[vc_row fullscreen=”1″ css=”.vc_custom_1482197666369{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/1″ css=”.vc_custom_1482196695605{margin: 0px !important;border-width: 0px !important;padding: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]I’ve had football on my mind lately. I hardly follow it these days (my Pittsburgh Steelers loving in-laws are probably having a field day reading that), but I love the camaraderie of sporting events. Or when there’s a big game on TV, everyone goes over to Uncle Pepe’s house to watch and there’s a huge pile of food and 60 people.
It’s Super Bowl Sunday and while, I’ve been planning and scheming about how to get people to come over and eat food, I’m missing a critical component. I don’t have cable. Turns out, some of my friends do care about the Super Bowl because of the football. So they’re elsewhere, watching the game (or the commercials).
Which means….I’m eating this buffalo cauliflower pizza. Spicy, vinegary, salty, cheesy, crispy pizza. Buffalo wings are such a classic sit at the bar and watch football snack. (Or just eat while you’re thinking about football.) But full disclosure, even though I’m no longer a vegetarian, I still don’t like chicken all that much. Buffalo cauliflower wings? I’m IN. Buffalo cauliflower wings on a pizza? Where have you been all my life?
The sauce is easy to make, and has a lot of flexibility for personal taste preferences (add more hot sauce if you’re ready to kick it up a notch). There are pretty reasonable pizza doughs available in the fridge or freezer section of grocery stores these days. And it’s quite easy (and so fun!) to make your own. I don’t have a stand mixer so I usually spend 15 to 20 minutes punching and kneading dough a couple times in the dough rising process. It gives my wrists and fists a pretty good workout. Maybe it also helps fight carpal tunnel. Sweet.
However you do your dough, the double roasted cauliflower is awesome. The gorgonzola cheese crumbles melt into little pockets of salty goodness. The sauce is spicy and makes your mouth pucker. So. Much. Yes. Plus, this buffalo cauliflower pizza is pretty good for breakfast the next day if you happen to have leftovers. Either cold, or warmed with a fried egg on top. (What?!) Yes, I have done that. And now you can, too!
Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza
Ingredients
For the buffalo sauce
- 1/4 cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot or Crystal)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the pizza
- 1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1- florets (about 8 cups)
- 1 ball store bought pizza dough, room temperature
- 1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese crumbles
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- Green onions, for topping
- Parsley, for topping
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for buffalo sauce.
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Arrange cauliflower florets on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle half the buffalo sauce over the cauliflower. Toss to coat evenly. Bake until cauliflower is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
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While cauliflower is baking, roll out the pizza dough into a 12 to 14-inch circle and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon the ricotta cheese in big dollops onto the dough.
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When cauliflower is tender, remove from oven and let cool slightly. Heat oven to 450°F.
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Distribute the cauliflower onto the pizza dough. Drizzle with more buffalo sauce and sprinkle the gorgonzola cheese over the pizza.
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Bake pizza for 15 to 20 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven. Top with green onions and parsley. Slice, and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Recipe for buffalo sauce adapted from: Food Network
SEASONED SECRET
I highly recommend making pizzas on a pizza stone. They’re super helpful in regulating the temperature of your oven and help pizzas get a nice, crisp crust. Having a pizza peel is really helpful too! I own this wooden peel which doubles as a serving board and allows the pizza to “breathe” (the wood absorbs moisture from the steam when the pizza is out of the oven). But a sturdy aluminum peel like this one works too.
VEGAN
This pizza is just as good without the cheese! Add sliced avocado to the top of your pizza once it’s out of the oven to get a nice creamy balance to the tangy buffalo sauce.
GLUTEN-FREE
Use your favorite premade gluten free pizza dough or make your own with this mix from Bob’s Red Mill.
FROM SCRATCH
Instead of store bought dough, you can make your own dough with this simple pizza dough recipe. Or try my favorite sourdough pizza crust from King Arthur Flour! I usually get 2 pizzas from this recipe, enough for 4 servings. If you’re feeling extra ambitious and brave, check out this homemade vinegar hot sauce recipe.
CHECK THE FRIDGE
Throw more veggies on this pizza! Mix carrots in with the cauliflower and slice celery onto the cooked pizza for an extra crunch. Don’t have gorgonzola cheese or ricotta? Use blue cheese or mozzarella.
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