Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower Pizza with Chipotle Blue Cheese Avocado Drizzle.
It’s meatless Monday!!!
Whoa, I am just realizing that um all of my recent Monday posts have been semi packed with meaty things. So sorry to all those vegetarian readers. I guess all those cozy winter foods sort of took over for a while. Oh well, I mean they were all pretty good, so I had to post them sometime.
Anyway, today I am going meatless and loving it. Well actually, to be honest I kind of love meatless meals anyway, but I just have so much fun exploring all foods, that you guys just end up seeing a little bit of everything (plus, I have brothers who LIVE for meat!).
Sometimes though? Well, sometimes you really just need a good buffalo pizza. Like one full of sauce and cheese and semi greasy goodness. Yes, you do.
Typically when you think of a buffalo pizza you think buffalo chicken, but umm, I will not lie I have never made a buffalo pizza WITH chicken. I know, is that weird? Probably, but I kind of find that chicken on pizza is really not all that awesome – for me at least. I’m sure there are some really amazing chicken pizzas out there that I just have not yet tried, but to me, a buffalo pizza is all about the sauce. The sauce and cheese, together they are everything!
SO – instead of chicken, I have always made buffalo chicken pizza, minus the chicken, plus some broccoli and loaded it up with my homemade buffalo sauce. It’s weird, but it’s honestly one of the best pizzas I make.
Today I made a cauliflower version though, and it is so good! Now, if you read any food magazines, or are into food at all, than you are probably well aware that cauliflower is having a major “moment”. Like MAJOR. It seems to be the base of every other recipe these days: raw, roasted, steamed, you name it and its been done. Truthfully, I have always enjoyed cauliflower. I was even making cauliflower rice back when I was sixteen and went through a serious health food phase. This was back when I thought I wanted to be a nutritionist…then I got a little bored and went back to what I always loved styling clothes…then LA happened and I freaked a little…and then I started this blog thing and… now I am happy. <– Life story in about ten seconds right there.
Thing is, I have yet to jump on this whole cauliflower craze. Apparently, I have been way too busy with all my pineapples!
While, today I am changing that with this buffalo roasted cauliflower pizza. It’s a recipe to love and make…weekly!! Or even for March Madness. Ahh, has that started yet, or does that happen more towards the end of the month? Not really up on those things.
This pizza is pretty simple. It’s all the flavors of a buffalo chicken pizza, only instead of chicken you get a healthy dose of cauliflower. Pretty good swap if you ask me.
I also made a little avocado drizzle to balance out the heat. It’s not a necessity, but it is really good, and the blue cheese, oh the blue cheese. Well, I know there are those of you out there who really dislike blue cheese, but I am most definitely not one of them. I am a firm believer that you really can not do buffalo anything with cheddar and blue cheese. You just can’t.
Ok, ok, okay. Now can we all please just make some pizza tonight? I mean, I personally could not think of a better way to spend a Monday night.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower Skillet Pizza with Chipotle Blue Cheese Avocado Drizzle.
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: blue cheese, buffalo, cauliflower, chipotle, pizza
This pizza is pretty simple. It's all the flavors of a buffalo chicken pizza, only instead of chicken you get a healthy dose of cauliflower. Pretty good swap if you ask me.
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Toppings
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup of your favorite buffalo sauce my recipe is in the notes
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 ounces fontina cheese shredded
- 4 ounces gorgonzola cheese crumbled
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
Chipotle Blue Cheese Avocado Drizzle
- 1 ripe avocado peeled + pitted
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- juice from one lime
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 in chipotle chile adobo + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
- salt + pepper to taste
- 4 ounces gorgonzola cheese crumbled (optional)
Instructions
Pizza Dough
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In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and honey. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in the flour and olive oil stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. Using your hands, on a floured surface, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour into the dough if needed. All of the mixing and kneading can also be done in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Next, rub the same bowl with olive oil, then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.
To Assemble
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While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until just beginning to char.
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While the cauliflower is roasting, make the chipotle avocado drizzle. Add all the ingredients for the drizzle to a high powdered blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, scrapping down the sides as you go. Taste and season to your liking with salt and pepper.
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By now the cauliflower should be done roasting. Add the cauliflower to a bowl and toss with 1/3 cup buffalo sauce. To the remaining 2/3 cup buffalo sauce, add 1/4 cup of the chipotle avocado sauce. Whisk until smooth.
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Once the pizza dough is ready, lightly flour a counter. Divide the dough into 2 balls. Use your hands or a rolling pin to roll the dough out until you have a flattened disk. Place the pizzas on a greased baking sheet and then use your hands to gently tug, pull and push the pizza dough into your desired shape. If needed, trim the parchment paper down so just about and inch is overhanging from the sides. Spread the pizzas with equal amounts of buffalo sauce. Top with the cheddar and fontina cheese. Add the cauliflower and buffalo sauce. Sprinkle with gorgonzola and drizzle with any remaining buffalo sauce.
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Bake the pizzas at 425 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is all melty and gooey. Remove from the oven and top with green onions and cilantro. Drizzle with the chipotle avocado sauce. EAT while melty and delicious!
Recipe Notes
*To quickly make buffalo sauce, melt 8 tablespoons butter and mix with 1 to 1/12 cups Franks Red Hot Sauce. Add 1 teaspoon of seasoned salt. Taste and add more seasoned salt to your liking. SO SIMPLE and this sauce is my number one most requested! **Feel free to cook this pizza whichever way you please. Sometimes I use a baking stone and cook the pizza at 500 degrees F. for about 15 minutes. Or sometimes I use a cast iron skillet like I did [here | https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/green-olive-pesto-pizza-with-roasted-red-peppers-and-feta-stuffed-crust/].
Veggie pizza for the win!
I think the cauliflower craze might have gone to far when they used it for the pizza dough. Your use of cauliflower sounds and looks good.
Yum! I don’t know which layer of goodness to love more, the crust, the toppings, or the sauce! Meatless monday is looking pretty good right now and I love that you added avo to the drizzle! Pinned!
I love anything buffalo and this just looks so good. I could just eat the buffalo cauliflower with that blue cheese drizzle…yum. Can’t wait to make this.
You mixed butter with Frank’s Red Hot to make Buffalo sauce? I find this shocking. But I’m ready to try. I have never thought to do that! Cauliflower is awesome, I’ve been on that train for awhile. I’m most excited about your pizza dough recipe, I’ve bombed pizza dough. Again. And again. And again. I get so frustrated! I hope this works for me.
Tieghan, you can meatless Monday delicious! And coming from a girl who likes her meat, that’s a big thing 😉
I have never really been one to jump on the meatless Monday trend. This girl, she be carnivorous.
BUT BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER?! WHATTHEWHAT?! If this is what MM can look like, I am ALL IN. Pinned!
Your pizzas always look amazing and the times that I have made them, I’m never disappointed! These meatless buffalo pizzas look perfect and I don’t think anyone would ever miss the meat because they’re packed with so much flavor!
Oh my gosh, this looks so good. Definitely going to defrost my frozen pizza dough so I can make this tonight! I made the cashew Indian butter paneer last night and it was a HUGE hit. Seriously, better than any takeout Indian I have ever had.
This pizza looks amazing. My husband wouldn’t even care that it was meatless.
This looks delicious! I love cauliflower and pizza so what’s not to love about this??
This looks so good right now! Your pizza recipes are always delicious, so I’m excited to try this one!
Oh my goodness, I swear every recipe you post just GETS. ME. This pizza!!!! Those buffalo cauliflower bites, the avocado drizzle, oh my goodness. This is just everything. I can’t wait to try it ASAP!! (Also, this: “This was back when I thought I wanted to be a nutritionist…then I got a little bored and went back to what I always loved styling clothes…then LA happened and I freaked a little…and then I started this blog thing and… now I am happy. <– Life story in about ten seconds right there." made my morning. Your posts always make me smile!!)
Your comments ALWAYS lift my spirits. It like you know when I need to smile! 🙂 THANK YOU!
Gorgeously colored cauli! And that Chipotle Blue Cheese Avocado Drizzle sounds simply amazing!
This looks and sounds absolutely amazing. I’ve become such a disciple of this site! Anything that combines cauliflower (which I’ve always loved) with gorgonzola, buffalo sauce, and avocado simply can’t be anything but delightful! Thank you!
This looks amazing! Buffalo anything is always my jam 🙂 hahaha. And your ten second life story made me smile 🙂 Beautiful post, as always!
I’m obsessed with cauliflower right now and this combo sounds amazing! Pinning now. 🙂
Hi yes I would like to order one of these pizzas asap cause yum.
Just yum.
All I want is pizza now, this looks too good!
I had to smile, because a few years ago my body just stopped tolerating chicken or much of any kind of meat. But especially poultry. And I have found that there are such amazing chicken recipes out there — and almost all of them do just great WITHOUT the chicken! What is that all about? Anyway, terrific recipe. You always combine flavors that I would never think to combine. Thanks!
This looks so good! I bet you’d never miss the meat either- so much flavor! Bravo!
I love this! I am obsessed with cauliflower so I think this is pretty genius. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jennifer!! 🙂
We’ve tried it tonight and it was so delicious!!
I’ve had to modify it a bit, since we forget to buy the blue cheese… so I’ve swapped it for goat cheese, and have added some pecan nuts. It was absolutely amazing! But next time, we try it with blue cheese for sure!
Thanks for all the great recipes on the blog!
SO happy you loved it!! THANKS!!
Now that is one nice looking buffalo pizza!
I just made this for dinner and it was probably the best pizza that I have ever tasted! I was really nervous about making the pizza dough but it was easy and very tasty!
SO HAPPY YOU LOVED IT! THANKS!
I’m looking for a cauliflower rice recipe…because….your the best! Thanks Tieghan
I do have a question can you make this on cauliflower crust without chesse
Sure if you are not fan of sure you can omit it. Thanks!
I love, love, love HBH recipes and this was no exception. Loved the roasted cauliflower with the combination of cheeses and interesting sauce on a pizza crust. Fairly spicy but that’s part of why you’re going to make this anyway. Highly recommend as an alternate to the usual pizza routine.
So happy you loved this recipe Rachel! Thank you so much!
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Returning to the recipe AGAIN to send it off to a friend. I used to hate cauliflower, but after roasting (and drenching in buffalo sauce, let’s be honest) I LOVE it. This recipe is so easy and so delicious I love making it for gatherings or a good night in. Thank you for hitting another one out of the park!
I am so glad you loved this Roxanne! Thank you!