Hi veggie friends!
Have you ever tried cauliflower crust pizza? I have seen the trend around for a while and have been skeptical to try it. Trader Joe's does have a cauliflower frozen crust for pizza that I have tried, and it was alright, but I kept hearing that making the crust homemade made all the difference. I like pizza, and I figure this is a way for me to enjoy pizza with extra vegetables added in, which is a win-win. But would cauliflower crust satisfy a pizza craving?
Since I have never made a cauliflower crust before, I decided to start by following a recipe, and then I can eventually work on customizing my own recipe. I love watching The Pioneer Woman, so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to try one of her recipes. I like her show because I feel like her recipes are more realistic to what I would make and eat on a daily basis (minus all the meat). So my lovely sous chef Jan (hi Jan!) and I bought the ingredients and embarked on our cauliflower crust adventure.
Making the cauliflower crust took a long time. Now, I rarely make homemade pizza, so I don't really know how the time compares to that of making regular dough. You start by breaking down the cauliflower in a food processor until its a fine crumb. This was made difficult as the food processor option on our blender did not want to cooperate. But we persisted and eventually the cauliflower was in small crumbs.
Next, you microwave the cauliflower, and then you ring out the excess water. Make sure the cauliflower is cool before you ring it out, or you will burn your hands! I was surprised how much liquid was in the cauliflower, but I think getting the water out of the crust made the crust crispier in the end.
Once most of the water was removed from the cauliflower, you added in egg, parmesan, mozzarella, and seasoning. Although her recipe calls for fresh mozzarella, we used a block of mozzarella, as it was a bunch more budget friendly option, and it worked out great for us!
After this you form the crust on a pan and bake it for about 10 minutes before adding sauce and toppings, and then you bake until the cheese on top is melty. So, was the cauliflower crust worth the hype?
It tasted like a cheesy pizza. I couldn't taste the cauliflower, the crust was just a bit softer and more dense than the thin crust pizza I usually eat. It definitely satisfied the craving for a cheesy, unhealthy pizza, but makes you feel healthier because you have vegetables in the crust. However, the crust was very dense, and even the half of the pizza that had mushrooms was kind of falling apart. If you want to focus on unique flavor combinations and include lots of toppings, this crust might not be the best option. However, if you just want a cheese-heavy pizza, the cauliflower crust may be a good option.
Have you tried cauliflower crust pizza? What are your thoughts on it?
Have a great week everyone :)
Comments