Yes — we’re doing this.
Wait — don’t click away. We can make cauliflower crust work with a few compromises.
There’s still a lot of cheese. You can add bacon if you want to make up for the cauliflower.
Deal.
If you’ve followed this site for a while, you might remember the cauliflower crust pizza I made for Tasty Kitchen a few years back. That recipe changed how I think about cauliflower crusts — for the better.
I don’t eat cauliflower every day, or even often, but early attempts at cauliflower crust years ago were disastrous. I’m talking the kind of recipe where someone pulsed raw cauliflower, mixed it with egg whites and baked it without draining, and the result was terrible. I refused to try cauli crust again for a long time after that.
Then I tested a cauliflower-crust recipe originally shared on Michelle’s blog and adapted for Tasty Kitchen. I was surprised — I actually liked it. It wasn’t the same as a traditional dough crust, but when prepared correctly it could get semi-crispy and hold up like a real pizza base.
One important thing: cauliflower crust benefits from cheese. If you try to make this crust without any cheese it usually falls apart or tastes mostly like cauliflower. A good amount of parmesan and mozzarella in the crust helps with texture and flavor, and then more cheese on top gives it that indulgent, pizza-like quality. So yes — this is a great gluten-free option, but it’s not necessarily a light or low-calorie pizza. It’s dense, flavorful, and satisfying — especially if you love cheese as much as I do.
There is a dairy-free version of this crust, if you prefer, but for me the cheese-forward version is the winner.
I revisited this crust when I taught a pizza class last February. I wanted a gluten-free option and to show a different type of crust, and the cauliflower version made the cut. In the class, several people said it was their favorite crust we made — proof that when done right, cauliflower crust can be crispy, crunchy and full of flavor.
Now let’s talk toppings. A “supreme” pizza was not always my thing — growing up I avoided it because of all the vegetables. I’ve long been a fan of plain pizza, maybe pepperoni, and vegetables were a hard pass. The one exception? Olives. I love them, and I know a lot of people dislike olives, but for me they’re often the best part of a supreme.
Last fall we ordered a few pizzas and one was a supreme — my sister-in-law requested it and the rest of us teased her. When the pizzas arrived, we all tried the supreme and ended up eating it first. It was surprisingly delicious and inspired the toppings for this cauliflower-crust version.
I nearly added anchovies, but decided that cauliflower crust plus olives and anchovies might be a step too far. If you’re going to go bold, though, go all the way — and yes, bacon would be an excellent addition.
Pizza Supreme on Cauliflower Crust
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Ingredients
crust
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
pizza
- 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce
- 1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated fontina cheese
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/4 cup pepperoni
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup sliced banana peppers
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 450°F and place a pizza stone inside. A large head of cauliflower yields a large crust; to make a smaller pizza use less cauliflower and one egg.
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Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor until they resemble coarse crumbs. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a paper towel, and microwave for 5 minutes. Let the cauliflower cool on a towel.
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When cool, wrap the cauliflower in a towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Really press to remove moisture. Combine the drained cauliflower with the cheeses, seasonings and eggs in a large dry bowl. Mix until a dough-like ball forms; you may need to use your hands to bring it together.
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Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and press into a thin circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the parchment and crust to the pizza stone and bake 10–12 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. The key is to make it sturdy so it won’t fall apart when topped.
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Remove the crust gently, add sauce, cheeses and your chosen toppings (I do sauce first, then cheese, toppings, and more cheese). Carefully transfer the pizza back to the stone (parchment and all) and bake 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Finish with extra parmesan and serve immediately.
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Note: large slices can be difficult to pick up by hand — a knife and fork might be necessary.
Notes
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