Pizza Cauliflower Nachos

Loaded with veggies and cheese, these pizza Cauliflower Nachos are a healthy, lean and green meal. They're an easy low-carb option that satisfies hunger and leaves you feeling great about your dinner choice.

Cauliflower Nachos

Over the past few months, I've developed a love for cauliflower. It's incredible how many different ways you can use cauliflower florets as substitutes and still enjoy the taste!

A couple of recipes we've been enjoying recently are cauliflower soup and fish taco bowls with pineapple cauliflower rice. However, the other day, I was craving nachos.

Instead of tortilla chips, I used cauliflower and made chicken nachos. Surprisingly, my husband loved them. For our Friday night pizza dinner, I made a pan of healthier nachos by adding pizza toppings to oven roasted cauliflower.

Why You'll Love This Meal

These vegetable nachos topped with shredded mozzarella, tomatoes, mushrooms, black olives, and pepperoni have a delicious pizza twist.

• Easy and accessible. All the ingredients in this recipe are easily found at the grocery store. You probably already have many of them in your pantry or fridge!
• This cauliflower dish is so tasty and satisfying. It has all the flavors of your favorite fully loaded nachos but without the chips. I promise you'll love it!
• Naturally low carb. If you're looking to improve your diet, this recipe offers a great way to cut carbs and increase your veggies. You'll want to make it all the time!

Main Ingredients

We love using pizza toppings, so these ingredients are just a starting point. Feel free to customize the recipe and use your favorite toppings!

• Baked Cauliflower - For this recipe, I roasted one whole head.
• Vegetables - We used diced tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, red onion, and green pepper for a delicious supreme pizza flavor. Feel free to use your favorites.
• Cheese - I like to combine mozzarella and cheddar cheese in pizza recipes. For best results, use freshly shredded cheese.
• Pepperoni - Look for the baby ones near the pizza ingredients or in the refrigerated meat case. Another option is to chop regular ones into quarters.

How to Make Cauliflower Nachos Recipe

For this recipe, you'll need a large mixing bowl and either two cast iron skillets or a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

1. Cut your large cauliflower head into bite-sized pieces. You will need at least 6-8 cups of sliced cauliflower.
2. Drizzle the cauliflower slices with oil and then stir in the seasonings. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring and flipping the pieces halfway through.
3. Stir the tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, green pepper, and olives in a bowl. Divide the veggies into two bowls so you can evenly spread them out in the two 6-inch cast iron skillets. If you are going to make the pizza nachos on a sheet pan, you can skip this step.
4. When the cauliflower is baked, evenly distribute half the roasted cauliflower pieces between two 6-inch cast iron skillets.
5. Divide one bowl of veggies evenly between the two pans. Sprinkle with cheese, then repeat all the layers, ending with more cheese.
6. Add mini pepperonis to the top of the cheese, then place both skillets in the oven and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately!

BruCrew Tip: To make healthy sheet pan nachos, push the roasted cauliflower into the center of a baking sheet. Add the toppings, then bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Storage Recommendations

Cauliflower nachos are best eaten fresh out of the oven. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Place leftovers in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes to reheat the nachos.

Tips and Tricks

• Add more seasonings. Add your favorite Italian spices and herbs to the cheese. These include garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, black pepper, and sea salt.
• Use the air fryer. To cook your florets quicker, use an air fryer. Place your oiled and seasoned cauliflower in the air fryer basket and cook at 390° Fahrenheit for 13-15 minutes or until crispy. Then, spread them out on the sheet pan, add your toppings, and bake!
• Don't rush the cauliflower. Cauliflower has a nutty flavor once it's roasted. This gives it a texture and taste similar to tortilla chips. If you don't roast it properly, it'll be soft and soggy instead.
• Try different meats. Instead of pepperoni, you can use sliced ham, ground beef, Italian sausage, taco meat, or ground beef. 
• Use a sheet pan. After baking, push the roasted cauliflower into the center of the baking sheet. Top with veggies, cheese, and pepperonis, then bake.

Variations

• Mexican: Top with taco meat, refried beans, and cheese, then bake. Serve with guacamole, sour cream, avocado chunks, and lettuce.
• Buffalo Chicken: Top with buffalo chicken and cheese, then bake. Serve with ranch dressing, hot sauce, avocado chunks, and blue cheese crumbles.
• Veggie: Top with your favorite veggies and cheese, then bake.
• Italian: Top with cooked Italian sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese, then bake.

FAQs

More Ways To Enjoy Cauliflower For Dinner

• Easy Cauliflower Rice
• Tomato Basil Cauliflower Rice and Sausage
• Coconut Curry Shrimp
• Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Pizza
• Healthy Stuffed Peppers

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Recipe

Pizza Cauliflower Nachos

Yield: 2-4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Loaded with veggies and cheese, these pizza Cauliflower Nachos are a healthy, lean and green meal. They're an easy, low-carb option that satisfies hunger and leaves you feeling great about your dinner choice.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 batch Oven Roasted Cauliflower
• ¾ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained (from a 14.5 oz. can)
• 4 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
• ¼ cup diced red onions
• 1 - 2.5 ounce can sliced black olives, drained
• ¼ cup diced green pepper
• 1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
• ⅓ cup mini pepperonis (from a 5 oz. bag)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake cauliflower according to recipe directions.
2. Combine the tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, olives, and green peppers in a bowl. Divide the mixture evenly into two bowls, so it is easier to divide into the pans later.
3. Once the cauliflower is done cooking, place half the florets evenly in 2 - 6 inch cast iron pans. Divide one bowl of veggies between the two pans.
4. Top each skillet with ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese and a few mini pepperonis. Repeat the layers again, starting with the remaining cauliflower.
5. Sprinkle each skillet with the cheddar cheese and some dried oregano. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until top cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Add more seasonings. Add your favorite Italian spices and herbs to the cheese. These include garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, black pepper, and sea salt.
• Use the air fryer. To cook your florets quicker, use an air fryer. Place your oiled and seasoned cauliflower in the air fryer basket and cook at 390° Fahrenheit for 13-15 minutes or until crispy. Then, spread them out on the sheet pan, add your toppings, and bake!
• Don't rush the cauliflower. Cauliflower has a nutty flavor once it's roasted. This gives it a texture and taste similar to tortilla chips. If you don't roast it properly, it'll be soft and soggy instead.
• Try different meats. Instead of pepperoni, you can use sliced ham, ground beef, Italian sausage, taco meat, or ground beef. 
• Use a sheet pan. After baking, push the roasted cauliflower into the center of the baking sheet. Top with veggies, cheese, and pepperonis, then bake.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet (2 Pack)
• 
  Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)
• 
  Backcountry Cast Iron Skillet(6 Inch Small Frying Pan + Cloth Handle Mitt, Pre-Seasoned for Non-Stick Like Surface, Cookware Oven / Broiler / Grill Safe, Kitchen Deep Fryer, Restaurant Chef Quality)

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 195Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 556mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 10g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.

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This post was first published in March 2019. It was updated and then republished in May 2024.