Indian Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Oooooookay. S’bout to get real up in her.

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I know it’s technically my job or whatever to bring you recipes that you can fully trust! That you can count on with all your heart! That help make you believe you can fly!

But.

I need help today. I need help in a major way. (I love Fruity Pebbles in a major way! Remember that? Sorry.)

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I’ve been wanting to make a cauliflower crust pizza since the invention of cauliflower. And press-on nails. I’ve read and re-read countless (okay, like two) recipes on different blogs and internet url websites. And they made total sense! I didn’t want to re-create the actual crust recipe, because shoot, if it works, it works.

But.

I think I might be a dummy.

Because.

Mine broke.

Okay, see this next photo? That part worked! I put the florets in the food processor to “rice” them. Then I microwaved them for about 8 minutes to cook a little. But see, my cauliflower was pretty enormo, and I had like, 724 cups (probably 4) of ground cauli, which seemed like SO MUCH, I cried a little.

Kevin instructed me to squeeze as much liquid out of the cooked cauli as possible, but for some reason I don’t feel like I could get enough out. It was just so wet. Even with the eggs and cheese. Wet. And then my face was wet because I cried again.

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So I added a little bit of flour to toughen it up a smidge, but then I started to feel like that was defeating the whole purpose of making a flippin’ CAULIFLOWER crust. But I did it anyway because I’m a rebel like that. And then I cried again.

After that, my main problem was the crust sticking to the pan. Lori’s crust didn’t stick at all, but she’s awesome and nice and pretty. Kevin used a silpat, and I have one of those, but it’s the size of a parking lot and wouldn’t fit on any of my baking sheets.

So guess what I did! I cried again.

Let me take a quick intermission to talk about the business on TOP of the pizza. If I can get through it without crumbling to the floor. I kept it simple with some easy Indian ingredients, like some jarred Korma sauce, roasted chickpeas and caramelized onions. And cashews and cilantro, omg. And the most authentic Indian ingredient of all, mozzarella cheese!

I’m just kidding.

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This one stayed together pretty well, once I got it off the freakin’ pan.

My other pizzas? HAHAHAHAH. I’ll show you in a sec.

Okay so, what did I do wrong?! I thought about not posting this at all, but then I decided it would give us the chance to bond, connect, discover new horizons together and fall in love. (oh my gosh please ignore that last part.)

The FLAVORS of this pizza are serious. It was almost like a polenta crust, which is awesome! But you can’t pick up a slice and canoe it into your head. Which is obviously the point.

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Help a sister out?

Indian Cauliflower Crust Pizza:

(adapted from both Closet Cooking and Recipe Girl, and they are awesome, but I sucked this time.)

What it took for 4 (6 to 8-inch) pizzas:

* 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and pat dry
* 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
* 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large head cauliflower
* 2 eggs
* 8 oz block mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* 3/4 cup (or more) of your favorite jarred Indian simmering sauce (I used korma!)
* 1/2 cup sliced cashews
* cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 450.

Heat a tsp of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low. Add the sliced onions and sauté until they’re tender and browned, about 20 minutes. If you want them to be more caramelized, go longer! I just wanted mine “flash caramelized” if that makes any sense at all.

Arrange the chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining tsp of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes, or until slightly crispy and browned. Snack on a few and set the rest aside.

In the meantime, break the cauliflower into florets. In batches, place a few florets in a food processor and pulse until they’re “riced.” Not pureed by any means, just pretty ground. Place the riced cauliflower in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 8 minutes.

Now, the cauliflower was pretty hot for me to handle at this time, so I let it cool for 5 minutes. Using a few paper towels or a cheesecloth, or even a tea towel, squeeze AS MUCH liquid out of the cauliflower as you can. It was hard for me to do this. Maybe I’m a sissy. Then add the eggs, 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss until it’s all combined.

Okay, at this point I still felt like it was too wet, so I added 1/2 cup of flour, which helped a little, but not too crazy much.

Heavily coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and scoop out a large handful of the cauliflower. Press it on the sheet until you get a 6 to 8-inch round, or however large or small you want your ‘za. (sorry I just said ‘za.)

Slide it into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown.

Take it out of the oven and spoon some of the Indian sauce over each pizza (no need to warm it!) Then top with the onions, roasted chickpeas, cashews, and a good sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Slide back into the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and is browned and bubbly.

Garnish with cilantro!

. . . .

So, here are a couple of pizzas that never made it to hair and makeup. They were absolutely scrumptious! Eaten with a fork. Ha . . . ha .. . ha.

Help me.

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The floor is yours.

(Also, the two winners of Heather Christo’s Generous Table are commenter #120 Shannon, who said, “I’ve been doing some much needed weeding in the flower beds, laundry & tomorrow I plan on making some meals for the week ahead,” and #170 Maggie Wallace, who said, “Studying for finals and getting some sunshine if I can!! Beautiful weekend ahead here in Maine!!

Congrats, ladies! Check yo emails, yo.)

 

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52 Responses to Indian Cauliflower Crust Pizza

  1. ashley - baker by nature May 8, 2013 at 8:20 am #
    You are the pizza queen. Also, I want a slice.
  2. Liz May 8, 2013 at 8:27 am #
    I made one last week and I had the same problem. I had the hardest time getting all the water out. The end result was a soggy pizza. I can't wait to hear some tips!
  3. Tieghan May 8, 2013 at 8:27 am #
    You make me smile everyday! I always cry when I have flops, but you totally just made me realize we all have them. Although this looks delicious! Even the brocken ones. Girl you amaze me!
  4. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl May 8, 2013 at 8:33 am #
    Dude. You made a cauliflower crust. You're my hero.
  5. Liz (@Leave a happy plate) May 8, 2013 at 8:40 am #
    Bev, this looks amaaaazing! I have tried to make a cauliflower pizza crust before but it has never turned out that great. Definitely going to try this recipe soon! Thanks :)
  6. Kelly Senyei | Just a Taste May 8, 2013 at 9:26 am #
    File this under the "Obsessed and Drooling" category. Miss Bev, my hero!
  7. Heather @ Heather's Dish May 8, 2013 at 9:33 am #
    Silpats and parchment are my best friends with anything baked. Seriously. The times without I've sat on the floor and eaten the aesthetically ruined cookies and such straight off the pan. Not that I'm saying that would be bad with this pizza...
  8. Julia {The Roasted Root} May 8, 2013 at 9:50 am #
    I love cauliflower crust pizza! I've always steamed the cauliflower first and then blended it up, but your food processor idea saves me some serious time! Genius! I love all the flavors you've got going up in there!
  9. Marie @ Little Kitchie May 8, 2013 at 9:57 am #
    Haha, I love that you shared all this with us!! I have heard of several horror stories when it comes to cauliflower crusts - sticking is the biggest one. But you did NOT suck - it looks deeeeeeeeelicious!!!
  10. Helene D'souza May 8, 2013 at 10:32 am #
    Lovely Pizza idea =) Just the way we like it
  11. Nusrat Azim May 8, 2013 at 10:46 am #
    Cauliflower crust !? How did you come up with this idea, beautiful? :) Sounds so healthy and fun ! And your pizza shots are 'outta this world' :)
  12. Laurie {SimplyScratch} May 8, 2013 at 11:04 am #
    ummm yum!
  13. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar May 8, 2013 at 11:23 am #
    I wish I could help you, but I've never tried making a cauliflower crust! Can't wait to hear the tips!!
  14. Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health May 8, 2013 at 11:45 am #
    The flavors on yours sound really good!! I was able to get mine to hold together but I did use a butt load of paper towels trying to get the liquid out. I had success using one egg (no flour) and cooking it at 425 for 25 minutes on parchment paper before adding the topping. Maybe the paper helps absorb some of the moisture? And cooking it longer prior to adding toppings helps it solidify more? I dunno... Here is the link to mine if you want to check it out: http://makingthymeforhealth.com/2013/04/02/shiitake-basil-and-lemon-cauliflower-pizza/ It still isn't anything like real bread though! ;)
    • Bev Weidner May 8, 2013 at 11:52 am #
      Ohhhhh seeee, okay! So, one egg (even with my giganormo bowl of cauli?), pressed out a little thinner, and baked for longer before adding toppings. Awesome! I'm going to update my recipe. Thank you!
      • Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health May 8, 2013 at 1:47 pm #
        If you found the flavor wasn't too eggy with two then I would stick with that-you may have had a larger head of cauliflower than I did. Also, did you make sure the cauliflower was completely dry before cooking it? That would help reduce the moisture. And I think using parchment paper really helps as well (instead of a greased cookie sheet).
  15. katriel May 8, 2013 at 11:54 am #
    Mine ALWAYS falls apart, sticks to the pan, and turns into a huge mess. We still eat it though, cause it's delicious. Usually we eat it with a fork though, I personally don't mind the piled up mushy cauliflowery not pizza mess that we end up with.
  16. sara forte May 8, 2013 at 12:09 pm #
    "canoe it into your head" you're amazing. I am SO intrigued but have yet to try it as well. The Indian route sounds so crazy good. I have been craving this since I saw it on your IG.
  17. Michelle May 8, 2013 at 12:32 pm #
    I've had great success with the cauliflower crust pizza. Of course one of the tricks is squeezing the water out. I also add a tablespoon or two of almond meal if it is two wet, but the "dough" should be sticky. Also baked mine on oiled parchment paper that I slide onto a HOT pizza stone (or baking sheet). A lot of readers have loved my post about it: http://www.theluckypennyblog.com/2013/02/the-best-cauliflower-crust-pizza.html
    • Bev Weidner May 8, 2013 at 12:38 pm #
      Thaaaank you, Michelle! Okay yeah, my dough wasn't sticky at all. It was wet wet wet. I'm going to read your post on it!
  18. Carly @ Snack Therapy May 8, 2013 at 12:58 pm #
    I just want a bowl of caramelized onions and mozzarella cheese. And that's it.
  19. Tracy | Peanut Butter And Onion May 8, 2013 at 1:13 pm #
    We should be best friends and hang out.. you clearly have an awesome obsession with pizza like me!
  20. Katie May 8, 2013 at 3:21 pm #
    I have been itching to try this cauliflower crust for AGES. I am probablygoing to add some flour too...I like your style.
  21. Dustin May 8, 2013 at 4:14 pm #
    I've been wanting to make cauliflower crust pizzas, or mini pizzas, for months, but haven't quite gotten around to it. My best guess for how to dry out the 'riced' cauli would be to maybe throw it on a baking sheet at 225 for a half hour or so, dry it out a little, evaporate the excess moisture in the oven? I'm about to head to a wedding, so can't test this theory out, though I want to! That looks so delicious!
  22. dixya@food, pleasure, and health May 8, 2013 at 4:48 pm #
    I made exact same pizza from Kevin's blog and I def. did not squeeze enough water out of cauliflower however it was a delightful pizza! I am planning on making it again and try your Indian inspired ingredients.
  23. Gal May 8, 2013 at 6:30 pm #
    I followed www.detoxinista.com to make my cauliflower crust and had good success. I also tried adding crushed garlic (yum) and using grated hard cheese instead of soft goat cheese, and it was great. A little thyme in the mix is tasty too. The key to getting the moisture out is to wring a small amount of cooked cauliflower at a time in a kitchen towel, twisting it really well. The result is kind of like polenta.
    • Bev Weidner May 9, 2013 at 6:35 am #
      Oooooo I love your version! Garlic in my crust? Get out. But don't. Ever.
  24. DessertForTwo May 8, 2013 at 6:59 pm #
    I've been wanting to make a cauliflower crust because cauliflower is my favorite vegetable (true story), but I just don't trust the recipe. It seems like it will fail. But you saved me. You do that.
  25. Tracy May 8, 2013 at 8:00 pm #
    I cooked mine on foil on a baking stone and it worked much better. The parchment got too wet and tore the first time I tried it.
    • Bev Weidner May 9, 2013 at 6:36 am #
      Oh foil! I'm totally trying that. Ugh. (thank you!)
  26. Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. May 8, 2013 at 11:20 pm #
    We all have flops! I had the same problem when I tried to make a cauliflower crust. I am hoping that I can get past it and try again someday! The toppings sure sound delicious!
  27. Ali | Gimme Some Oven May 8, 2013 at 11:22 pm #
    Gorgeous!!! Even the ones that didn't make it to hair and makeup! I seriously need to give cauliflower another chance in my life...
  28. Katie @ Blonde Ambition May 9, 2013 at 12:31 am #
    Yeahhhhh I tried that zucchini pizza crust that was also all the rage for a while and pretty much had the SAME result. I think this is just a sign from the gods that pizza crust should be left carby and wheat-y and delicious. (unless you unlock the secret. then please do share and i will be all about it!)
  29. Christine May 9, 2013 at 11:25 am #
    I love cauliflower pizza! I mostly use Love & Lemon's recipe, but I kind of combine her veggie and regular versions ... I find it holds together really well and is so, so good. I use one beaten egg and one "flax" egg per crust, raw cauliflower rice, and then I add almond flour and spices like cumin and a little garlic. I really love your idea of making an Indian version, I really need to try that!
  30. Kevin (Closet Cooking) May 9, 2013 at 12:45 pm #
    This is definitely one of the trickiest recipes that I have tried in a while and my first attempt was a complete failure. :( I found that the silicon mat really helped with the sticking. I was thinking that next time I would try roasting the cauliflower to cook it initially and see if that helped reduce the excess liquid in the cauliflower rice. I love the flavour combos going on in this pizza and I bet it tasted great even if you needed a fork!
  31. Cookie and Kate May 10, 2013 at 2:34 pm #
    I made cauliflower crust pizza with friends once. Ours didn't fall apart and we didn't wring out the moisture but I don't remember where we found the recipe! Love and Lemons, maybe? I love your Indian toppings on this one. Brilliant!
  32. Nutmeg Nanny May 13, 2013 at 2:24 pm #
    I love this pizza, it looks so tasty! Falling apart or not I bet it still tasted wonderful ;)
  33. Maryanne Slater May 14, 2013 at 1:36 pm #
    Yep. I'm making that claim and I'm sticking with it. This IS the BEST cauliflower pizza crust you will ever make. I've worked out the kinks from my previous cauliflower crust and from all other cauliflower crust posts I've read, and I'm confident that this pizza, this very one here, with a crust made out of a vegetable, is so damn delicious that you won't even think twice about the whole crust being made out of a vegetable thing. And yes, you can slice it and pick it up like a real piece of pizza.
  34. Danny L. Stewart May 15, 2013 at 11:14 am #
    I made pizza crust the other day out of cauliflower and it was delicious. Chop up cauliflower and pulse it in a food processor, bullet etc. or you can use a cheese grater. Don't do it for to long or it will turn into a puree. It will be grain or rice like. Put in a bowl and microwave for 7-8 minutes Take it out and add: 2 eggs Parmesan cheese Mozzarella cheese Red pepper flakes Garlic powder Stir and press down onto a pizza pan Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes Take it out and add pizza sauce and toppings of your choice, and more mozzarella cheese. Bake again until cheese is melted. Enjoy! It is delicious!
  35. Nikki May 18, 2013 at 10:58 pm #
    Maybe you could try evaporating the excess water off like you would to potatoes after boiling them. Process them, then throw them into a pan and put on a low heat burner. Or dry them out on parchment in the oven like another commenter said. I'm totally trying this recipe.
  36. Joe May 23, 2013 at 8:29 pm #
    Well, this was my first time trying or tasting cauliflower crust and I'm officially mind blown. Love it. After reading of your bouts of tears, I wondered what I could do to make a difference... flour is the first choice, but then I thought about my favorite brick oven pizza crust with it's crunchy dusting of cornmeal. Umm... hello. So, I proceeded with my idea and it created this cauli/polenta hybrid crust that was just perfect for soaking up some of the inherent moisture. I also ended up with 724 cups of ground cauli, but I only added about 1/8 c of white cornmeal and then dusted the cookie sheet with a little more. I'm thinking this is going to be a new go to idea for many endeavors...I'm having visions of grilled summer squash, tarragon speckled goat cheese and pine nuts with a swizzle of pesto. Or diced pancetta and scallion, sautéed with fresh sage and diced romas... my mind is seriously blown right now. After this first attempt, I also think that adding the salt prior to the cooking process will help extract lots of water. One last thought was to pulverize some flax seeds to turn some of that water into a nice binder. That may happen next time. All said and done, thank you for inspiring a delicious dinner that has become a new favorite. Oh... plus, I added a sprinkle of raisins on top of the sauce for a little sweet surprise here and there that really plays well with the spice. Thanks again for a great recipe!!!
  37. E August 1, 2013 at 6:45 am #
    I suggest to Grate the cauliflower not to use a food processor and also instead of cheese i used half a cup of natural yoghurt and 2 small eggs.. The texture was wAtery but cooked very well and i found the dough better then when using cheese.
  38. Amy August 23, 2013 at 5:59 pm #
    That looks truly amazing, I am SO sharing this amazing recipe...if that is ok! Gorgeous!
  39. Erica August 23, 2013 at 10:26 pm #
    This looks amazing! Perfect combo: cauli pizza crust and Indian-style toppings. The secret is: squeeze every last bit of moisture out (I also added coconut flour to it to absorb even more moisture).
  40. Heather W February 11, 2014 at 9:09 am #
    I'm a little late to the party but I made this last night. I followed the recipe exactly (almost). When I cracked my first egg it was a double yolk (my husband also got a double yolk from the same carton-we should play the lottery this week), but back to my response... I stopped there and maybe the lack of thr other egg helped as I didn't need to use flour. I also used oven mitts to help squeeze the water out and protect my hands. I also used parchment paper as others did and it helped a lot. Both me and my husband thought these were scrumptious, thank you for the recipe!
  41. Eve April 8, 2014 at 3:31 pm #
    So did you ever master the cauliflower crust? My tried and true recipe doesn't have cheese in it and has some cornmeal for texture. Best one I've tried! Totally need to try your toppings though! Looks amazing! Try this crust and see what you think, http://pinchofyum.com/light-bbq-chicken-pizza
  42. cameron May 28, 2014 at 6:49 pm #
    So, I made this for my gastronomically adventurous family this evening. It was so YUMMY, Bev! I have made cauliflower crusts in the past and they are a little tricky and wet. But tonight I tried something different. I added about a cup of some cooked rice to the "riced" cauli and then cooked it in the microwave for 8 mins. I think the rice absorbed the bulk of the moisture even though it was already cooked. One daughter is gluten intolerant so we always have some rice in the fridge. Maybe this will work for some people! Your food blog is my absolute fav! Thank you for your tasty recipes and inspiration!

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