Allow me to introduce you to cauliflower pizza crust’s lesser-known but oh-so-deserving-of-the-spotlight cousin, Broccoli Pizza Crust. I’m not sure why cauliflower crust pizza was selected for the role of leading lady/Pinterest maven while Broccoli Pizza Crust was cast as understudy, but it’s time for this delish dish to take its place at the table.
Its “place” being on my plate, and “at the table” being my kitchen counter, where I devoured a sneaky slice before taking the rest over to a highly skeptical group of girlfriends who polished it off.
If you’ve tried cauliflower crust pizza, you know that it’s not only “not bad”; it’s “exceptionally good.” Fans include the Pioneer Woman, my Italian-food-loving stepfather, and even Trader Joe’s, which makes a frozen version. My hopeful hunch is that you are open to the idea of a Broccoli Pizza Crust, which is the same concept.
If you haven’t tried cauliflower crust (and maybe even if you have), you are most likely questioning my sanity.
Stick with me. We’ve been in unfamiliar ingredient territory together before and emerged equal parts surprised, delighted, and full.
Remember when I talked you into baking a healthy peanut butter cookie out of a can of chickpeas? Let’s be honest: that was way weirder, and it’s a reader favorite recipe!
Now, I cannot in the spirit of good faith and respect to the great gift that pizza is in all of our lives sit here and type that this Broccoli Pizza Crust tastes just like regular pizza crust.
I can, however, promise you from the bottom of my pizza-loving heart (and if you’ve been following our current trip to Italy over my Instagram stories, you know that I LOVE PIZZA), that this Broccoli Pizza Crust is delicious.
If you are looking for a way to eat pizza that is healthy and low carb, Broccoli Pizza Crust is a recipe for you.
If you need a sneaky way to eat extra veggies, Broccoli Pizza Crust was made for you.
If you are simply feeling adventurous in the kitchen and want to try something new, Broccoli Pizza Crust all the way!
How to Make Boss Broccoli Pizza Crust
This recipe is a mashup of several cauliflower pizza crust recipes I found online, along with a broccoli pizza crust The Chew featured back when it was still on the air.
Start by ricing broccoli (the food processor makes this super quick), then stir in eggs to bind it, along with cheese in two forms: melty mozzarella for the ooey-gooey factor and Parmesan for depth of flavor.
Pat your broccoli “dough” into a pizza-shaped round and bake. Fifteen-ish minutes later, your Broccoli Pizza Crust is ready for any assortment of your favorite pizza toppings.
Once baked, the crust becomes golden on top and lightly springy inside. Its flavor reminded me a little of a frittata, and I honestly would have been happy eating it on its own with a spoonful of warm tomato sauce.
But then there was that hunk of mozzarella and those juicy cherry tomatoes in our refrigerator. It wouldn’t have been just for me not to allow them to meet their ultimate pizza purpose.
I thought that this crust would serve four, but that yield turned out to be more appropriate for an appetizer. If you are feeding a larger group, I’d suggest doubling the recipe, then shaping into two pizzas.
How to Reheat and Freeze This Crust
- To Reheat. This pizza tastes best the day it is made, but it can be reheated in a 400 degree F oven. It will be softer when reheated versus freshly baked but is still tasty.
- To Freeze. I have not tried freezing the crust yet, but I would suggest doing so once the crust is fully baked and cooled. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven until warmed through. Once warm, add the toppings, and return to the oven. Bake until hot and any cheese you’ve added is melted and bubbly.
Other Tasty Pizza Recipes
OK, cauliflower pizza, your diva days are over. Time to pass the mic. This Broccoli Pizza Crust is center stage and ready to solo.
Broccoli Pizza Crust
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Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 medium head broccoli cut into florets (about 16 ounce with center stem, 12 ounces florets)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or another 1 tablespoon Parmesan
- ¼ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping:
- ¼ cup pizza sauce homemade or good quality store-bought
- 4 ounces part-skim mozzarella sliced, shredded, or roughly torn into small pieces
- Pizza toppings of choice I kept it classic with sautéed cherry tomatoes
- Thinly sliced fresh basil optional but delicious
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (do not skip lining it!).
- Rice the broccoli: Place half of the broccoli florets in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse in 5-second bursts until the broccoli is in fine crumbs. Transfer to a large, microwave-safe bowl. Repeat with the remaining broccoli. You should have about 2 1/2 to 3 cups broccoli rice total.
- Cover the broccoli and microwave on HIGH for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it is steamed. Let cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to a large, clean kitchen towel. Once cool enough to handle, wrap the towel around the broccoli and squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can, adding a second towel if needed.
- Add the broccoli to a large mixing bowl (this can be the same bowl you used to microwave the broccoli; just rinse and wipe it dry first). Add the eggs, Parmesan, nutritional yeast, shredded mozzarella, Italian seasoning, and salt. Stir until well combined. Transfer the mixture to the center of the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 1/2-inch-thick pizza (it will be about 9 inches in diameter.) It will feel very wet and sticky. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is set on top and beginning to very lightly brown at the edges.
- Remove from the oven and add the toppings: pizza sauce, additional mozzarella, and any desired toppings. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and melted. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with fresh basil. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- This pizza tastes best the day it is made, but it can be reheated in a 400 degree F oven. It will be softer when reheated versus freshly baked but is still tasty.
- I have not tried freezing the crust yet, but I would suggest doing so once the crust is fully baked and cooled. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven until warmed through. Once warm, add the toppings, and return to the oven. Bake until hot and any cheese you've added is melted and bubbly.
Nutrition
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This broccoli pizza crust is absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing, Erin!!
Regards
Thank you so much! I hope you love it if you give it a try!
This is such a brilliant idea!! Cannot wait to try :)
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy!
Oooh, cauliflower crust has some competition!
That’s right! Thanks, Gaby!
Hi Erin! I don’t have a food processor. Do I have to use it for this recipe?
Hi Becky, the food processor is probably the easiest way to chop up the broccoli super fine, but you could possibly try a blender or even just use a sharp knife and lots of patience to get it small enough. I hope you love the crust!
A box grater would work well.
Thanks for chiming in, Linda!
This crust is amazing! I’ve made it a couple times now and it is definitely becoming a family favorite. Super easy to make and I love that I can use whatever toppings I have in my fridge. Plus, it is the only way my little one will touch broccoli #MomWin ! Thanks for sharing!
WHOOO HOOO! Thank you Isabel! This review is so helpful and appreciated. Way to go Mom! :)
I’ve made this twice now and it is SO delicious! My husband and I both love this recipe. We made one with turkey pepperoni and mushrooms, and the other with mozzarella, basil and heirloom tomatoes. Yum, thank you!
YAY I’m glad to hear you both love it, Sara. Thanks for sharing this review!
Use a box grater it’ll work quite well. It’s often used for ricing cauliflower.
Thanks for the tip, William!
I have no microwave, so would it be ok to cook / steam broccoli rice for 5-7min in a pan?
Hi Gabriele! Yes, that should work too. Enjoy!
Hey Erin, I already have chopped broccoli, how many cups should I use for the recipe?
Hi, you should have about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of chopped broccoli for the crust. I hope this helps!
Great recipe. Used cheddar instead of mozzarella and it worked wonderfully!
Thank you
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Sally! I’m so happy that this recipe was a hit!
I’m pretty happy with this recipe. I made it last night in a 9 x 13 pan, baked about 30 minutes before adding toppings. Divided in 3 parts for my meal prep. After re-heat at 425 for 15 minutes, it’s still tasty! The crust has a mostly neutral flavor, slightly Italian herb-y. I’m not tasting much of the broccoli or the eggs (maybe because of the nutritional yeast?) Anyway, thank you for sharing! This is helping me stay on top of my goals, and enjoy what I’m eating too!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Natasha! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I have not made this yet but I had a frozen broccoli cheese pizza crust pizza once and absolutely loved it so I am so thankful I found this recipe!! I definitely am going to try it!!
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Jennie!
Hi! I am wondering if this will give a crunchy crust? Thank you so much!
Hi Kelly! This crust will not be super crunchy, but the edges may crisp up a little. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
It was a great alternatative to a GF dough base. I didn’t have any of the yeast but added a handful of GF breadcrumbs and it was fine. I might try it rolled thinner as a wrap base as the Veggi shop ones are so expensive. Thanks again
Hi Sarah! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Thank you, I cannot stand cauliflower for the life of me, but this idea sounds fantastic as I do love broccoli. I need to try it ! :)
Hope you enjoy it Freja!
This is as good as a veg pizza crust can be. I also added cauliflower, which doubled the recipe, only because I had some cauliflower to use up. I really like it! I’ll probably eat it for breakfast tomorrow.
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Really good. I added sunflower seeds and a tbsp of almond flour for an extra crunch. It was delicious. Even the kids liked it.
Hi Carrie! I call that a win! ;) So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I do not have a microwave.
Hi Ian! You could just cook the broccoli however you normally do it. Enjoy!
Absolutely delicious! Second time making this. So easy and it’s perfection. Thank you!
Hi Kim! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This crust turned out amazing! I did half broccoli and half cauliflower, so good.
Great to hear, Linda!