Beyond Better Cauliflower Pizza
A customer at the farmer’s market suggested that I create a recipe for vegan, gluten-free cauliflower pizza using Beyond Better cashew cheese powder. So, I just did and wow. This is the first time since I stopped eating dairy and gluten over 10 years ago that I have had a pizza that tastes just like the real thing. I am beyond thrilled! (sorry). Greg said it tasted just like wheat pizza, and grabbed the last three hunks! Bonus: it is easy, really. The whole pizza plus sauce uses only 4 ingredients, not counting your choice of toppings. It takes only a few minutes to prepare cauliflower for roasting, a couple more to create the crust, and less than an hour start to finish. This pizza is so amazing, I understand why someone would never settle for any other gluten free, dairy free pizza! (PS: I liked it with the salt but definitely not necessary.)
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized head of Cauliflower – yield around 1.25 lbs of florets
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Cup Beyond Better Cheese Powder
- ¼ tsp Salt, optional
- Beyond Better Pizza Sauce, see recipe here.
- Toppings of choice, I chose baby spinach and mushrooms
Notes:
Higher than 400 degrees can cause pizza to burn, it’s better to stick with 400. If extra cauliflower is used, the crust may not hold together as well. But it still tastes great.
See More Recipes
Directions
- Place a pizza stone in the oven if using. Or just use a sheet pan.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- On a cutting board, place a large piece of parchment paper and coat it with coconut or other favorite oil.
- Wash and thoroughly dry a medium head of cauliflower. Don’t get one the size of your head unless you are planning on making 2 pizzas.
- Cut off the florets, you don’t need/want much stem, stick with the florets. Pulse in your food processor for about 30 seconds, until you get powdery snow that looks a bit like millet. You should end up with 2 to 2 ½ cups cauliflower “millet”, about 1 to 1 ¼ lbs.
- Spread cauliflower on parchment paper in shallow baking pan (cookie sheet) and Roast it in 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, stir it up, then roast for another 10-12 minutes. The cauliflower should look a bit dry.
- Remove parchment paper from pan, stir again, and let it cool. There are other ways to cook the cauliflower: microwave, saute, boil, but I haven’t tested them and they may result in a higher moisture content in the cooked cauliflower that would necessitate water removal by wringing.
- The greatest thing about roasting and using Beyond Better powder is that there is NO NEED to wrap the cauliflower up in cloth and “wring the heck out of it” as in recipes using egg or egg substitute. Yay!!
- Dump roasted cauliflower into a bowl, scraping the parchment paper to get it all. Browned bits of roasted cauliflower are fine, in they go. Stir
- Beyond Better powder, baking powder and salt (if using) together, add mixture to cauliflower and mix thoroughly to make a stiff dough.
- Spread onto parchment paper in circle or rectangle. I used a fork, then smoothed it with my fingertips. You can also use a sheet of plastic wrap over the dough to avoid the stickiness.
- Spread thinly to 1/4 inch thick. I made a rectangle pizza shape, thinking that it would allow the pizza to cook more evenly and alleviate the possibility of a wet center, which may be somewhat true. However, it comes out great no matter what shape you choose, so long as crust is thin. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until light brown around edges.
- While pizza is cooking, stir up Pizza Cheese Sauce.
- Remove from oven. Flip the crust so browner crispier side is up, then spread crust thinly with Beyond Better marinara Sauce mixture, and add your toppings.
- Bake at 400 for 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it until done to your satisfaction. Cut, serve and prepare to be amazed!
