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Cauliflower Pizza Crust

A gluten-free pizza alternative that's also vegan

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Cauliflower pizza crusts are all the rage these days among gluten-wary eaters. But to make a cauliflower crust that’s texturally on-point and truly healthy, you’ll need a few culinary tricks up your sleeve. Pre-roasting the cauliflower before creating the dough gets ride of excess moisture and produces amore flavorful, toothsome crust.

Arrowroot flour, flaxseed meal, and tahini replace egg whites (used in more cauliflower pizza crusts) as the plant-based binders holding this gluten-free crust together, while a little brown rice flour offers a welcome hint of crunch. The result is a slightly crispy crust that’s perfect for all your favorite toppings. 

Note: This thin-style crust works best when you use a light hand with toppings. Because the crust does not rise, it’s important for textural success that you roll out the dough to the correct size—try using a 9-inch round cake pan for reference.

Servings
9

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head cauliflower, coarsely chopped (3 cups)
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
  • 1/4 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
  • 2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
  • 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 Tbs. tahini paste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Pulse chopped cauliflower in food processor until cut into very small, rice-sized bits. Transfer to large bowl, and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Spread cauliflower on prepared baking sheet, and roast 20 minutes, tossing cauliflower halfway through cooking time and smoothing back out on baking sheet. 

3. Combine flaxseed meal, brown rice flour, arrowroot flour, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder in large bowl. Add cooked cauliflower, and toss to combine. Whisk together tahini and 2 Tbs. water in small bowl. Add tahini mixture to cauliflower, then knead by hand to fully incorporate. Shape into compact ball. 

4. Turn baking sheet face-down. Lay parchment paper atop back side, and lightly coat with cooking spray. Place dough ball in center of sheet, and lay second piece of parchment on top. Press to slightly flatten, and use a rolling pin to smooth out into a 9-inch circle. Peel away top layer of parchment (reserve for next step), and use your fingers to smooth and round dough edges. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until edges are slightly browned and crispy. 

5. Remove pizza crust from oven, and cover with reserved parchment. Place a second baking sheet on top, right-side up. Sandwich the crust between baking sheets, flip everything over, and remove hot baking sheet and top parchment. Top crust with desired toppings, and bake 5 minutes more, or until toppings are hot and bubbly. Cut into 8 slices.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size per slice
  • Calories 105
  • Carbohydrate Content 12 g
  • Cholesterol Content 0 mg
  • Fat Content 5 g
  • Fiber Content 3 g
  • Protein Content 3 g
  • Saturated Fat Content 0.5 g
  • Sodium Content 76 mg
  • Sugar Content 1 g