Published: by Radhika · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments
For a long time, I had thought a Pizza needs flour and yeast, until I came a cauliflower crust pizza on Pinterest and I was really intrigued by that idea. It had been on my mind ever since to give it a try and find out how it tasted actually. I hate wasting food and there are millions of hungry mouths and empty bellies around us and any wastage of food always makes me feel so guilty. This very feeling made me postpone to try this one, this long as I did not want to be the one to eat the whole thing in case the kids did not like it. Luckily my kids loved it and in fact gobbled down 2 of them as I had made 2 versions of it, the other being a Vegan Pizza crust which also came out perfect.
A warning first that this is not your typical pizza and you have to eat it with a fork but you will be able to cut a perfect slice of it if you follow the instructions to the T. I hope I have convinced you after taking a look at the pictures.
I made a typical Indian flavored Pizza and made 2 versions with one being loaded with cheese and the other a vegan one. But I found that the one with the butter was even more firm and than the vegan crust. I would have never thought a pizza crust made with a vegetable would taste this good and turn out great as well.
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Makes: 1 - 8" Pizza
Recipe Cuisine: Continental | Recipe Category:Snacks
Ingredients:
- Cauliflower, medium – 1 head
- Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
- Garam masala powder – ½ teaspoon
- Salt – ⅛ teaspoon
- Garlic Cheese spread / Oil – 3 tablespoon (* See Notes)
- Oil – ½ tsp
For Topping:
- Mushrooms – 2, small
- Red & Yellow Bell pepper – ½ each
- Onion – ¼
- Salt – 1 pinch
- Mozzarella cheese – ¼ cup
- Tomato or Pizza Sauce – to spread
- Oil – ½ teaspoon
Instructions:
- Wash and dry the cauliflower head. You can use a kitchen towel and pat to dry it out.
- With the help of a grater, grate the cauliflower. Only grate the flower part and avoid grating the stem. Spread the “riced” cauliflower either on a paper or on a dry cloth and let it air dry for at least 30 minutes. You can also place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Heat a pan with oil, add the “riced” cauliflower, salt and sauté over low flame for 3-4 minutes. Take off stove. Add red chili powder, garam masala powder, garlic cheese spread / oil, turmeric powder and mix well. The consistency will be dough like.
- Place a parchment paper on a baking tray and grease the paper with oil. Dump the cauliflower masala in the center of the paper and pat with your finger tips to form an 8 inch disc.
- Preheat the oven at 220 C (450 F) and slide the tray in to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or till the edges become crisp and the center becomes firm to the touch. You will also be able to sense the cooked smell of the cauliflower by the end.
- While the pizza crust is baking, prep the vegetables by chopping them into big chunks. Slice the mushrooms thinly.
- Heat a pan with oil. First add onions and sauté for ½ minute over high flame. Then add bell peppers, mushrooms and salt and cook for 1 minute over high flame and take off fire.
- Once the crust is baked, take the pan out of the oven. Spread the tomato or pizza sauce on the crust all over and arrange the partly cooked vegetables as you wish. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese all over the vegetables.
- Once again insert the tray into the oven and grill or broil the pizza for 2-3 minutes or till the cheese on top melts and becomes bubbly.
- Take the pizza out of the oven, let it cool for 1 or 2 minutes, cut with a pizza cutter and serve hot.
Notes:
- If you do not have the time to dry out the "riced" cauliflower and if you do not want to pre-cook them before baking, place them in a thin kitchen towel and squeeze the heck out of them. You will be surprised at the amount of water it releases. Mix in the other ingredients and bake the crust.
- What if you do not have garlic cheese spread? well, you can add ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and softened unsalted butter. If you do not want to add butter and wish to make a vegan pizza crust, skip the butter and replace it with oil.
- You can skip the Indian spices and go all out for an Italian one by using Mixed Dry Italian herbs, also skip the cheese spread or butter and use grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese instead.
- Use your better judgment while adding salt as you are adding it both to the crust and topping separately and also the cheese has salt too.
- Do not bake for a long time as anyways after adding cheese you are going to grill or broil again.
- Oven timings will change accordingly.
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This is off to The Groovy Gourmets where we are making different sorts of Pizzas this month.
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Comments
Kalyani
wow ! this looks so cool Radhika !! will try it soon 🙂
Reply
Trupti
Hi, really love ur recipes n tried this one today.....taste was grt but the base dint hold....it was soft so broke apart....did I do sumthing wrong?
Reply
Radhika
Thank you Trupti. If the riced cauliflower is moist and not dry enough, it will not hold its shape. Dry it out longer and it will hold better.
Reply
meeta asarpota
Nice recipe vil try it soon
Reply
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