Best Low Carb Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Note: You can make this into one large round crust, which will serve 2-3 people, 2 smaller crusts which will each serve 1-2 people, depending on how hungry you are!... or 3 smaller crusts, which would serve just one person each. :) The pre-baked crusts can be wrapped and frozen for later use (notably easier to do with the smaller size crusts).
Ingredients:
1 med/large head of cauliflower florets, minced or riced (in blender) ... OR... 2 lbs of frozen riced cauliflower
1/4 c. soft goat cheese
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan (or Asiago, or other sharp hard cheese)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast Flakes (look for non-GMO!)
1 Tbsp. Coconut Flour (OR, even better, 2 Tbsp. Oat Fiber)
Method:
Preheat your oven to 400 (*see notes), if using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to preheat. Prepare a flat cookie sheet with parchment (the same size as your stone), for prepping crust, set aside. NOTE: do NOT use wax paper.
You'll need to lightly steam your cauliflower by one of two methods:
Stovetop: Line a steamer basket with dishtowel or cheesecloth and then add riced cauliflower to basket, steam just 2-6 minutes depending on if it's frozen or fresh, just until it is very lightly steamed, NOT cooked through.
Microwave: Placed riced cauliflower in large microwave safe bowl, cover with wax paper. Heat on high 2-4 minutes (stirring halfway through), until just lightly steamed, NOT cooked to very soft! - you may need 6 minutes if frozen.
Place a clean lint free dishtowel in a strainer, or lay it on your counter. Pour hot riced cauliflower into the center and spread it a little bit, allow to cool for a couple of minutes until you can safely handle it without burning yourself!
While cauliflower cools slightly, take that warm bowl and add your goat cheese and Parmesan cheese, allowing it to soften. Whisk in your eggs, mashing down the goat cheese to make a smooth paste. Add in your nutritional yeast flakes, coconut flour and seasonings, mix well; set aside.
If you follow this to a "T", you will get a wonderful crust, not soggy, not bland! :)
Even if you aren't a goat cheese fan, just try this! You will not taste the goat cheese, it just adds a wonderful flavor to this crust, almost a slightly sourdough taste. The nutritional yeast flakes add a slight cheesy taste and the touch of coconut flour soaks up any residual liquid to ensure you don't get a soggy crust. :)
Serves: 3-6
NOTES:
*I preheat my baking stone in the oven, prepare my crust on parchment and slide that parchment onto the hot stone.
**If you are pre-baking to freeze crusts, simply remove to cooling rack. Cool completely, then wrap in plastic and foil. Freeze. When ready to use, all you need to do is top and bake at 400 until cheese is hot and bubbly.
Slide the parchment onto your hot stone and bake the crust for 35-40 minutes. The crust should be firm and golden in color. While your crust pre-bakes, prepare your sauce and toppings.**
Once crust is pre-baked, remove from the oven (keep it on the hot stone), and immediately add toppings. Return to the 400 oven and bake another 8-10 minutes until hot and bubbly. Slice and serve! :)
Dump this mixture into the center of your prepared parchment paper. Using dampened fingers, press it into the desired shape (round, rectangle, 3 small rounds, etc...whatever fits on your stone!). You can kind of press up the edges like a crust if desired. Try to press it kind of thin, but not TOOOOO thin. Try to make it uniform or thicker parts will be softer and super thin parts will get too brown.
**VERY IMPORTANT STEP , do this over a sink! - Take up the corners of your lint free towel and ball up your cauliflower in the center, twist the towel up so that ball is compressed tighter and tighter and squeeze the daylights out of it! You are trying to extract as much water as possible. Loosen up the towel, shake around the cauliflower to redistribute, and squeeze again, do this a few times until you don't think you're getting more than a few drops of water out. :) Yes, it will seem like your cauliflower just reduced by 1/2, that's ok!
Dump the cauliflower into the bowl with your egg mixture, and using a fork really work it all together until it's uniform. It will not feel like dough, don't worry. :)
