Pizza is the reigning champion of comfort food, but if you’re cutting carbs, you may think you have to save it for cheat days. This doesn’t have to be the case — cauliflower-based pizza crust allows you to stay on track and enjoy the timeless combo of tangy tomato sauce and bubbly cheese anytime. It’s also far easier to make than traditional crust, since there’s no fussing with yeast and heaps of flour. A food processor, a microwave, and a cheesecloth make this a fairly quick and easy project. Your topping options are endless — from all-American pepperoni to classic Italian tomatoes and basil.

You’ll need:
One medium head of cauliflower
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 egg and 1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pizza toppings of your choice (we used 2/3 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, sausage, sliced red bell pepper, fresh thyme, and dried red pepper flakes)

Ingredients:
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a pizza pan or baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

2) Wash and dry the cauliflower well. Cut away the leaves and most of the stem.

3) Cut the cauliflower into somewhat uniform 1-inch pieces.

4) In batches, process the cauliflower in your food processor using the pulse function, so the pieces are uniform in size and not too small, roughly the size of grains of rice. Process until you have about 4 cups of processed cauliflower.

5) Microwave the processed cauliflower in a microwave-safe container for 3-4 minutes, until cooked through, stirring halfway through cooking. Set aside to cool for a bit.

6) When cauliflower is cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a cheesecloth (a fine-mesh strainer should work, too). Discard the liquid.

7) Mix together the cauliflower, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, egg white, oregano, and salt in a medium bowl. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet and spread it out over the parchment into a circle shape.

8) Bake crust in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until it’s golden brown.

9) Remove crust from the oven, top with your favorite pizza toppings, and return to the oven to bake for 10 or so more minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and brown in spots. Serve immediately.

Also check out our Cauliflower Breadsticks.