New recipe woohoo!
And this isn’t just for one dish… this is a relatively easy recipe that will actually make two separate dishes. Both some delicious cheese sticks and some super yummy mini pizzas (about twelve servings of each to be exact).
I’m a pizza junkie. Papa John’s is seriously one of my favorites ever. Is this dish as tasty as Papa John’s? Probably not. Let’s be real – Papa John’s uses flour and sugar in their pizza crusts and this recipe only uses cauliflower and sugar makes everything better.
However, is this recipe like a third of the calories found in Papa John’s? Yes. Totally worth it in my mind. Check out the recipe below for the deets.
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower Crust
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups of shredded low-moisture, part skim mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of julienned fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
For the Mini Pizzas
- 1 cup of marinara sauce
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tomato, thinly sliced into 12 rounds
- 1 cup of shredded low-moisture, part skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup of finely-shredded Parmesan cheese
For the Cheese Sticks
- 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder
- 1-2 cups of shredded low-moisture, part skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
For the Cauliflower Crust
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and generously spray a few baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Using a food processor, grind the cauliflower into crumbs. Place the cauliflower in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 8 minutes.
Let the cauliflower cool for 10 minutes before adding the rest of the cauliflower crust ingredients to the bowl. Stir to combine.
For the Mini Pizzas
Form about twelve 3-tablespoon-sized balls for the pizza (making sure there’s a lot left over still). Place the cauliflower balls on to the baking sheets and pat until flattened (about 4 inches wide). Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the crusts become a nice golden brown. Don’t worry if the edges get slightly charred.
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and turn on the broiler. Top each mini pizza crust with marinara sauce, a basil leaf, a tomato slice, some mozzarella, and a bit of Parmesan cheese.
Broil the pizzas until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Feel free to top with extra Parmesan cheese!
For the Cheese Sticks
Place the remaining cauliflower mixture on another baking sheet and flatten to either a round or square-like shape for the cheese sticks. Evenly spread the garlic powder on top of the crust. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crusts become a nice golden brown. Don’t worry if the edges get slightly charred.
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and turn on the broiler. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and broil the cheese sticks until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Feel free to serve with some marinara sauce on the side.