Remember this little guy from Bambi?

Yeah, well, he’s the inspiration behind that lame title. Sorry. I just couldn’t help myself.

Anyway, I’m usually not one to follow trends, but the appearance of cauliflower crust pizza on Pinterest and within the food blogging community has certainly piqued my interest.

Like many people, I love pizza. It can be as healthy or indulgent as you wish and topped with a variety of ingredients. I usually gravitate toward thin crusts—but one day I’d love to visit Chicago and sample a genuine deep dish.

My favorite local pies can be found at Picklefish and La Pizzeria. Picklefish was a favorite during college and is usually on the agenda when college friends are in town. I love their white pizza, usually the vegetarian, though the chicken is also pretty good. I haven’t been to La Pizzeria in far too long, but their delicious, crispy crust is just what I imagine quaint Italian pizzerias would serve. I love the creativity of their pies, as well as the fun names (Winnie the Pooh, Jimi Hendrix, and Gump #1 and #2, to name a few).

While I don’t feel the need to watch my carbohydrate intake, I love the idea of a healthy, vegetable-based pizza crust. This cauliflower crust is a great option for diabetics, celiacs, and those with wheat or gluten intolerances.

Even if you don’t care for cauliflower (I can take it or leave it, though I’m trying to cook with it more), you’ll enjoy this crust. The cauliflower taste is muted, and while it’s not as crisp as a flour-based crust, the cheesy flavor provides an authentic taste.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

(slightly adapted from Eating Bird Food)

Ingredients

• ½ large head of cauliflower
• 1 cup grated mixed Italian cheeses (we used a 6-cheese blend)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• freshly ground black pepper (a pinch—or 2 to 3 grinds)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Chop cauliflower florets into small pieces. Add to food processor* and pulse (do not purée) until finely chopped. This should yield just over 2 cups.

Sauté** the cauliflower until softened (about 8 minutes), and allow to cool.

Mix cauliflower and remaining ingredients until a dough forms.

Spread dough onto baking sheet, approximately ¼ inch thick and bake 25-30 minutes, until edges are crisp and golden and the center is cooked through.

Add sauce and toppings of your choice (go light, since the crust is less sturdy than flour-based), and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes (to melt any additional cheese and heat the toppings).

Let cool for 2 minutes, slice, and serve.

*if you don’t own a food processor, use a box grater

**the cauliflower can also be cooked in the microwave

Both Mark and I thoroughly enjoyed this pizza. Our toppings included 2-3 tablespoons of marinara, sautéed artichoke hearts, onion, and sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and less than an ounce of goat cheese. The process was somewhat labor-intensive (if, like me, you normally use store-bought pizza crust), but it’s an excellent way to add vegetables and variety to a meal.

We found the crust to be a little soft after the initial baking, so we removed the parchment paper before the second bake. The edges were crisp, though the overall texture reminded me of a frozen pizza. You may need to eat your slices with a knife and fork, though after cooling, my second slice was sturdy enough to pick up.

This pizza would easily serve 4 (with generous side salad or additional vegetables); since we were ravenous and made no accompanying side, we halved the entire thing. If serving 2 in the future, I’ll add less cheese to the dough, since the recommended serving was ¼ cup and the dough was a bit too salty for my preference.