Cauliflower Pizza Crust

You’re going to love this gluten-free and vegan-friendly cauliflower pizza crust.

Earlier this week we talked about the amazing cruciferous vegetable cauliflower, now let’s put that knowledge into practice and make one of my (new) favorites with cauliflower… Cauliflower Pizza Crust! Cauliflower crust has become very popular in the low carb and paleo communities because it’s loaded with all the flavors of pizza without using refined carbohydrates or any fuss with baking breads. I pair cauliflower with familiar pizza seasonings such as oregano, garlic, and onion amongst an entire menu/meal plan with ideas on how to make your own pizza crust. Plus, if you know anything about my story, you know that gluten and dairy don’t play well with my digestive system. So today I give you my favorite gluten-free and vegan-friendly cauliflower pizza crust that’s also paleo friendly! 

The only pizza you’ll ever need…

I’ve played around with this recipe for a couple weeks now and it was hard work, you know eating all these pizza crust “failures”. But hey, all in the work of a good recipe. When I think of pizza crust I think of several variations – doughy, crispy, thick crust, thin crust, New York style, Chicago style, flatbread, etc. This pizza crust recipe is more thick and doughy than thin. If a thin crust is what you’re after, a couple modifications to the recipe should lend a thinner crust (see in the Note section of the recipe). First and foremost, we forgo all the heavily processed carbohydrates that taste great for a second on the tongue; but leave us feeling heavy, weighted down, and down right lethargic afterward. Food should not only taste great, but it’s gotta make us feel great! If you’re eating foods that make you feel like there’s a brick in your stomach or you want to take a nap after, check out what you’re putting in that beautiful body of yours (and let’s start with that pizza we all love so much).

Cauliflower Crust Tutorial  

This pizza crust is made without any of the standard “dough” ingredients, no gluten, no dairy, no grains, nothing but goodness from cauliflower and some fun ingredients you’ve seen here before on Nutrition Stripped. I love incorporating chia seeds into this pizza crust as it creates a “doughy” texture and moistens the overall crust (if you don’t have chia seeds, this recipe still works). Since this may be a very new concept using a vegetable as a “dough”, I thought it’d help everyone out to show you step by step how to make the crust. Let’s take a peek at the recipe and dig in!

Tips to keep in mind

• Crust // This isn’t going to be like standard pizza crust you’re used to, so open your mind to a new experience of a “crust”.
• Baking // All ovens are different, therefore the time it takes to cook this may take longer/shorter and also depending on how thick you make the crust, keep this in mind.
• Texture // This dough can be very fragile after it’s been baked, just handle with love (and if it falls a part, it’s still darn good).
• Nutritional yeast is optional // It’s purely used for taste. Perfect for non-dairy lovers as it has a cheesy flavor and is loaded with B vitamins and protein. Read here for more on nutritional yeast.
• Sauce // Top with whatever marina or pizza sauce you enjoy (hopefully organic if not homemade!).
• Have fun with your toppings! Load on them veggies!

PIN IT

Top it!

Sauces:

• red marinara, white sauce, Basil Pesto (my favorite), sun-dried tomato puree, roasted red pepper compote, etc.

Greens:

• arugula, spinach, kale, micro greens, sprouts

Veggies:

• onions, peppers, tomatoes, corn (organic, non-GMO), mushrooms, broccoli, artichokes, asparagus spears

Proteins:

• beans, organic tofu, organic tempeh, hemp seeds, farm fresh egg, shrimp, ham, chicken, beef [follow the NS philosophy if you consume animal proteins]

Sweets:

• pineapple, sun-dried tomatoes, peaches, pears

Spices and herbs:

• fresh garlic, red pepper flakes, shallots, fresh basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives

The Menu

The Classic // marinara sauce + Classic Cashew Cheese 
Nutrition Stripped Style // sun dried tomato puree + fresh sliced tomato + fresh basil + arugula + hemp seeds + nutritional yeast
Greek Isles // sun-dried tomato puree + kalamata olives + pepperoncini’s + capers + Classic Cashew Cheese 
Skinny Italy // basil pesto +  fresh sliced tomatoes + eggplant +spinach + fresh basil + Classic Cashew Cheese 
The Hawaiian Tropic // marinara sauce + sliced pineapple  + fresh cilantro
White on white // white sauce + hemp seeds + organic tofu
Mexican // roasted red pepper compote + roasted corn + beans + Classic Cashew Cheese + jalapeños + fresh cilantro
Mushroom Madness // marinara sauce + portabella mushrooms + shiitake mushrooms + white button mushrooms + Classic Cashew Cheese 
Rose // white sauce + rosemary + chicken + Classic Cashew Cheese 
The Californian // marinara sauce + zucchini + tomato + arugula + fresh avocado
Farm Land // marinara sauce + spinach + any and all veggies! + vegan cheese + farm fresh egg (optional)

I want to hear from you! What are your favorite pizza toppings? Have you ever had cauliflower pizza crust before? I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do and feel free to “share” this recipe by tagging me @nutritionstripped and using the #nutritionstripped.