Is there anyone out there who doesn't love some version of the Italian-inspired pie called pizza? If so, I have yet to meet them. This famous dish is a child's fantasy meal, a quick and easy date night staple for lovers, and a regular guest at some of the best parties I have attended. Because of my gluten sensitivity, I have pretty much eliminated all breads, meaning that those slices of heaven I just mentioned have not made their way onto my plate in quite some time. So, after hearing about cauliflower crusts and the hype surrounding them, I finally made a gluten-free pizza over the weekend.
Holy dang, this stuff is BRILLIANT and I want to know who invented it. Should you decide to make one yourself, you will NOT miss the gummy goodness found in traditional pizza crusts. I topped mine with the one and only sweet potato, which frequently graces my dinner plate. Then, I spiced it up with some fresh garlic and goat cheese. These two little ornaments took the flavor to a whole new level. And just for health's sake, I finished it off with my favorite food of all time: kale. Yes, this thing was perfectly satisfying. I can't wait to make it again.
Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese and Kale Pizza
Cauliflower Crust
2 cups cauliflower, grated or food processed into rice size pieces
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 egg, beaten
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1. Coat a cookie sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.
2. Spread grated cauliflower across oil-glazed cookie sheet and bake in oven at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
3. In a bowl, mix cauliflower, cheese, egg, garlic and oregano until well combined and dough-like in texture.
4. Spread mixture onto a parchment paper-covered pizza pan and create a circular crust. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes.
Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese and Kale Pizza
1 sweet potato, medium-sized
2 cups kale leaves, chopped
2 tbs. goat cheese, crumbled
2 garlic cloves, minced or smashed and chopped
pinch of salt
1. Bake sweet potato in oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour, or until well done.
2. Heat 1 tbs. of olive oil in frying pan and saute kale until wilted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Remove sweet potato from skin and mix in a bowl with salt.
4. Spread sweet potato mash onto pizza crust and top with garlic.
5. Sprinkle goat cheese and kale on top of potato layer.
6. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.
7. Let cool for 5 minutes. Slice, serve and enjoy.
I love that you made cauliflower crust! I need to try this again. And sweet potatoes, kale and goat cheese are one of my favorite combinations ever! yum
Posted by: a farmer in the dell | 02/18/2013 at 08:25 PM
any ideas on how to make that crust dairy-free?
Posted by: zosia | 02/19/2013 at 03:40 PM
I flippin' love cauliflower crust. Easier than yeast, and so unbelievably tasty! Great toppings!
Posted by: charlotte | 02/19/2013 at 06:10 PM
Zosia, I am already cooking up my next pizza topping combination. I will try to create a dairy-free crust...it may take a few tries but I will post it when perfected.
Posted by: Pure and Simple | 02/19/2013 at 07:28 PM
Thank you, Charlotte. These crusts are surprisingly amazing! I was stunned by the results.
Posted by: Pure and Simple | 02/19/2013 at 07:29 PM
Andrea, how can you go wrong with that combo, right? I use it often because it is just so yummy! Already craving it again.
Posted by: Pure and Simple | 02/19/2013 at 07:30 PM
I have been wanting to try cauliflower crust for a while now, it sounds good! You have a beautiful blog, Amy Jo! :)
Posted by: Sarah @ makingthymeforhealth | 02/23/2013 at 11:30 AM
What a fabulous pizza recipe: so special too with the cauliflower crust! Yummy Yum!
I would have never thought to put kale on a pizza though!
Posted by: Sophie33 | 02/24/2013 at 06:56 AM
Thank you, Sarah! Sophie, the kale works great with the sweet potato...as do most things :)
Posted by: Pure and Simple | 02/27/2013 at 06:41 AM
This pizza looks amazing, and your cauliflower crust looks SO good!! :)
Posted by: Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl | 02/28/2013 at 07:06 AM
Hannah, I know you like a good cauliflower crust by the looks of your blog. It tastes amazing!
Posted by: Pure and Simple | 03/01/2013 at 07:20 PM
Fantastic ideas with the pizza crust. I've been looking for some different ideas to use for a pizza festival I'm entering here in Chicago Illinois and this is a good one. Thanks!
http://www.foxsrestaurant.com
Posted by: Richard Wright | 03/07/2013 at 10:37 AM
how many servings would this make?
Posted by: Barbara | 03/15/2013 at 09:00 AM
Barbara, I think this made about eight pieces for me. They are fairly small, so I would say it would feed 2-3 people...depending on how much you wanted to eat.
Posted by: Pure and Simple | 03/17/2013 at 09:39 AM
Yum! This looks delicious! Is there any place I can get a healthy pizza in scottsdale kind of like this? I'm terrible at cooking, so I don't think I could make it myself...
Posted by: hilary | 03/28/2013 at 03:25 PM
Hilary, I stayed a weekend in Scottsdale a couple of years ago, but have no idea where to find a pizza similar to this one. I still haven't found the grain-free cauliflower crust anywhere other than my kitchen so I can't tell you where to buy one. It is very simple to make. And delicious. If you are not up for making it, possibly someone in the area will know of something like this.
Posted by: Pure and Simple | 03/29/2013 at 08:16 AM
looks delicious! I am going to have to try this!
Posted by: alycia | 04/04/2013 at 02:18 AM
I would love to know if you came up with a dairy free option! Thanks for this recipe!
Posted by: Juli Schumann | 04/11/2013 at 05:36 PM
I just want to clarify that the cauliflower does NOT need to be precooked? The time in the oven is enough time to cook it? :-) Thank you for your help.
Posted by: Sarah | 05/08/2013 at 11:39 AM
LOL Oh nevermind... I actually READ the recipe and found out otherwise. :-) Sorry for any inconvenience.
Posted by: Sarah | 05/08/2013 at 11:41 AM