http://www.fatgirltrappedinaskinnybody.com/2011/06/basil-cauliflower-pizza/My favorite part of pizza is the cheese. Yes, of course I love the dough. But if I had to choose my FAVORITE part, absolute favorite, it’s the cheese that gets slightly browned and bubbly. Yep, that’s the best part of the pizza to me.
This pizza tastes like the brown bubbly cheese on pizza. It really smells like real pizza when it’s baking too.
I say that because I was slightly skeptical about trying a cauliflower crust pizza. Would the crust be soft, firm, mooshy, soggy, or just flat out burnt to a crisp? Would it taste AT ALL like pizza or smell like it?
In the end, this is delicious!
Like I said, it tastes like the browned cheese on a pizza, smells like pizza, but no, it’s doesn’t taste 100% like pizza. Duh, with no dough, how could it? The crust is firm enough to hold toppings, but not firm enough to just eat it with your hands like a slice of thick crust Pizza Hut deep dish. I used a fork and knife.
The key is to bake the crust separately before you add the toppings. This crisps up the cauliflower and cheese so it is capable of holding the sauce and toppings.
Why make a pizza without the dough? Well, many reasons, I’ll just give you the 2 reasons that inspired me to try cauliflower pizza.
1. Each of these pizzas are about 300 calories. Serve it with a side salad and you have an entire plate full of food and not a lot of calories. A REAL piece of pizza alone is over 300 calories. And who eats just one piece? Exactly!
2. For diet/allergy reasons, not everyone can have the dough, or really the flour. So an alternative pizza can please those with gluten intolerance.
Try this, but don’t expect a REAL pizza, expect a healthy version of it. I was VERY pleased with these and plan on making them every time I find cauliflower on sale. Obviously use any toppings you want, the more veggies, the healthier it is
Cauliflower Crust
Makes 4 individual pizzas
2 eggs
2 cups mozzarella cheese
2 cups riced cauliflower (grate the cauliflower on a cheese grater)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh julienned basil
Pizza Toppings
1 cup marinara sauce (1/4 cup per pizza)
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 yellow zucchini, thinly sliced
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
Basil Ricotta (recipe below)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, combine riced cauliflower, basil, eggs and mozzarella. Divide into 4 amounts and press evenly on the parchment paper.
*you can omit the basil or sub it for others herbs of your choice.
Bake the crusts at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
*I went for about 13 minutes and wish I had gone to 15 minutes. But that’s just a taste preference.
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven.
Add marinara sauce to each pizza.
Then add toppings: sliced zucchini and sliced onions.
Drop the basil ricotta cheese on the vegetables by spoonfuls (I used a small cookie scoop). I pressed down slightly on the ricotta so it would be a little flatter.
Place back in the oven until cheese is melted, about 5 – 10 minutes.
Basil Ricotta
1 cup ricotta (I used low fat)
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
pinch salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
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