Meat Free Mock Pepperoni Pizza With Cauliflower Crust

The original pizza recipe appeared in Better Homes and Gardens magazine in the issue of April 2018 without pepperoni. I tried it once and my family, especially the picky picky picky eater, liked it a lot. I knew I would make it again on occasions. Lately I have been playing with a food product. The idea of meat free pepperoni happened to me, so I add the pepperoni idea as an innovative twist to the original pizza recipe to make it more interesting to eyes and taste buds and more beefy without using any meat.

I hope you'll truly try this recipe. Please refer to the following Supplies list and steps to make it.

TO MAKE THE CRUST

1 food processor

1 large or two small heads, 2-lb., cauliflower, cut into small florets (4 cups for the crust and 1 cup for topping)

1 egg

1/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

1 flour sack towel fabric piece

1 pizza baking sheet or pizza stone

1 12" cake circle paper board

1 12" circle parchment paper

TO MAKE TOPPINGS

4 oz thinly sliced gold potatoes

1 cup small cauliflower florets

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp dried rosemary (or 1tbsp fresh rosemary)

TO MAKE PEPPERONI

1 non-stick pan

1 circle cookie cutter

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Note: This article contains affiliate links as references for the same or similar products used in this project. If you click on the links and make purchases I could receive a small amount of commission from the affiliate company with no extra cost to you.

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.

Wash, trim and break cauliflower florets to small pieces. Photo 1-2.

Process 4 cups of cauliflower florets in a food processor until rice size. Photo 3-5.

Place riced cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl, add 2 tbsp water, stir and cover the bowl, cook on high for 2 minutes, stir and cover, and cook on high again for 2 minutes. Let it cool. Photo 6-7.

Use a cotton flour sack towel, placed the above cooked cauliflower one soup spoonful at a time in the towel, squeeze until all liquid is removed. Photo 8-10.

Combine the above cauliflower with the cheeses, panko, Italian seasoning, egg and 1/4 tsp salt, mix it well, set aside. Photo 11-12

Use a 12" cake circle paper board as template, draw and cut a 12" parchment paper circle. Photo 13.

Place the above cauliflower dough in the center of the parchment paper circle, press it out to make pizza crust of consistent thickness everywhere. Photo 14.

Slide the parchment paper circle with pizza crust to the preheated pizza baking sheet or pizza stone. Photo 15.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the edge of the crust starts to brown. Photo 16.

While the crust is baking in the oven, it's time to prepare toppings.

In a mixing bowel, toss together 1 cup small cauliflower florets, 4 oz thinly sliced gold potatoes, 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp snipped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tbsp dried rosemary. Photo 1-2.

when the crust is done baking, remove it from the oven and spread the above toppings onto crust. Photo 3.

To make the imitation pepperoni, use a circle cookie cutter, place it on the different spots on the bottom of the non-stick pan, drop a thin layer of shredded cheddar cheese inside the cookie cutter. Photo 1-2.

Turn on the heat and melt the cheese circles. Let it cool. (Or they can be made in advance). photo 3.

Lift the circles up and rub paprika on the top side and place them on the crust. Photo 4-5.

Slide the crust with toppings on the parchment paper back onto pizza baking sheet or pizza stone.

Bake for another 15-20 minutes, depending on the sizes and thickness of the toppings, or until potatoes and cauliflowers are tender and crust is crisp and brown around edges. Photo 1.

(Optional) Top with Parmesan, olive oil, rosemary, and salt to your taste.

Serve with sauteed mushroom and green bean or a soup. Photo 2-3.

Enjoy!!!

Please vote it for Meat Free Meal Challenge if you like it. Thank you.