Here’s what’s I imagine to be the reaction of a normal person to a recipe for cauliflower pizza crust: Cauliflower? Not only on pizza but in pizza? What fresh hell is this?
Here’s my reaction: BRING. IT. ON.
I am, admittedly, something of a vegetable enthusiast. Despite my penchant for Nutella and the fact that I ate 12 of these pancakes for dinner last night, I prefer my curry loaded with veggies, regularly add spinach into my smoothies, and ingest a super human amount of kale.
I’m totally in favor of spiking mac & cheese with butternut squash and sneaking grated zucchini into any and all baked goods. So a cauliflower-based pizza crust is right up my alley.
Now, I won’t lie, this is not your standard pizza crust. It’s super crunchy-granola hippie health food pizza. But it’s delicious. I promise. Plus, it’s basically guilt free — if you, like me, count cheese as a totally healthy, completely legit source of protein.
This recipe comes together in a snap. Or, rather, a stir, smoosh, and sprinkle. Stir together the crust ingredients. Smoosh the crust into shape. Sprinkle the toppings over top.
Easy as (pizza) pie.
Spinach-Ricotta Pizza (On a Cauliflower Crust)
Serves 2
For the Crust:
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Toppings:
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large handful raw baby spinach
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Rice cauliflower florets in a food processor (or by grating). In a medium mixing bowl, combine rice cauliflower, 1 cup of mozzarella, eggs, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and herbs. Press the dough into a rough, ½ inch thick rectangle on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is crispy and golden-brown.
Remove the crust for the oven and allow to cool complete. Sprinkle with remaining garlic powder and evenly distribute the mozzarella, onions, and spinach. Top the pizza with generous dollops of ricotta cheese, and bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Serve hot with additional garlic powder (not for the faint of heart) and red pepper flakes.