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Crustless Pizza
Our crustless pizza is a satisfying, keto-friendly twist on the classic, featuring Italian sausage, zesty sauce, and a medley of your favorite toppings without the traditional crust.
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If you are ready to savor pizza in a whole new way, our crustless pizza is the answer. This keto-friendly twist eliminates the crust but keeps all the mouthwatering toppings intact, making it a quick and tasty solution for your pizza cravings.
This mouthwatering dish is packed with layers of your favorite toppings, bubbling cheese, and a perfectly seasoned sauce, making it an irresistible choice for pizza lovers.
Crustless Pizza Ingredients
In our crustless pizza recipe, Italian sausage brings a hearty, savory flavor, complementing the zesty richness of pizza sauce.
The gooey, melted mozzarella cheese binds everything together, and the pepperoni adds smoky, spicy notes.
You’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- 1 ¼ cups jarred marinara (Rao’s brand used – no sugar added)
- 8 ounce block style whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 16 pepperoni slices (plus additional if desired)
Optional toppings
- Sliced mushrooms
- Diced red onion
- Diced green bell pepper
- Sliced black olives
How To Make This Crustless Pizza Recipe
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
To a large, 12 inch, oven safe skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the ground mild Italian sausage, minced garlic and Italian seasoning blend. Cook, and crumble the mild Italian sausage for 6-8 minutes or until browned no pink remains. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain off any excess grease from the skillet.
Spread the cooked sausage into an even layer covering the entire bottom surface of the skillet. Spoon the marinara sauce evenly over the layer of cooked mild Italian sausage.
Add the shredded mozzarella cheese in an even layer over the sausage and pizza sauce.
Top the crustless pizza with the pepperoni slices and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly and lightly golden around the edges. If using additional optional toppings, add them with the pepperoni slices, being careful not to overcrowd the surface area of the crustless pizza before baking.
Remove the crustless pizza from the oven and cool for 3-5 minutes, to allow the fillings to set up slightly, before scooping and serving.
Substitutions and Additions
ITALIAN SAUSAGE: If you prefer a different protein or are looking for a leaner option, consider using ground turkey, ground turkey sausage, ground beef, chopped smoked bacon, turkey pepperoni, or Canadian bacon as substitutes for the ground sausage in this easy crustless pizza recipe.
PIZZA SAUCE: While our recipe calls for pizza sauce, you can easily swap it with marinara sauce for a slightly different flavor profile.
ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS: Get creative with your favorite pizza toppings! Add black olives, thinly sliced onions, red or yellow bell peppers, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, or baby spinach for extra flavor and nutrition.
How To Serve
Serve crustless pepperoni pizza with a Caesar salad for a balanced meal. The crisp, fresh greens complement the rich flavors of the pizza.
Make it a family dinner by adding a side of garlic bread or cheesy pull apart bread. It’s comfort food at its finest.
Our pizza casserole and zucchini pizza boats are two more pizza recipes that are delicious and loaded with gooey cheese.
Storage
Planning ahead or dealing with leftovers? Here’s how to store your crustless pizza:
MAKE AHEAD: You can prepare the Italian sausage mixture and assemble the pizza in advance, then bake it when ready. This is perfect for busy days.
IN THE FRIDGE: This crustless pizza is best served while the fillings are still warm and the cheese is still melty. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: For longer storage, wrap portions of the pizza tightly in foil and place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container.
It can be frozen for up to two to three months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and then bake or microwave.
REHEATING: Reheat your crustless pizza in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes or until it’s warmed through. Alternatively, you can microwave individual portions for 30-60 seconds until hot.
Why We Love This Recipe
This easy recipe for crustless pizza has won the hearts of our entire family for several reasons:
LOW CARB: It’s a keto-friendly twist on traditional pizza, making it suitable for those wanting a low-carb dinner option.
QUICK AND EASY: With a short prep time and simple steps, it’s a perfect easy dinner recipe for busy weeknights.
CHEESY GOODNESS: The generous layer of melted mozzarella cheese adds irresistible creaminess to every bite.
Our crustless pizza recipe offers a fun twist on the regular pizza experience. With its low-carb, keto-friendly profile, customizable toppings, and plenty of cheese, it’s a game changer for various occasions, including pizza night! Enjoy its cheesy, savory goodness and the convenience of a no-crust pizza that’s both satisfying and delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Feel free to experiment with different cheeses like cheddar cheese, provolone, or even a cheese blend to create your unique flavor profile.
How do I reheat leftovers without making them soggy?
Reheat in the oven to maintain the crispness of the cheese. Alternatively, use a microwave for a quick reheat, but note that the texture may be slightly different.
What other seasonings can I use?
Get creative with your seasonings! Try garlic powder, onion powder, or red pepper flakes for added depth and spice.
Can I freeze individual slices for later?
You can wrap individual slices in foil and freeze them for convenient, quick meals.
Is it spicy with Italian sausage and pepperoni?
The spice level can vary depending on the brand of sausage and pepperoni you use. If you prefer less heat, choose milder options.
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Crustless Pizza
Our crustless pizza is a satisfying, keto-friendly twist on the classic, featuring Italian sausage, zesty sauce, and a medley of your favorite toppings without the traditional crust.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- 1 ¼ cups jarred marinara, Rao’s brand used – no sugar added
- 8 ounces block-style whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 16 pepperoni slices, plus additional if desired
Optional toppings
- Sliced mushrooms
- Diced red onion
- Diced green bell pepper
- Sliced black olives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- To a large, 12 inch, oven safe skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the ground mild Italian sausage, minced garlic and Italian seasoning blend. Cook, and crumble the mild Italian sausage for 6-8 minutes or until browned no pink remains. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain off any excess grease from the skillet.
- Spread the cooked sausage into an even layer covering the entire bottom surface of the skillet. Spoon the marinara sauce evenly over the layer of cooked mild Italian sausage.
- Add the shredded mozzarella cheese in an even layer over the sausage and pizza sauce.
- Top the crustless pizza with the pepperoni slices and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly and lightly golden around the edges. If using additional optional toppings, add them with the pepperoni slices, being careful not to overcrowd the surface area of the crustless pizza before baking.
- Remove the crustless pizza from the oven and cool for 3-5 minutes, to allow the fillings to set up slightly, before scooping and serving.
Notes
- A 12.3 ounce jar of pizza sauce will yield approximately 1 ¼ cups needed for this recipe and is a great substitute for the marinara sauce.
- A good quality, no additional sugars added, marinara sauce is used to keep this recipe low carb and low sugar. Rao’s brand is a wonderful choice for this recipe.
- You can customize your crustless pizza by adding as much, or as little, of the pepperoni slices as desired.
- Alternate, or additional, pizza toppings can be added to your crustless pizza as desired. Be sure to not overcrowd the top of the crustless pizza with additional toppings to allow the cheese to bubble up and lightly brown around the edges when baked.
- You can bake this crustless pizza in a disposable aluminum tray if desired. If doing this, you will need to cook your sausage as directed in step 2, then transfer the drained sausage to a 9×13 disposable aluminum pan. Then continue with the remainder of the recipe. You will need to note that if using this substitution, then you may want to add an additional 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese to evenly cover the entire surface area of the crustless pizza in the pan.
- If your Italian sausage comes in a casing, then you will need to remove the casing before cooking and browning the sausage in the skillet. Do not use smoked sausage for this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 655kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1674mg | Potassium: 588mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 719IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 3mg
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