Raw Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Cauliflower is an interesting vegetable. It certainly isn’t a glamour girl and often, I forget it even exists. But I shouldn’t. And it really is a star. Just a quiet one.
As a cruciferous vegetable, cauliflower is positively associated with cancer prevention. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and magnesium and is full of antioxidants and phytonutrients. It is anti-inflammatory, and also provides cardiovascular and digestive support!
Cauliflower also has a mild taste and adapts to many different uses. Mashed cauliflower (cooked) can easily replace mashed potatoes. It is delicious raw, and we have made it into “rice“, soup and a wonderful cauliflower mash that replaces mashed potatoes. We have even made cauliflower steaks! Cauliflower loves all kinds of different flavors and is extremely versatile.
Today, I am bringing you a raw cauliflower pizza! I am sure you have seen all of the cauliflower pizza crust recipes out there…but they are traditionally filled with cheese and eggs. This one is raw, vegan and delicious. We have even included baking instructions for the crust if you don’t have a dehydrator.
The ingredients are pretty simple. Cauliflower, pine nuts, ground golden flax, hemp seeds, garlic, basil, oregano and sun-dried tomatoes all come together to make a delicious, healthy, nutritionally packed crust. A little bit of lemon juice and optional nutritional yeast round out the flavor. You could eat this without any topping!
The cauliflower waiting for the rest of the ingredients.
The “dough” ready to be shaped.
Ready to go into the dehydrator.
The crust ready for toppings.
I have to say, I am thrilled with how this turned out. The taste is lovely and the toppings, tomato sauce and pine nut “cheese” spread go well with the basil, tomatoes and onions. The recipe for all, follows. Don’t be intimidated by this one. It comes together quickly with a food processor and blender.
Sources: WHFoods.org
Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Basil Tomato Sauce and Pine Nut "Cheese" Sauce
serves 4
Crust:
- 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 4 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 cup ground golden flax
- 1/3 cup hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, softened
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
- Place half the cauliflower in the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Remove to bowl and set aside.
- Process the remaining cauliflower in the food processor. Add the previously chopped cauliflower to the chopped cauliflower in the food processor.
- Add pine nuts, garlic and basil. Pulse to combine.
- Add flax and hemp seeds. Pulse to combine.
- Add remaining ingredients, pulse to combine. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides.
- On a non-stick dehydrator sheet, shape 1/2 cup mixture into 5 to 6-inch circles that are 1/4-inch thick.
- Dehydrate at 145 for 30 minutes, then at 115 for 5 hours.
Tomato Sauce
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, softened
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- pinch Himalayan salt
- pinch fresh ground pepper
- Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
Pine Nut “Cheese” Spread
- 1 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon light miso
- 1/2 lemon, juice from
- pinch himalayan salt and pepper
- Place all ingredients in food processor and blend. Be careful not to over blend or you will get a nut-butter consistency.
Assembly
- 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- nama shoyu or braggs liquid aminos
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- fresh basil leaves
- Toss sliced onions with nama shoyu, braggs aminos or soy sauce alternative of choice.
- Place onions on dehydrator screen with tomato slices. Dehydrate for 2 hours. I do this while the crust is dehydrating. You want these wilted but not super dry.
- Spread a layer of pine nut “cheese” spread, then a layer of tomato sauce onto the crusts. Top with basil leaves, tomatoes and onions.
abbie wrote on April 28, 2016
I am having a hard time for the cauliflower crust to stay put. every time i make it the crust is breaking apart. any suggestions?
Susan wrote on May 2, 2016
Hi, Abbie, It is a delicate crust. You might want to try making it a little thicker. Cheers!
Natasha wrote on March 21, 2016
Oh my. This looks fantastic! I haven’t made cauliflower crust without cheese cloth! Thank you!
Susan wrote on March 23, 2016
You are welcome, Natsha!
mickey wrote on February 5, 2016
Hi! Have you ever made cauliflower based crackers? Looking at these crusts and drooling and wondering how they would be as a dehydrated cracker. Maybe just make them into crackers instead of pizza crust shapes? I just love cauliflower and would love to see how it would taste as a cracker too! YUMMY! Great idea 🙂
Sarah wrote on February 1, 2016
Just wondering……I’ve seen other recipes where they say you can “dehydrate” something by placing it on the lowest setting on the oven and leaving the oven door open, this dehydrating it without cooking it. Will that method work for this recipe? Thanks
Susan wrote on February 1, 2016
Hi, Sarah, That is a good question that comes up a lot. I write about it here: http://rawmazing.com/about/faq/ . The bottom line is that an oven does not work like a dehydrator does. And if you are wanting to keep it raw, it can be very difficult. That said, you can experiment. 🙂
Sarah wrote on February 1, 2016
Thanks so much. I’m just exploring going raw so I don’t really want to invest in a dehydrator until I know I’m going to commit to the lifestyle. I purchased a used one a year ago but it does not have temperature settings on it and really doesn’t do a very good job.
Jessica wrote on October 17, 2015
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!! Loved the tomato sauce especially! Love!
Jennifer wrote on October 4, 2015
Hello! I love your site! Could you substitute the sun dried tomatoes for caramelized onions?
Susan wrote on October 5, 2015
Thank you, Jennifer, I would think that could work! Cheers!
Jennifer wrote on October 3, 2015
Hi! Could you replace the sun dried tomatoes with caramelized onions? Thanks! Love your site!!
Susan wrote on October 5, 2015
That should work. Let us know how it turned out. Cheers!
Sierra wrote on September 17, 2015
This recipe is fantastic!! I have made it several times now and it always turns out great. I use macadamia nuts instead of pine nuts and they work great. I also make several variations, using different veggies. I also spread my cashew cheese on the crusts once they are dry enough and it bakes in and is soooo good, even alone as a snack!! Also try spreading some pesto on the crusts and letting that dry into the crust. in the dehydrator. Yummmmy!