust on the parchment and then on the pizza stone? Or did I maybe not have the stone hot enough? I put it in the oven when i preheated the overn ?? I ‘riced’ the cauliflower and then sauteed it in a little coconut oil until the moisture was pretty well gone, and mixed it with the other ingredients and made the crusts… I will certainly try this again. Thanks for all your testing and sharing…
Laura
Hi I love your recipes, I’m giving Paleo a try due to being diagnosed with an IBD. Recipes look great, I love the granola recipe with homemade SCD yogurt , so good!! My question is– can you use a cheddar rather than a parmesan cheese in the crust? I found a cheddar that has zero lactose, as I don’t do dairy very well. Thanks in advance!!
Amy Wendling
Hi Danielle. I made this tasty pizza tonight for dinner. I loved it! My one obstacle was that it got really soggy. I baked it on parchment paper, and then put it directly on the baking pan when I put toppings on before broiling. Didn’t want the paper to catch on fire under the broiler. Any tips for crisping up the crust a little? Just enough so it stays together more? Thanks!
Erica
Loved the taste but I may have messed up the crust along the way. It was my first attempt at a cauliflower crust (new to paleo). The crust smelled amazing while it was cooking and the taste was fabulous however, it turned out soggy in the middle and did not stay together. I may have had some mistakes along the way. 1. I was out of parchment paper so I slightly oiled a cookie sheet. 2. I’ve never steamed a veggie before (I know, I know but I’m new to healthy!). I only had a rice cooker with a steamer basket on top but the holes were rather large on my steamer. There seemed to be a lot of moisture in the cauliflower mix. I’ll try make sure I have the proper tools next time I try.