Jump to Recipe

Cauliflower Pizza with Greek Yogurt Pesto & Grilled Veggies

Think that a balanced diet doesn’t include pizza? Think again!

Pizza is a Friday night staple in our household but, when, my husband went gluten-free, I had to do some creative thinking to save pizza night. It was a challenge I was ready to take on!

I’d heard of the idea of using cauliflower as a pizza crust, and I loved that eggs and cheese bind it all together – just think of all that calcium and protein just in the crust! Little did I know just how perfectly crunchy and cheesy that this healthy crust could be – I wasn’t even missing the old stuff!

Top this already protein-packed ‘za with grilled veggies and a super-simple pesto made with Greek yogurt to keep it creamy and add even more protein and calcium. Just like that that, you’ve got yourself one bone-building, protein powerhouse of a meal for your next Friday night pizza night!

Cauliflower Pizza with Greek Yogurt Pesto & Grilled Veggies

Photo of Cauliflower Pizza with Greek Yogurt Pesto & Grilled Veggies
  • 20 minutes
  • 1 hour
  • 1 hour, 20 minutes
  • Serves 4 people

Ingredients

For the cauliflower crust:

  • 12 cups cauliflower, cut into florets (about 2 medium heads or 3 lbs)
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Pepper
  • 1 1/3 cups + 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated and divided (about 3.5 oz)
  • 2 large egg whites

For the Greek yogurt basil sauce:

  • 1/2 cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed fresh basil, roughly chopped
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt/pepper to taste

For topping:

  • 1 small zucchini, sliced
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/2 inch thick
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a pizza pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large food processor, process the cauliflower until it is fine and the texture of rice. I did mine in 4 batches.
  3. Place the cauliflower into a LARGE bowl and microwave for 7 minutes, stir, and microwave for an additional 7 minutes. Then, let the cauliflower stand until cool enough to handle, 10-15 minutes.
  4. Dump the cauliflower into a thin kitchen towel (I did mine in 2 batches) and ring out ALL the excess moisture. Put some muscle into it and really get out as much as you can, as this is the key to a not-soggy crust.
  5. Transfer the cauliflower back into a large bowl and add the garlic, salt, Italian season, a pinch of pepper and 1 1/3 cups of the Parmesan cheese. Stir until well combined and then add the egg whites, mixing until well combined.
  6. Divide the cauliflower into 4 balls (about a heaping 1/2 cup each) and spread onto on the pizza pan, leaving a ridge for the crust.
  7. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
  8. While the pizza bakes, combine the Greek yogurt, basil and garlic in a small food processor (mine is 3 cups) until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides down as necessary.
  9. With the food processor on, stream in the olive oil until well mixed. Set aside.
  10. Then, preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
  11. Combine the sliced zucchini, tomato and olive oil in a small bowl and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Grill until charred, about 2-3 minutes a side. Place onto a plate and set aside. Keep your grill on.
  12. Once the pizza is cooked, remove them from the oven and preheat your broiler to high heat for 3 minutes. Take the remaining 4 tablespoons of cheese and sprinkle it onto the pizzas (1 tablespoon each) and broil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and melted.
  13. Spread some of the Greek yogurt sauce on each pizza and then top with the grilled veggies and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  14. Place the pizzas onto the grill just until the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes.
  15. DEVOUR immediately.

Notes: I find that the thinner the towel is, the more water you are able to squeeze out. If you have trouble getting the tomato off the grill, a fork will really help! You probably won't use all the sauce, but it makes a great veggie dip!     

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *