Pizza Friday is a thing, though it doesn’t quite have the ring of Taco Tuesday, but let’s be real, anything with the word pizza is a resounding YES in my family. And some of us believe it has a way of curing all the problems of the world, though as much as I LOVE pizza I wouldn’t go that far!!. It’s true, pizza is a delicious, full of carbs and cheese goodness which just hits the spot right in my soul.
The pizza is topped with roasted cauliflower, gruyere, mozzarella, fresh basil, lots of garlic and some generous pinches of crushed red pepper flakes…ah is there anything better? And look at that purple cauliflower, I mean I’m looking at an explosion of anthocynins. Once roasted they turn into the most delicious soft caramelized bits of blue/purple bomb of goodness. Along with the cheese this is a completely well-balanced meal and full of amazing flavors
If you can’t find purple cauliflower in your grocery store or farmstand, white works just fine, not as striking though. Just throw on a few extra kale leaves or handful of arugula/spinach leaves to amp up the nutrients. For the dough, I used my favorite homemade pizza dough which I have been keeping on hand in the freezer for nights when a pizza craving strikes. You can also use store-bought dough if you’d prefer, but I can’t lie homemade is always the way to go, however the quality of store bought has dramatically improved. Either way, I’m pretty sure you will love this delicious pie!.
Roasted Cauliflower Pizza with Gruyere and Arugula
Equipment
- Pizza stone or pan
- Pizza paddle optional
Ingredients
- 1 small purple or white cauliflower broken or chopped into small pieces
- ½ pound pizza dough homemade or store bought
- 1 cup part skim mozzarella grated
- ½ cup gruyere grated
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- 2 cups arugula
- 1-2 tbsps lemon juice
- small handful of basil leaves torn
- sea salt and black pepper as needed
- red chili flakes as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F once the oven comes to the temperature allow it to heat for at least 10 minutes. Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil.
- On a baking sheet spread the chopped cauliflower, dripping with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to every spread the seasoning. Roast the cauliflower until tender and has charred bits. Remove and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, push/roll the dough out until it is pretty thin (about a 10-12 inch circle). Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Spread both the cheeses, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper evenly on the dough.
- Evenly distribute the roasted cauliflower all over the pizza. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted.
- Toss the arugula with one tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice. Garnish the basil, and lemony arugula. Enjoy!
So good! I added basil pesto.