Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust

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Sliced vegan gluten-free pizza made with a cauliflower crust

What do cauliflower and pizza have in common? Apparently, a lot.

All the cool kids are making cauliflower pizza crust and I want to be in the club, too. Plus, for those experimenting with lower grain diets, this is a great option!

This recipe requires 9 basic ingredients to make. It’s also entirely gluten-, grain-, and oil-free, and it’s vegan! Shall we?

Food processor filled with cauliflower rice

How to Make Cauliflower Pizza Crust

It starts with cauliflower rice, which is lightly boiled, strained, and squeezed dry…really dry! This creates our “dough” base!

Next come herbs and spices, vegan parmesan cheese for flavor, and a flax egg for binding. The dough is then patted into a crust and baked.

Stirring together the dry ingredients for our gluten-free vegan cauliflower pizza crust recipe

Topping Ideas

Once your crust is made, the next step is choosing your sauce and toppings. Both cooked and fresh toppings are excellent choices.

For sauce, I like to use vegan pesto, marinara, or puréed tomatoes. Store-bought pizza sauce is also an option. But I recommend going light on the sauce as it can make the crust soggy if too much is applied.

For toppings, sautéed or fresh vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions are delicious. Olives and marinated artichoke hearts are great for extra saltiness. And my vegan macadamia ricotta is a must!

For sturdier veggies, it’s best to sauté them before adding to the pizza, otherwise they will still be crunchy by the time the crust is getting crispy.

Fresh basil, red pepper flake, and vegan parmesan cheese are best when added at the very end as garnishes.

For additional topping combinations, I’d recommend checking out my Butternut Squash Veggie Pizza, Favorite Vegan Pizza, and Mini Portobello Pizzas for inspiration!

Pressing on a cauliflower pizza crust to flatten it

How to Freeze Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Since cauliflower pizza crust is more time consuming and labor intensive than other crusts (such as our Easy GF Vegan Pizza Crust), you may want to make a larger batch and freeze for quick low carb pizza nights!

To freeze cauliflower pizza crust, bake crust as directed, let cool completely, and then freeze crusts in a sealed container between pieces of parchment paper.

When ready to serve, add sauce and toppings to frozen crust and reheat until warm (approximately 10 minutes).

Picking up a slice of vegan pizza made with cauliflower crust

I hope you all LOVE this crust! It’s:

Savory
Cheesy
Crispy on the edges
Tender in the center
Healthy
Customizable
& Super tasty!

This would make the perfect gluten- and grain-free crust for pizza night!

What to Serve with Pizza

As for sides, this would pair well with my Garlicky Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas, Pesto Sun-Dried Tomato & Vegan Ricotta Salad, Pea Pesto Pasta Salad, or Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Arancini!

Also be sure to check out other staples like my Easy Vegan Pesto and 1-Pot Marinara Sauce.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! Cheers, friends!

Picking up a slice of vegan pizza made with olives, peppers, and macadamia cheese

Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust

A simple vegan cauliflower pizza crust requiring 9 basic ingredients and easy-to-follow methods. The end product is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and perfect for replacing traditional pizza crust!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Cutting board with a pizza made using our Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust recipe
4.54 from 58 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4 (large slices)
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Italian-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? Best when fresh

Ingredients

PIZZA CRUST

  • 1 medium-large head cauliflower, “riced” (yielding 6 cups cauliflower rice*)
  • 1 ½ Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
  • 4 Tbsp water (to make flax eggs)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp Vegan Parmesan Cheese (or nutritional yeast if avoiding nuts)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (or use fresh*)
  • 1 tsp dried basil (or use fresh*)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced // or sub garlic powder*)
  • 1 heaping Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot starch // helps bind)
  • 1 Tbsp cornmeal (or gluten-free flour // to discourage the dough from sticking to the parchment)

TOPPINGS optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
  • Use a box grater or the grating blade (not “S” blade) on a food processor to make the cauliflower rice (follow link above for photo tutorial). Set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then add riced cauliflower. Cook for 5 minutes to soften. Then drain in a fine mesh strainer (make sure it’s fine or the cauliflower will seep through the holes). Let cool 5 minutes.
  • While this is happening, this is a good time to prepare pizza sauce or sauté any sturdier vegetables (such as onion and bell pepper) you intend to use as toppings. Otherwise, they require too much time in the oven to brown once the crust is baked. Set aside.
  • Transfer cauliflower rice to a clean dish towel and ring out as much of the excess liquid as possible. This is a very important step, so be sure to ring it out until no more water will come out. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, prepare the flax egg by mixing the flaxseed meal and water and let it rest 5 for minutes. Then add cauliflower rice, sea salt, vegan parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, garlic, and cornstarch.
  • Stir with a mixing spoon or your hands to thoroughly combine. A loose “dough” should form. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor, salt for saltiness, or herbs/garlic for more intense flavor.
  • Line a baking sheet or pizza stone/pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle with a little cornmeal or gluten-free flour to help prevent the pizza from sticking when slicing.
  • Then use your hands to carefully spread the dough into a circle or square (depending on shape of pan // see photo) and keep the crust slightly less than a 1/2-inch thick with a slightly thicker outer perimeter.
  • Bake crust for 45 minutes. Then remove from oven and carefully flip the crust. Do so by first loosening the crust from the bottom layer of parchment with a spatula and then laying another sheet of parchment paper on top of the crust. Then grab both sheets of parchment and gently flip. Arrange the crust back on the baking pan.
  • Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes more or until the edges appear golden brown and the center feels mostly firm to the touch.
  • Remove from oven and top with desired toppings (cooked or fresh). I recommend going light on the sauce as it can make the crust soggy if too much is applied. Bake for another 10 or so minutes or until toppings are tender. Watch the edges of the crust, which can get brown before the toppings.
  • Enjoy hot with any additional garnishes, such as fresh basil, red pepper flake, or vegan parmesan cheese.
  • Best when fresh. This pizza is best eaten with a fork – I find that it doesn’t quite support itself when eaten with hands. Note: You could bake your crust ahead of time and then freeze for later use if desired.

Video

Notes

*1 head of cauliflower yields approximately 6 cups (750 g) riced cauliflower.
*1 tsp dried herbs (oregano, basil) is equivalent to approximately 1 1/2 tsp fresh herbs.
* 3 cloves (9 g) garlic is equivalent to approximately 1 tsp garlic powder.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1/4 of the pizza crust without toppings.
*Recipe adapted from my pal McKel at Nutrition Stripped!

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 Large Slices Calories: 113 Carbohydrates: 17.5 g Protein: 6.4 g Fat: 3.6 g Saturated Fat: 0.6 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 1.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 294 mg Potassium: 703 mg Fiber: 5.8 g Sugar: 4.3 g Vitamin A: 9.84 IU Vitamin C: 102 mg Calcium: 65.11 mg Iron: 1.74 mg

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  1. Christie says

    Made this tonight because we’re trying to lower the carbs in our diet, but I didn’t like that other recipes use egg for the cauli base. This recipe was surprisingly pretty decent for a pizza base alternative! The herbs and garlic hide the caulk taste in a good way. The crust held together well (although I did actually add a sneaky little bit of self-raising flour just in case) and got nice and crispy at the edges. I topped it with tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, capsicum, mushroom and pineapple.

  2. AJ says

    Hi,
    I am excited to make this. Been wanting to try a vegan/keto low carb recipe for pizza crust.

    Question: seems like you add the cauliflower with flax, water, vegan cheese, and it is going to get wet anyway, I was just curious to know if it makes too much of a difference if cauliflower is 100% dry or not? I am assuming so since you specifically mentioned that, but just wanted to ask because of the next steps.

    Thanks in advance and thanks for sharing the recipe!

  3. Joy says

    Super good! By far the BEST thing I’ve eaten! I made my own sauce and topped it with miyokos mozzarella! So so good!!!

  4. Bill says

    I would like to substitute frozen, cauliflower rice for fresh. How much frozen cauliflower rice do I need for this recipe?

    Thank you.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Bill, we haven’t tested with frozen cauliflower rice and aren’t sure if it will work. If you want to try it, we’d recommend ~6 cups, patting it dry to remove excess moisture and maybe more GF flour/cornmeal as needed. Hope that helps!

  5. amanda says

    hi! just wondering how much cauliflower flour you might use in place of the fresh cauliflower for this recipe — I have a bag of cauliflower flour and was hoping to use it for a crust…unfortunately the only pizza crust recipes using it that I find aren’t vegan! your recipe sounds so good — could it be adapted to using the flour?

    (sry if this was asked before — I tried to go through the comments and didn’t see that anyone had posed the question, but I might have missed it!)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Amanda, we haven’t experimented with cauliflower flour, so we’re not sure on the amount. The main issue we think you could run into is it not binding as well. You could try adding all the ingredients except the cauliflower flour to a bowl and then slowly adding it in until it resembles a dough. You might also need to add more water or another flax egg. Let us know if you do some experimenting!

  6. Madiha says

    This come out really well. Very tasty. My recommendation is to add 1/2 of almond flour to make the crust a bit more sturdy. I also use a egg replacer mix vs. flax because you don’t have to wait for it to come together. Finally, rather than sautéing the veggies, I stick them in the oven in a separate sheet pan to make things easier. I use Rao’s pizza sauce and add roasted red onions, bell peppers, black olives and pepperoni on the bf’s side 😋. Thanks for the recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Madiha! xo

  7. Alyssa D says

    My second MB recipe today! I read all the comments before trying this one. I used a bag of fresh riced cauliflower so it cut down on some of the work. I could not find my nutritional yeast so I skipped that. I used potato starch instead of cornstarch as corn is also a MCAS trigger for me. I seasoned with minced garlic, Italian seasoning, s/p. I added a sprinkled of GF flour to absorb any extra water. I baked for 45 mins, then flipped for 10 mins. Then topped with tomato sauce, arugula, olive oil, onions. Mine was crispy and ate like a normal pizza. 5 stars.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Alyssa!

  8. Alice Kilefors says

    Is the cauliflower weighed/measured before it’s drained or after? I buy frozen preboiled cauliflower – should I weight 750 of that? Or when i have strained it?
    Looks amazing!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Alice, we think it should work to weigh it before straining, then (since it’s already cooked?) thaw it and skip to step 5. Let us know how it goes!

  9. Erin says

    I’m just wondering if I can use frozen pre-made cauliflower rice instead of making my own from fresh? I’m far too lazy lol

  10. Amber says

    Can I substitute if I dont have cheesecloth or parchment? ps; thank you for the nutritional yeast substitute!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Amber, yes! We’d suggest a clean dish towel or nut milk bag for the cauliflower and foil or a silicone mat instead of parchment. Hope that helps!

  11. Ceci says

    Do you use a specific kind fo dish towel? Everytime I try to dry out the cauliflower, it all sticks to the towel and I’m stuck scrapping it off the towel. Any tips?

  12. Megan says

    My most successful cauliflower crust to date. The only thing I wondered is why we rice the cauliflower before cooking instead of cooking it, and then blending it up and squeezing it dry. This is the first recipe I’ve come across that does it the other way around.

  13. Jennifer says

    Epic and perfect recipe. I contemplated eating the whole thing in one sitting. Made the crust grain free with arrowroot and casava flour. Topped with nightshade free “tomato” sauce & locally made pepperoni.

  14. Helena says

    I truly wasn’t expecting this to work or taste very good. I haven’t eaten pizza in 6 months after taking my food sensitivities seriously. Finally gave in to Pizza cravings and made this recipe. Mine came out crispy and easy to hold and eat the slices. I may have eaten the whole pizza by myself in one sitting!!! Will be making again…and again. I used tapioca flour instead of cornstarch, a pizza stone with baking paper (did not stick at all) and rolled it out thinner than suggested. Yum.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Helena. Thank you so much for sharing your experience! xo

  15. Samantha says

    Yummy! Very nice I enjoyed this healthy pizza base. As the recipe says it is more crumbly so you need to eat it with a knife and fork but that was ok for me. I would make it again.

  16. Giselle Soldati says

    We made this yesterday and it came out oh so good!… it was quite labor-intensive, maybe because I ordered a vented piza pan on Amazon that turned out to be soo much wider than I had foreseen and turning it was quite a challenge, but it didn’t break! I also added a tad of gluten-free flour to the dough to give it a bit more firmness. Dana, I’m sure you have heard that before, but you’re simply a genius, girlfriend! Thank you so much for actually testing out your recipes, they have never disappointed me, contrary to so many other blogs where you spend your money to get to nowhere close to their gorgeous pictures, ugh 🤦🏻‍♀️
    Definitely making this again, it’s well worth the time. Will post the pics on Instagram and tag you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Giselle. Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo

  17. Darlene says

    Hi there!

    I have a quick question. Can I omit the vegan cheese from the recipe? I am not doing nutritional yeast.

    Thanks
    Darlene 😊

  18. Jo says

    Loved it. I had fun making this recipe and even more fun eating it :o) I have always wanted to try to make (vegan) cauliflower crust and this was the perfect recipe for me. Thanks!

  19. Samantha Dailly says

    Hi Dana. Do you think that substituting aquafaba would work as a binding agent for the pizza dough as opposed to flax eggs?

    • Sharon says

      Exactly my thoughts. The crust was way too wet with the flax seed egg water so next time I’ll whip up the acquafaba and see if it holds together better and even adds crispiness.

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Sorry to hear that was your experience, Sharon! We hope you have better success with the aquafaba!

  20. vivalamamma.dk says

    I must comment on this one!
    I made it yesterday and I will make it again tomorrow for friends. It’s so easy and delicious.
    I used half of a huge cauliflower and made 4 mini (individual) pizzas instead of a big one. 35 min of baking was enough.
    I will make them tomorrow not as pizza, but to eat with hummus, and other dips.

    Thanks! Never disappointed with your recipes

    • Nancy Godwin🐬 says

      I made this pizza with purple cauliflower instead of white cauliflower because that’s what was growing in my garden the first time I didn’t follow directions because I was so hungry the second time I followed directions and it turned out wonderful

  21. Nicole says

    I personally found this a fun thing to try but not worth the time and effort, and I don’t think I’ll make it again. I also found it only made 2 servings for my partner and I’s appetites, and only if we weren’t particularly hungry. Still though, it’s a creative way to get extra veggies in and it was fun to try for something new. The actual cauliflower mix is yummy even though I didn’t find it worked well for a crust, and maybe it could be used some other way… I like the meatball idea from one reviewer, maybe I’ll try that in future.

  22. Bonnie Gage-Anderson says

    I am using frozen riced cauliflower. I’m trying to figure how many cups to use but the drop down box for choosing the number of servings I want to make doesn’t affect the “6 cups of cauliflower” measurement. No matter how many servings I choose, all the measurements change (including how many heads of cauli) except for the 6 cups part. Can you tell me which recipe (in other words, how many heads of cauli) to use for 6 cups of cauliflower?

  23. Rita says

    Absolutely amazing!
    My daughter loved it!!!
    I used only a tiny amount of cassava to the cauliflower and flax egg and it bound so nicely! I then added a tiny amount of arrowroot flour to help just get rid of any leftover moisture.
    I cooked it at 160 fan oven for about 50 mins and flipped it over once half way!

    It held perfectly- no fork or knife needed! Just like a tradition pizza base!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Rita. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  24. Ellie says

    Turned out amazing !
    Not sure how many cups of cauliflower i used as i only had two small bulbs. Didn’t have nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese but had some left over tumeric walnut cream i added to the dough.
    I also used casava and tapioca flour. worked amazing !! Tastes amazing !
    Its been hard coming up with new ideas for my lechtin free diet boyfriend. So this is prob the best meal i made :)
    I made pesto with almond butter kale basil and parsley. And shiitake mushroom on top.
    Garnished eith avocado and micorgreens :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad it turned out well! And your toppings sounds incredible! Thanks so much for sharing, Ellie!

  25. Liv Jaks says

    In your directions for easy riced cauliflower, you recommend squeezing excess moisture out of the cauliflower prior to cooking. I found this method to be preferable to times I’ve squeezed moisture out AFTER cooking the cauliflower. But in this recipe you recommend squeezing the moisture out after cooking the cauliflower. Just wondering if there is a reason for this, or if either method works for both cauliflower rice as rice, and for use in pizza crust. Thanks! And by the way, Love you recipes! – Liv

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Liv, in this recipe, there’s a lot more moisture that needs to be removed than for making cauliflower rice. It’s easier to remove more moisture after cooking. Hope that helps!

  26. Trisha says

    So good and healthy!!! I am used to eating healthy substitutes for things, so I loved this, even though it obviously does not taste like actual pizza crust. I did add a bit of chickpea flour, thinking it would help bind the cauliflower more (as I did not want to add any more starch). I love how this recipe is mainly cauliflower, unlike the store bought crusts that are mainly made with potato/corn/other starches. Thank you once again for providing the best recipes!!!

  27. Fanny Winkelman says

    Advice for anybody who finds procedure of grating/cooking/wringing cauliflower to laborious, or who simply can’t, because arthritis in hands/wrists (me): Use a slow juicer. Throw away the juice (or use it for a nice veg. soup) and use the pulp raw. It works! :-)

    • Steven says

      This tip was a game changer. Not only did it take a few steps (and dishes) completely out of the process, my juicer made the cauliflower into a consistency more like flour. I added in a bit more gluten-free flour than I have in previous attempts, but the crust looks and holds almost exactly like a normal pizza dough. Thank you.

    • Jean says

      Dana and Fanny, you are geniuses. I have stayed away from making cauliflower crust pizza in the past because of all the faff. However, using my masticating juicer was a game changer. I used the raw cauliflower pulp and followed the recipe almost exactly. As Steven suggested, you do have to use a bit more flour. The only other difference was the cooking time needed to be much less. After the first 45 min go, it was already done. Next time I won’t cook as long and there will definitely be a next time.
      Dana – I would even add the juicer option in the recipe as it’s gold dust.

      • Jean says

        I now make this recipe once a week. The juicer makes it a cinch to prepare. This week I didn’t have quite enough cauliflower, so I juiced a carrot as well and added the carrot pulp to the cauliflower pulp. I also threw some mixed seeds into the ‘dough’. It all turned out delicious. I did notice that the cooking time seems to vary each time I make it and the precise quantity for the gluten free flour seems to vary as well with each batch. It’s not a problem, just something for me to keep an eye on. I am really grateful to have found this recipe. Thank you! Healthy pizza, what more could anyone ask for?

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Amazing! We love your creativity with the recipe, Jean. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo

  28. Nichole says

    Thank you for sharing this!

    Aside from a pizza crust, it might make a great layer in multi-layer dishes, even in dips.

    Also was thinking about how to strengthen the binding (carrots, psyllium husk, etc), but the changes make it another food.

    :)

  29. Bea says

    Better than other recipes that I’ve prepared- good technique and thorough instructions. Ive made this at least a dozen times. Additionally, I’ve adapted the recipe (“cheating” to make it faster, more convenient but more expensive).
    I use 2-3 bags of steam in the bag riced cauliflower, depending on gram weight to come close to original. The coarser the “grain” (bigger chunks) vs. fine grate makes a big difference in how wet the dough is. I prefer bigger chunks for ease and I use a rolling pin to roll and smash/press the cauliflower while it is still wrapped in lint free linens after squeezing back out as much water as possible. I combined suggestions of using chia seeds as well as flax egg and added Egg Replacer (brand box that sucks mostly cornstarch): 1 TB flax ground, 1 TB chia seeds, 1 TB Egg Replacer in 4 TB cold water. Roll crust out onto a cookie sheet a Silpat or parchment moderately dusted with coarse cornmeal. I have a pizza stone but this works better. I use a second cookie sheet of the same size for the flip. Preheat oven 475 degrees, put crust cookie sheet on the bottom rack and turn oven down immediately to 375. Higher heat creates crispier crust. Use store precut veggies of your choice and bake in the preheated oven while forming crust. Fajita diced blend of onions and peppers is very fast, along with chopped broccoli or mushrooms. This seems like a lot of changes but it isn’t- precut veggies, steamable fresh riced cauliflower, egg replacer added. Spice, nutritional yeast and quantities the same. FIVE stars original recipe and same for quicker one I altered (downside is expense). Made at least 50 times in over two years- Friday pizza.

  30. Esti Allina-Turnauer says

    Do you cook the cauliflower rice to use it in this recipe, or use it raw? Thanks. (You might want to add that to recipe – ‘uncooked’ or ‘cooked’. My gut and logic say raw since it’s going to get baked, but not sure.

  31. Courtney Knight says

    Love it! I only make it when the partner is out of town so he doesn’t have a coronary over the mess it makes. Question: if you’re freezing a crust, is there any special way to reheat? Do you put toppings on the frozen crust then bake? Or bake, apply toppings, bake some more?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Courtney, we’re so glad you enjoy it! We think it would work best to freeze without toppings and then bake, apply toppings, and bake again. Let us know if you give it a try!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Courtney, we haven’t tried it and aren’t sure about timing. It will also depend if/how long it was baked prior to freezing. But if pre-baked for 45 minutes prior to freezing, maybe 10-15 minutes and then add toppings and bake another 10?

    • Daisy says

      I made this recipe tonight. A few minor changes. I read some comments about it being “mushy” . I bought rice cauliflower fresh. I placed the cauliflower in an instant pot for 2 minutes on steam in a cheese cloth. When finished I placed it between Lint free towels and put a cast iron pan on top for about 20 minutes to squeeze out the water. I made the sauce and added sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions, beyond meat, spinach and added a little cilantro. I spread the crust a little on the thinner side. I also cooked it for 45 minutes and then flipped. Cooked for 15 minutes. Then topped with ingredients. I have to say… I NAILED it!!! Thank you so much. I will definitely make a few of these a head of time to freeze. It can be a little time consuming but it is so worth it. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. It was a hit!!!

  32. Alberta Nassi says

    I enjoyed this recipe but did find it labor intensive. Next time, I might resort to store bought organic cauliflower rice for the convenience. Served it with chipotle red pepper sauce, sautéed green onions because I was out of leeks and olive tapenade. Truly delicious!

  33. Amber says

    tasty recipe, however it took FOREVER to cook. followed the recipe and still had to cook for so much extra time, made such a huge mess, honestly not worth and would not make again.

  34. Amanda K says

    I made this tonight and it was actually incredible. It was time consuming and I was weirdly not prepared for that. My husband ate his unhealthy pizza and I just glared at him while this was cooking. I was bitter. But it was really worth it. Thanks for an awesome recipe.

  35. David says

    Made this tonight was really good, was very time consuming but worth it, going to try the other vegan crust recipe next. Had onion and red pepper for topping, for a truly good pizza add some cold alfalfa sprouts to your slice just befor eating adds a wonderful flavor and crunch thanks again for a great recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, David. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  36. Owen Hirtle sr says

    I made this. Give it 5 stars. Used kelp granules in place of sea salt. Great dinner for two. Used nutritional yeast in place of vegan parmesan.
    Used vegan parmesan on sauce, with sautaied onion, peppers, and mushrooms. AWESOME!!!.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Owen, we don’t think that would be a good idea from a food safety perspective.

  37. Sam says

    This was so complicated, way more than I had anticipated. It literally took three hours! And once I spread out the crust on the pan, my boo and I realized it was way too small for both of us. This is one serving if you ask me. Maybe two if you’re not that hungry. The results were okay. It didn’t cook evenly though, edges were crispy and the bottom was mushy. It was tasty enough but not worth the time and work in my opinion. I love to cook but maybe I was too hungry for this ambitious project. I would say put in the effort if you have lots of time to hang out in your kitchen, sure.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sam, sorry to hear this crust didn’t turn out as expected. Perhaps cauliflower crust isn’t what you are looking for. For a sturdier, less labor intensive crust, maybe try our Easy Vegan GF Crust! Hope that helps!

  38. Megan says

    Made this twice this week. Crust is amazing, love the flavor and crispyness. Totally worth squeezing the cauliflower, (I recommend a nylon nut bag vs towel) and getting a thin crust. Thanks for such a great crust!

  39. Heather Nelson says

    Hi, Dana
    What are your thoughts about splitting up, and cooking this recipe in a waffle iron?
    Thank you,
    Heather

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We haven’t tried that and can’t say for sure how it would go.. if you try that out, let us know how it works! Good luck!

  40. Dana says

    Hi Dana
    I am wondering can I cook this in a cast iron skillet for a deep dish pizza?
    Dana
    P.s. I love your recipes!!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, but I would think that should work! Let us know if you give it a go, and we’d love to hear how it turns out :D Good luck!

  41. Charlene says

    Hey I made this .cane out really good .mine was a little thinner . I noticed you said flax eggs you have seeds instead of flax meal. .I just wanted to let you know in case it confuses others that don’t know .unless I’m wrong and you actually use the seed.i have always used the meal..but lived the recipe I made my own vegan parmesan ..walnuts sunflower seeds and nooch with seasonings.great recipe

  42. Rasa says

    Tried this with almond meal and nutritional yeast. Came out delicious! Love that this is healthy and low cal.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Rasa. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  43. Geraldine says

    This crust was delicious! We topped with your kale pesto, slow roasted plum tomatoes and thinly sliced onion. The key for us was to make sure all the water was squeezed out of the cauliflower, the result was a thin crust with a crunchy bottom and crisp edges. My husband and I ate the whole thing—it was SO good! Will definitely make this again and experiment with new toppings (although this combo was pretty amazing!)

  44. Charu Slawek Robertson says

    Loved this recipe! I did make a few minor changes. I used 1 tablespoon of minced fresh basil and 1 tablespoon of mince fresh oregano (we like a lot of flavor…lol!). Nutritional yeast instead of vegan parmesan.

    I did my best to squeeze out all of the water but it seemed impossible and eventually I gave up and decided it was “dry enough.” Over all everyone in the family liked it. it was crispy without being burnt and did not have a cauliflower after taste. My husband even raved about it.

    Oh and my 2.5 year old son cried when there was no more! He was so sad that ” my pizza with yummy pesto and onions and mushrooms and spinach and asparagus is all in my tummy and there’s no more! Mama can I just eat pesto to make me happy, again?” He LOVES you Minimalist Baker vegan pesto made with walnuts!

    Thank you so much for your awesome recipes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for sharing your recipe changes! We are glad you and your family enjoyed it!

  45. Kristi says

    I love all of the Minimalist Baker recipes but this one did not work out very well for me–the taste was delish on the crispy edges but the crust was otherwise soggy despite lots of work to dry the cauliflower. I tried cooking it longer but the edges would start burning and that is no good! I used frozen cauliflower rice as some noted above and used two towels to soak up the moisture. Adding in the time it took to make the vegan pesto and parm it took me 2 hours to put the masterpiece together. I waited until the very end to add light toppings so that they didn’t add moisture. I did find that flipping the crust with a plate as noted above was helpful and the crust stuck together. If I tried this again I would make my own cauliflower as in the recipe, which would add to my timeline, and would make several crusts far in advance and have them in the freezer so that I didn’t have to eat alone after everyone else was in bed! Add some extra time for this one and try it on a day when there is no time pressure so that you aren’t tempted to take any shortcuts–get that cauliflower very dry! Thank you MB for all the fabulous recipes. They truly add so much to my joy of cooking and healthy, cruelty free eating. This one just was a challenge for me but I will comment again if I can master it!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for your thoughtful review, Kristi! Making several crusts in advance and freezing them sounds like a great idea!

  46. Jesse says

    I made this tonight and it was amazing!! I tripled the recipe and made it with 3 cauliflowers. My wife and I ate two and I froze the 3rd one. Instead of the corn starch or corn meal I used 2 tablespoons of chia seed ( I put just a little water with them to soak) once the chia seeds were gooey I noticed the recipe binded together REALLY good. It also helped absorb any remaining water in the cauliflowers ?

    I am excited to make it again. It took me awhile this time but I know I’ll be able to do it faster next time!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review and sharing your modification, Jesse. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  47. Susan says

    Is there any other sub for flour or cornmeal to keep from sticking to the parchment. I am making this for a friend who is totally grain free. Thanks!

  48. Rita says

    Hello. I tried out your recipe tonight, have to say-it was the most labor intensive recipe i’ve made in a while. I was really hoping after all of my hard work the results would be amazing… but they just weren’t! I feel like i followed the recipe very carefully and i am a pretty strong cook and familiar with all of the ingredients…however the crust was awful, burnt on the outer edges, mushy on the inside, fell apart when i flipped it.. and an awful ‘feet’ like taste. Sorry- just trying to keep it real.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Rita, so sorry to hear that! Others seem to have had great success with this one, so I’m not sure what happened. Perhaps cauliflower crust isn’t what you are looking for. For a sturdier, less labor intensive crust, maybe try our Easy Vegan GF Crust!

  49. Megan says

    Made it for dinner tonight and split it with my husband. I kinda wish I didn’t split it, I want to eat it all for myself. It is really yummy!

  50. Cindy Koene says

    I am leaving cauliflower crusts to the cool kids! I followed the recipe meticulously, but I did not like the final taste at all. I am a huge fan of MB recipes, so this is only a small bump in the road of many delicious meals from Dana’s recipes.

  51. Donna says

    Wanted to love thus but ours was mushy and not like a crust at all… we followed directions totally disappointed

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Donna, sorry to hear it didn’t go as expected! It sounds like there needed to be more moisture squeezed out or dry ingredients added to soak up some of the moisture.

  52. Melissa Wedge says

    I just want an idea of how long this ccrust is good for. I believe I made my vegan caulfilower pizza on Thursday of last week… the left overs have been in the ridge… is it still okay to eat?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Melissa! While it is best fresh, it will keep for a couple of days refrigerated. For future, you can freeze your crust for later use!

  53. Laleh says

    Hi dear! I’ve made this today and yes it was great! My hubby likes it too much! This is my first time that I had pizza without feeling guilty! Thanks alot

  54. Tanya says

    Is there an option for no nutritional yeast? I believe the vegan parm usually includes it as well. This looks amazing and definitely want to make it!

  55. Kruti says

    HI AGAIN BEAUTY!! Is the cheese/nutritional yeast used for any other purposes besides flavoring? Wondering if excluding it completely will cause the crust to “fail”. Thanks Danaaa❤️

  56. Brandon says

    OMG this is so good! Thank you so much for sharing. I first stir-fried the rice as the cauliflower rice recipe calls, and then boiled it too, not sure if that’s how it was meant to be done but it sure did come out delicious.
    Mine also came out tight enough to cut and eat in slices, so the base actually has integrity to it, but I used chia eggs instead of flax eggs, not sure if that makes any difference.
    Thanks a lot for this again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      So glad you enjoyed it, Brandon! No need to stir fry it first, but glad to hear it worked out for you!

  57. Christine Self says

    I halved the recipe and made this for myself. It was delicious! I did have to cut down the baking time because my pizza was getting brown and crispy closer to 30 min. Maybe I “rolled” my dough a little thin. I used wax paper to press my dough, since it was very sticky, and that worked well. I used some corn starch on the parchment paper and had no issues with sticking. Topped with sautéed mushrooms, bell pepper, Kalamata olives, fresh basil, and pepper flakes. Would make again.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Christine. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  58. Kruti says

    IT’S HAPPENING TONIGHT DANA!! Literally so excited ?? Just one quick question…flax egg amount..would it constitute for 1.5 normal eggs in this recipe?

    Thank you always for blessing us foodies❤️

      • Kruti says

        Thanks for the quick response..we ended up getting the TJ Cauli Crust? ONLY bc I really want to understand your recipe fully before attempting…hopefully no room for errors ???. In regards to your recipe, it calls for 1.5 flax eggs though corrrect?

  59. Lauren says

    This was my first time making cauliflower crust, and it was a total hit! A bit labor-intensive, but so worth it. I rolled mine a bit too thin, but it still came out great (I tend to like a thin-crust anyway). The addition of herbs to the “dough” really helps make a flavorful crust. Topped mine with Miyokos Mozzarella, your easy pesto sauce, artichokes, peppers, and of course your vegan parmesan. Can’t wait to make again!

  60. Roya says

    Just made the crust to test out as an alternative to a middle eastern type of flatbread and it was really delicious and perfectly crispy. Just drizzled it with zaatar and olive oil, topped with fresh tomatoes and mint and it’s amazing.

    I would absolutely double the recipe since i had quite a bit of leftover cauliflower and this is good enough for just 1 person! :) x

  61. Esther says

    Thanks for the recipe!! I cooked ot and it was perfect and delicious!!! I made individual mini pizzas with an oven tin.

  62. Mary says

    Just made this for first time. Loved it. I used 2 bags of Costco frozen rice cauliflower and cooked each bag 5 minutes in the microwave which cut the prep time down instead of cooking in pot. I also added a little cornmeal to the dough to help absorb the moisture. I used the second piece of parchment paper to flip the crust but I also put a plate on top so when I flipped it it would not break. Then I slid the crust off the plate back onto the pizza stone. I topped with Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese which I love along with some veggies. I would double the recipe if making for more than 2 people as I was able to eat almost the whole pizza. Will dfinitely make again. Thanks Dana

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for sharing, Mary! We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  63. Vanessa says

    Made this time as I’m a big fan of cooking your recipes. I was surprised at how little of my cauli remained after ricing, boiling and squeezing. I used the find shred on my food processor, but that was a mistake. Also, as another commenter, I def didn’t put enough flour and my silpat peeled the entire bottom layer off my crust when I flipped it. At this point, I’m thinking, “fail”, esp for the amount of work going into prep. Suddenly, the $4 Frozen cauli crust at trader joes seems reasonably, ha. I’m sure it will be delicious and hope to try again with a bigger shred of the rice, maybe a steam instead of boil, and lots of cornmeal/flour for when I flip it. I’ll also use a giant head of cauli. Was surprised the recipe calls for a large or a small cauli? Thanks, Dana, for developing the recipe.

  64. Shannon says

    Omg! I think I emailed you asking if you could make a recipe for this. I cannot wait to make it, really happy that all the ingredients are easy to find and affordable too. Thanks!

  65. Maren says

    I really wanted to love this, especially after as much time as it took, but unfortunately I didn’t. to me it was OK, but just didn’t justify the time that it took. I made a cauliflower pizza crust years ago with raw cauliflower that appealed to me more.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kristina! You can store shelled nuts at room temperature for up to 3 months and shelled or unshelled nuts in the refrigerator for up to six months, or in the freezer for a year or more. Hope this helps!

  66. Corey says

    Tried this tonight and although it was pretty involved, turned out great! For anyone looking to avoid the cooking in water then straining situation, I riced mine in a food processor then microwaved for 8 minutes. The wringing it out took the longest. Topped it with a tomato sauce, mushrooms, kale, caramelized red onion, and vegan pepperoni! Yum!!

  67. Sara says

    Made it, loved it. Used wrap to cover and rolled it out. Turns out great and it is also Toddler approved! Good taste and lovely crunch to the crust.
    Thanks for the detailed instructions.

  68. Omega says

    Made this tonight. Delicious. Next time I will double the recipe. We made it thick enough to hold with our hands, but it ended up being a personal sized pizza. Thank you, Dana.

  69. Mike says

    I made this last night and it turned out really well! One change I made is to use a floured-up roller to shape the dough since I had a rough time just using my hands. Also, the next time I make this I’m definitely doubling the recipe since my fiancée and I absolutely devoured the pizza.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      I would suggest arrowroot or potato starch, but tapioca may work as well. Let me know if you give that a try!

      • Danielle says

        I used tapioca starch and coconut flour and I also used half riced sweet potato and it came out amazing with your cashew Parmesan cheese which I added oregano and parsley to. I didn’t need to use a fork and knife to eat it though. Super delicious recipe, thanks for the ideas.

  70. Helene S leonardi says

    If you steam the cauliflower before you make it “rice”, it won’t fall through your steamer. I use cornmeal or flour with the mixture, flax egg and spices. I squeeze out all the water(actually my husband’s job). I bake the crust first for 25 minutes to firm up the crust on parchment paper. Then add the toppings: sauce, cheese and toppings for 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts and the veggies get toasty.

  71. Rebecca says

    This is almost identical to the ad hoc one I concocted a week before this post! What’s great is that yours addresses the two areas where mine failed.

    To anyone making this, take the time to get as much water out of your cauli rice as you can; mine was a delicious thin pizza casserole.

    Second, liberally flour your baking surface. I trusted the silicon in the parchment to do the trick; don’t.

      • Kristen Anderson says

        Hey there! I couldn’t find the answer to this question in the notes as you suggested. Would it be possible to make a double batch and freeze the dough for a couple of weeks before baking it into a crust? Thanks so much, and apologies if I missed this somewhere!

        Kristen x

        • Elle says

          “14. Best when fresh. This pizza is best eaten with a fork – I find that it doesn’t quite support itself when eaten with hands. Note: You could bake your crust ahead of time and then freeze for later use if desired.”

  72. Lexy says

    Hi,

    I really want to try this recipe but I can’t have cornstarch…
    Is there anything else that I can use instead?
    Many thanks,

    Lexy

  73. Eleanor says

    Made it. Loved it!! I’ve made a few cauliflower pizza crusts, and this is by far the best one. Thanks for being so detailed on the instructions!

  74. Gina Abbott says

    Hi Dana,
    I followed the link to how to rice the cauliflower and was wondering, do you think it would be okay to simply sautée the riced cauliflower (as you mention on that page), to provide more flavor to the crust rather than boiling? You squeezed it before sautéing in that recipe so was hoping that would be enough moisture removed. Just thought I’d ask before trying to see what you thought.

    Thanks for all the amazing recipes! I constantly refer to your cookbook while cooking :)
    Gina

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, I don’t know that it will get tender enough. But it is may be possible to put a lid on and steam it to soften it…just be sure to wring it out to remove any excess liquid afterwards. Let me know if you give that a try!

    • ilona says

      I tried this. I think im going to try sautéing first it next time – I found that the crust just tasted doughy and not very nice. I was astonished because I have never cooked a M B recipe that I didn’t love!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yeah! I didn’t test it that way but from what I’ve researched it works great. I usually sub 1 small egg per 1 flax egg.

  75. Carly @ FearlessFemaleTravels.com says

    I love how this keeps the calories down by replacing so much of the typical cheese and eggs with vegan alternatives!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      In my experience, the longer you cook it and the less sauce you use the sturdier it is. But with the sauce and toppings, it’s more of a fork and knife situation. Hope that helps!

      • Taylor says

        I am going to get ahead of myself and comment 5 stars.. I am doing this recipe tonight! ..I KNOW all of Dana’s recipes are amazing. I can’t really fathom where we’d be without the help of minimalist bakers gluten free/vegan/ healthy recipes. I can’t imagine. Thanks Dana for working so hard to share really great recipes like this with us.

    • Ankita says

      I tried this recipe and it was a success! I never ever eat cauliflower in its pure form or as sauted or anything. But, I wanted to find a way to incorporate it in my diet. This is just the kind of recipe that works for me 🙂

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ankita! Thanks so much for the lovely review!