I finally tried making cauliflower pizza: it’s delicious! The internet is full of this recipe, mainly on many American blogs. But I was always hesitant among all the different versions available. Some people boil the cauliflower, some squeeze it in a cloth, some add flour…
I wanted something simple though, and above all I wanted to make a pizza base that wouldn’t crumble or fall apart, so it could be eaten in slices by hand like a classic pizza. I also wanted to avoid flour, to keep Weight Watchers points low and make the recipe suitable for those who are gluten intolerant.
And I was right to experiment a lot because in the end I managed to find the exact combination of ingredients and a simple method to make a cauliflower pizza base that doesn’t fall apart. It’s also very light — only 5 WW points for one base — and easy to make, without boiling the cauliflower or squeezing it. Let’s see how.
You can find other light alternative pizzas here;
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients
For the topping I used smoked scamorza which adds 1 extra WW point per pizza.
- 5 1/2 cups cauliflower (florets only)
- 2/3 cup (grated) grated Parmesan
- 2 eggs
- to taste oregano
- to taste salt and pepper
- 3 oz mozzarella (light)
- to taste tomato purée
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch basil
- to taste salt
- Points for 1 base = 5 WW points
- Points for 1 topped pizza = 8 WW points
Tools
- Immersion blender
- Deep pan
- Parchment paper
Steps
Place only the cauliflower florets in an immersion blender and pulse them into crumbs.
Pour the riced cauliflower into a nonstick pan without adding anything and let it dry over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly. For this amount of cauliflower it is better to do this in two batches. Let cool.
In a bowl beat the eggs with the Parmesan, salt, pepper and oregano, then add the cauliflower and mix well.
Preheat the oven to 482°F with the baking sheet you will use already inside.
Put half the mixture on a sheet of parchment paper and, using your hands, spread it out to form a disk.
Using a spatula push the edges inward so the rim isn’t too thin; otherwise it may bake faster than the center of the base. The final disk I made was about 10 inches across.
Slide the sheet with the pizza base onto the preheated baking sheet (careful not to burn yourself) and bake for about 15-20 minutes. The base should be nicely golden on top.
While the first base is baking you can prepare the second.
Remove the first from the oven, take it off the sheet and put the second one in — simple, right?
At this point, if you want to eat it right away, proceed to the topping instructions. If you plan to eat it later, remove the parchment and let it cool on a rack.
The base is ready and you can leave it on a plate in the pantry until the next day; I haven’t tried longer than that.
As you can see in the photos, the cauliflower pizza base doesn’t fall apart. You can even lift it from one edge and it will stay in one piece.
Remove the pizza base from the parchment and place it directly on the oven rack.
Add some tomato purée seasoned with salt and oregano, or a portion of this recipe: Light pizza sauce.
Tear fresh basil over the surface, add thinly sliced or diced mozzarella and drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil on top.
Bake for 5-10 minutes at 482°F — just long enough to melt the mozzarella.
And our cauliflower pizza Margherita-style is ready to be served. It smells wonderful and looks so inviting.
Here are some close-up photos to show the result: the crust is thin but not flimsy!
Look how easily you can pick up a slice between your fingers. Just like a real pizza, right?
Another great thing is that this pizza is mainly a source of protein. So by itself it doesn’t make a balanced meal. What should you pair with it as a carbohydrate? The answer is simple: Crispy fries. That way you can eat pizza and fries and still stick to the diet. Fantastic, right?
I was really satisfied. I won’t add more — just: try it and tell me if you liked it.
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
You can keep the prepared bases for one day at room temperature. I haven’t tried this, but I think you could package them in a wide food bag, separated with kitchen paper. In that case I believe they can be kept in the fridge for 4 days and also frozen for 4-5 months. If you try it let me know if it worked.
