This cheesy, meaty, saucy, zero-carb pizza casserole is an instant crowd pleaser and it’s stuffed with two powerhouse vegetables that are completely undetectable!
Why Mess with Pizza?
Pizza has to be one of the greatest foods ever, but let’s just admit it’s not going to be winning any “Healthiest Food of the Year” awards. My family typically bites the bullet and indulges occasionally, either from cravings or convenience or both, and yet with the multitude of recipes available, I knew there had to be something out there that would allow us to have our traditional pizza night without the gut ache afterward.
Looking for Alternatives
And so, from facebook groups and blog posts and Pinterest boards, I experimented with crusts made from canned chicken, gluten free crusts, cauliflower crusts, and countless others. Don’t get me wrong, many of those were delicious. But, they didn’t really feel like pizza. They seemed like cousins to the pizza, tasty in their own right, but not really a substitute. Or not an indulgent substitute.
After combining and tweaking a few pre-existing recipes, I created my favorite version of the pizza casserole that has all the gooey cheesy goodness of pizza, none of the gut ache, zero carbs, and a huge portion of vegetables that I can’t detect amidst the flavorful sauce, even when I try. It reminds me of Chicago Deep Dish, without the typical remorse and regret that follows overeating. And to top it all off, it’s easy to throw together! I have been asked for this recipe more than any other dish I have made (well, maybe as much as my Greatest Sourdough Pound Cake Ever).
Whether’s it’s as simple as differing family preferences of thin crust versus self rising, or as complex as keto diets and gluten intolerances, this pizza casserole comes to the rescue by eliminating the crust and the carbs altogether. That’s not to say that taste is compromised in any manner of speaking. If anything, each bit is so loaded with flavor that each time I make it I question why we even bother still eating traditional pizza at all.
Are you ready to have your mind (and taste buds) blown? Let’s go.
Ingredients
- 2 Bags frozen riced cauliflower (YOU WILL NOT TASTE IT I PROMISE)
- 9 Eggs
- 4 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 pound Ground meat (can be turkey, chicken, or beef, I use whatever I happen to have in the freezer)
- 6 oz Bag of pepperoni (I use Mama Cozzi’s brand, it’s found in the aisle with the vacuum sealed pizza crusts and tomato sauce, not refrigerated)
- 2 Tb Pizza seasoning (I prefer the Epicure blend)
- 2 Handfuls chopped spinach (optional, but why not? It adds a few flecks to the sauce but no additional flavor)
- 3 cups Marinara sauce
Riced Cauliflower. I mean it.
Do not be deterred by the cauliflower (or by the eggs)! All four of my kids (ages 1, 3, 5, and 7) absolutely LOVE this meal and they have no idea how loaded it is with vegetables. The base tastes more cheesy than anything. If you’re really worried it’s going to be a no-go for your family or guests, cut the ingredients for the base in half and you’ll just have a shorter foundation for your pizza casserole.
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400. (If you are making homemade marinara sauce, this is also when I combine those ingredients and leave them to simmer on the stove as the oven preheats. I use one 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, one 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, and the Epicure marinara seasoning blend. This will yield 6 cups of marinara.)
In a large bowl, combine the 2 bags of frozen riced cauliflower with 9 eggs and 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix well.
Spread the mixture in a greased 9×13 pan and cover with tin foil.
Bake for 20 covered and then another 20 uncovered.
While base is cooking, prepare the meat mixture by browning 1 pound of ground meat in a large wok or skillet over medium high heat.
Lower the temperature to medium. Add 2 Tb of pizza seasoning and half of the packet of pepperoni, diced. Add the chopped spinach (if using). You may also add any other vegetables or typical pizza toppings at this time such as peppers, olives, onions, mushrooms, and so on.
Add 3 cups of homemade marinara or a store-bought jar and bring to a simmer. If sauce seems excessively wet, you may want to ladle out some of the liquid.
Pour the meat mixture over the base. Top with the remaining 2 cups of cheese and the pepperoni.
Broil on high until the cheese is bubbly and the pepperoni starts to brown.
Enjoy!!
Tastiest Pizza Casserole Ever (Zero-Carb!)
Ingredients
- 2 Bags frozen riced cauliflower
- 9 Eggs
- 4 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 pound Ground meat can be turkey, chicken, or beef
- 6 oz Bag of pepperoni I use Mama Cozzi’s brand, found in the aisle with the vacuum sealed pizza crusts and tomato sauce
- 2 Tb Pizza seasoning (I prefer the Epicure blend)
- 2 Handfuls chopped spinach
- 3 cups Marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- In a large bowl, combine the 2 bags of frozen riced cauliflower with 9 eggs and 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix well.
- Spread the mixture in a greased 9×13 and cover with tin foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes covered, then another 20 minutes uncovered.
- Meanwhile, brown 1 lb of ground meat (can be turkey, chicken, or beef) in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 oz of diced pepperoni (half of the bag).
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the pizza seasoning and a couple handfuls of chopped spinach (optional).
- Add three cups of marinara/pizza sauce to the meat mixture. This may be a simple jar, though I prefer making my own marinara sauce using one can of crushed tomatoes, one can of diced tomatoes, and the Epicure marinara seasoning blend. I will combine the ingredients in a pot on the stove when I preheat the oven and allow it to simmer as I make the base and the meat mixture. This will yield 6 cups of marinara.
- Pour the meat mixture over the base, then top with two cups of cheese and the rest of the pepperoni.
- Broil until cheese is bubbly and pepperoni is slightly brown.
Notes
- Do not be deterred by the cauliflower (or by the eggs)! All four of my kids (ages 1, 3, 5, and 7) absolutely LOVE this dish and they have no idea how loaded it is with vegetables. The base tastes more cheesy than anything.
- I love adding the finely chopped spinach to the meat mixture because it is completely untraceable in the sauce. But this addition can, of course, be omitted.
- Get creative with the toppings! Add other meats to the mixture or topping (we’ve done salami with the pepperoni) and try other veggies like olives, peppers, onions, and mushrooms!
- If counting calories, you can cut back on the amount of cheese used both in the base and in the topping.
Let me know in the comments what you thought! What variations did you like best? Did you try something not mentioned here?
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