Pizza is one of my favorite foods in the world. And even though I love keto pizza crust and keto calzones, sometimes I want something a little lighter. Cauliflower pizza crust naturally comes to mind! I spent a long time experimenting to come up with what I feel is the best cauliflower pizza crust recipe, including an option that doesn’t require squeezing the riced cauliflower (yay!). I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe
- Neutral, mild taste
- Crispy edges
- You can actually pick up this cauliflower crust pizza!
- Just 3 grams net carbohydrates
- No flour, cornstarch, or cornstarch substitutes needed
- Healthy way to eat veggies AND pizza
- Naturally low carb, keto friendly, grain-free, and gluten-free
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here I explain the best ingredients for cauliflower pizza crust recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower – You’ll need one large head. We’re making it into cauliflower rice for the crust. If you like, you can even use frozen cauliflower rice to save time.
- Eggs – Use large eggs. Egg substitutes won’t work well here.
- Parmesan Cheese – Use grated parmesan for best texture. This recipe has more cheese than some other cauliflower pizza recipes, because I find that it holds together better that way and improves the texture. It’s also salty enough that it doesn’t require any additional salt in the recipe. You can replace the parmesan with other cheeses, such as mozzarella, but parmesan makes the crust more sturdy than other options.
VARIATION: Add seasonings for extra flavor!
Try Italian seasoning (or simply dried oregano) and garlic powder.
How To Make Cauliflower Pizza Crust
This section shows how to make cauliflower crust pizza with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Rice the cauliflower. Pulse cauliflower florets in a food processor until they are the consistency of rice.
- Stir fry the cauliflower rice. This step is the secret for making the best cauliflower pizza crust — stir frying removes excess moisture, preventing a soggy crust that falls apart. Cook the cauliflower until it’s very soft and dry.
- Optional step: squeeze the cauliflower. Squeeze the riced cauliflower in a clean dish towel over the sink to release as much liquid as possible. It should be extra dry and clumpy. You won’t get as much moisture out as you would after steaming because the stir frying process actually helps most of the moisture evaporate.
TIP: Squeezing is recommended for a large pizza, but optional if you make 2 small pizzas instead.
I was pretty excited about the possibility of an easy cauliflower pizza crust recipe that doesn’t require squeezing. The stir fry step helps a lot, but you do get a firmer crust if you squeeze it. Squeezing is necessary for one large pizza, but if you split the dough into 2 smaller crusts, you can get away without it.
- Mix together the binders. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and stir in parmesan cheese. Add seasonings, if using.
- Add the cauliflower. Stir the cauliflower into the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture. Press and knead cauliflower mixture, with a spatula or your hands, to mix well.
- Form the cauliflower pizza crust. Spread the cauliflower crust “dough” into a thin layer, about 1/4 inch thick, on a piece of parchment paper laid over either a pizza peel (if you’ll be sliding onto a pizza stone — highly recommended!) or a baking sheet.
- Bake the crust. Bake until it’s dry and firm, and the edges are golden brown. Let the crust cool for 10 minutes before adding toppings.
- Top the pizza. Add your favorite pizza toppings (see ideas below!) to your homemade cauliflower pizza crust.
- Bake again. Transfer the pizza directly onto the pizza stone (no parchment paper this time) and bake again. It’s super quick the second time, just long enough to melt the cheese. You can also place the pizza under the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end to brown the cheese if you like, or top with parmesan, red pepper flakes, or fresh herbs.
Tips For The Best Cauliflower Pizza Crust
- Stir fry the cauliflower until VERY soft. Unlike a traditional cauliflower rice, you don’t want crisp-tender cauliflower here, you want it as soft as possible. This will create the best texture in the final crust.
- Squeeze the cauliflower rice or don’t, based on your needs. Squeeze for one large cauliflower pizza, or skip this step and make two small ones instead.
- Mix the ingredients well. This is crucial for a uniform result.
- Cook cauliflower crust on a pizza stone. This is the key to a crispy keto cauliflower pizza crust! Just be sure to place it in the oven before the oven preheats, so that it doesn’t crack. (I rarely buy single-purpose items for my kitchen, but the pizza stone is well worth the investment. I use it for ALL my pizza recipes and it makes for the best crust — whether you are using this cauliflower pizza crust recipe or any other kind!)
- Use a pizza peel to slide the pizza onto the stone. You can use something else, like a cutting board or oversized turner, but a pizza peel works best.
- Rest the crust before adding toppings. Letting the crust cool for 5-10 minutes creates a seal, which will prevent your crust from soaking up the sauce and getting soggy.
Topping Ideas
- Meat Lover’s – Pizza sauce (or tomato sauce or sugar-free pizza sauce), shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Italian sausage, crumbled ground beef, and diced Canadian bacon.
- Veggie Lover’s – Pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, and black olives.
- Margherita – Pizza sauce, sliced fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil. (You can also add fresh basil after baking instead if you like.)
- Taco Pizza – Top your cauliflower crust pizza with salsa, ground beef cooked with taco seasoning, and Mexican cheese blend, and bake. After removing from the oven, top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, jalapenos, and sour cream.
- BBQ Chicken – Barbecue sauce (I use sugar-free bbq sauce but any kind works), shredded chicken, diced red onions, and cheddar cheese. This combo is also amazing with ranch dressing drizzled over it!
- Hawaiian – Pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, Canadian bacon, and diced pineapple (omit for keto, but ok in small amounts for low carb).
- Pesto – Spread with prepared pesto sauce and top with fresh mozzarella and sliced tomatoes (or sun-dried tomatoes). Garnish with fresh basil after baking.
- White Pizza – Top it with homemade alfredo sauce, spinach, cooked chicken, onions & cheese for a twist on the classic pizza.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Meal prep: Bake the crust in advance and store in the refrigerator or freeze. Add toppings and bake right before serving.
- Reheat: For best results, reheat the pizza in the oven on a pizza stone for best results. It might be a little softer, especially if you used a fair amount of pizza sauce, but I think it’s delicious anyway. I don’t recommend reheating in the microwave, unless you are okay with a very soft crust that you have to eat with a fork.
- Freeze: Make the crust without toppings, wrap in plastic followed by foil, and keep in the freezer for 3-6 months. No need to thaw when ready to eat. Just add toppings, slide onto a pizza stone in the oven preheated to 400 degrees F, and bake for 15 minutes.
