Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It Now- Why You’ll Love This Crustless Pizza Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Crustless Pizza
- Tips For Making Crustless Pizza
- Topping Variations
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Crustless Pizza
- More Low Carb Pizza Recipes
- Tools To Make A Pizza Without Crust
- Crustless Pizza (20 Minutes!) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
I already have a pizza casserole recipe, a pizza bowl, and a famous keto pizza, so why do we need a crustless pizza recipe? Because it’s the best of both worlds. This pizza without crust has the same toppings you’d find on a meat lover’s pizza, but it takes away the fuss of making a crust, skips the cauliflower you’d find in my other pizza casserole, has minimal oven time (great for summer), and is ready super fast in just 20 minutes. Skillet pizza is the perfect dish for busy weeknights!
Not only does this keto crustless pizza satisfy even the biggest pizza cravings, but it’s also completely customizable by switching up the “toppings” — make it your own! Try it for the ultimate low carb dinner, or you could even serve it as a pizza dip.
Why You’ll Love This Crustless Pizza Recipe
- Classic pizza flavors
- 6 common pizza ingredients
- On the table in just 20 minutes
- Naturally low carb (8.9g net carbs per serving) and gluten-free
- Faster and less messy than making a crust
- Customizable toppings
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for a low carb crustless pizza, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Sausage – This makes up the base layer of this pizza skillet. I used ground Italian sausage, but you could use other types of ground meat, such as pork sausage, ground beef, or even ground turkey instead.
- Veggies – For a colorful variety in my skillet pizza, I used half of a red bell pepper, half of a yellow bell pepper, and cremini mushrooms. You could use a green bell pepper, white button mushrooms, or just about any vegetables you like.
- Sauce – You can use sugar free marinara sauce, keto pizza sauce, alfredo sauce, or pesto sauce depending on your preference.
- Mozzarella Cheese – Feel free to substitute it with shredded cheddar, Colby jack, pepper jack, or any cheese you prefer.
- Pepperoni Slices – You can also top your crustless pizza with additional sausage, more veggies, or bacon!
How To Make Crustless Pizza
This section shows how to make a pizza without crust, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Brown meat. Cook the ground sausage in a cast iron skillet, until browned and cooked through.
- Saute veggies. Lower the heat, and push sausage to pan edges, creating space in the center. Add the mushrooms and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and dry.
- Add sauce. Turn off the heat. Pour the marinara sauce over the pan, and smooth evenly with a spatula.
- Add toppings. Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella. Arrange the pepperoni slices on top.
- Bake. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Broil the crustless pizza recipe, until the cheese is melted and browned, and the pepperoni starts to crisp up a little.
Tips For Making Crustless Pizza
- The pan will seem very full when you add the veggies. If they don’t all fit, add what you can and add the rest once they start to cook down. The mushrooms will shrink especially.
- Make sure to cook the veggies enough to get all the water out. If you don’t, your crustless pizza may be watery.
- Adjust the sauce amount based on your goals. This crustless pizza recipe uses 1 cup of marinara, which is moderately saucy. If you like it extra saucy, feel free to add more marinara to your liking, but it will increase the carb count. Conversely, if the carbs are too high for your macros, you can reduce the amount of sauce (the main source of carbs in this dish) or eat smaller servings.
Topping Variations
If you want other toppings in your pizza skillet, feel free to customize with your favorite pizza toppings. Here are some ideas:
- Caprese – Use ground beef or sausage for the base layer, without marinara. Replace the pepperoni on top with tomato slices and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or glaze (make the glaze yourself by reducing the vinegar, so there’s no sugar added). Top with fresh basil.
- Breakfast – Replace the sausage in this crustless pizza recipe with breakfast sausage, scramble some egg into the base layer, skip the marinara, and replace the pepperoni with crumbled bacon.
- BBQ Chicken – Replace the sausage and peppers with shredded chicken breast and red onions, and the marinara with sugar-free BBQ sauce. Skip the pepperoni.
- Hawaiian – Pineapple is not keto friendly, but if you are low carb, you might enjoy some in moderation. Combine chopped Canadian bacon and pineapple chunks for the bottom layer, and just cheese on top. Or keep the sausage underneath, and place the pineapple and Canadian bacon on top.
- Traditional Veggie – Replace the sausage with more veggies (green peppers, mushrooms, black olives, onions, etc.) and top with extra cheese. Omit pepperoni. You can also add other keto vegetables.
- Summer Veggie – Try zucchini, eggplant, or spinach. You’ll need to saute them to evaporate all the moisture, just as we do with the mushrooms and peppers.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. I like storing it right in the (covered) pan to maintain the layers, but an airtight container will keep it fresh for longer.
- Meal prep: Prepare the crustless pizza in advance and reheat when needed, or prep ahead by assembling the pizza without crust, refrigerating, and broiling later.
- Reheat: Warm in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F until hot. You could also scoop a serving into a bowl and microwave.
- Freeze: You can freeze before or after baking. Wrap the top with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating, but you can also reheat from frozen (it will take longer).
What To Serve With Crustless Pizza
Crustless pizza makes a complete meal on it’s own, but a side or two never hurts! Here are some ideas:
- Salad – If you opt for a smaller serving size, try serving it with a Caesar salad (skip the chicken for a side) or a kale salad.
- Wings – For a classic pizza night feast, you can’t go wrong with a side of crispy baked wings, or make air fryer wings which are even faster.
- Breadsticks – I love to serve this crustless pizza with a side of cauliflower breadsticks with additional marinara or keto cheese sauce.
More Low Carb Pizza Recipes
If you like this crustless pizza recipe, you might also like these other keto pizza recipes:
Tools To Make A Pizza Without Crust
- Cast Iron Skillet – This cast iron has so many great reviews (and I love it myself!) and works perfectly for oven-to-table serving.
Crustless Pizza (20 Minutes!)
This easy crustless pizza recipe is the best 20-minute low carb dinner! It has all your favorite toppings, sauce and cheese, minus the fuss.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Heat an oven-safe 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground sausage. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned and cooked through.
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Toward the end of cooking the sausage, preheat the oven to the Broil setting.
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Reduce heat to medium. Push the sausage to the edges of the pan, making a space in the center. Add mushrooms and bell peppers to the center. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally once they start to soften and moving any less cooked pieces toward the bottom, until vegetables are soft and any excess moisture has evaporated. (Add a little oil if the pan gets too dry.)
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Turn off heat. Pour the marinara sauce over the pan. Smooth evenly with a spatula.
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Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Arrange pepperoni slices on top.
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Transfer the skillet to the oven under the broiler. Broil for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned, and pepperoni starts to crisp up a little.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 crustless pizza
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
58 Comments
Rebecca
0This was so good ate for breakfast next day yum a keeper for sure.
Brian
0I just cooked the bell pepper and mushrooms along with the sausage. I also doubled the recipe, added onions, black olives and jalapenos. I put it in a 9×13, rather than leaving it in the skillet, and added the marinara before sticking it in the oven at 350 for 10 mins. Pulled it out, added the cheese and pepperoni and then put it under the broiler for another 2 mins. I used pizza blend cheese instead of straight mozzarella. Came out perfect!
Kate
0Loved this recipe!! I’m not a fan of Italian sausage but I do like the garlic and cheese Italian sausage and used only a 1/2 # of that and sautéed up peppers and ‘shrooms and added sliced onions and minced garlic to it. So tasty. Thanks for the recipe. I will make it again.
Carol
0Was very good and will definitely make again. Very nice and cheesy. So far all of Maya’s recipes have been very tasty.
Jennifer
0This is my new go-to for pizza! It is so much easier than the various keto pizza crust recipes I have tried and it is truly delicious. I rarely cook and am not very skilled, so I am thrilled to find a way to meet my pizza cravings that fits my skill level. I usually do the stove-top steps in a non-stick pan and then transfer the ingredients to a casserole dish to put in the oven. One extra dish, but works better for me than cast iron.
Thank you, Maya! Your site is a real blessing!
Natasha
0This crustless pizza recipe is the best! My family loved this healthier version of pizza. This is our new go-to pizza recipe that’s for sure.
Andie
0I love this idea. It is a great way to avoid carbs while getting lots of protein.
Melissa
0Such a yummy pizza, I love the idea of a crustless pizza! My family loved this!
Terri
0I loves a Crustless pizza. This is the way I have been eating mine for a long time. Before I started Keto, any flour product made me bloat so bad. I would pull the toppings off the pizza and not eat they crust. Then one day I found this Crustless pizza recipe and haven’t gone back. I use it a lot. Its great for camping and we do campfire pizza. I use an aluminum pan and cook mine over the coals as well.
Tamara
0This was absolutely AMAZING! I can’t wait to try other variations, but I know that this recipe will stay in heavy rotation in our home! Thanks for sharing this yummy goodness!
Jessica Norman
0This is absolutely fantastic! We don’t care for mushrooms so we used an onion! It’s going in rotation!
susan Mcdonald
0I loved this, very easy to make. I did use ground pork by mistake but it was still delicious. It was a bit too greasy as I did not drain off when adding the veggies as the recipe did not say to drain before adding veggies. Next time I will use sausage lol and if greasy will drain before adding veggies. I recommend this recipe highly. Very easy to make, one pan dinners I love, and very tasty.
Kim
0This recipe is delicious! I didn’t have Italian sausage, but I did have Butterball Italian ground turkey. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. My husband loved it as well. I will definitely make this regularly.
S
0I love a cheese steak without the roll as well — lots of peppers, pepperoni, cheese, grass-fed steak and sauce. This is very similar to a crustless pizza.
Sheri
0This is how I make it but in a casserole dish as I only have larger skillets and it’s just to much for me…I is so good I wouldn’t want to stop or I would have it for every meal for days. I do add an ounce of onions which adds about a gram or carbs and I use Rao’s homemade margarita pizza sauce I use one serving which is more than enough for a 2 serving dish. You won’t go wrong with this recipe I bet in that skillet pan it tastes amazing, I just don’t want to invest in another pan.
Lela
0Delicious! We used Hot Italian Sausage & added a few black olives. Very yummy!
Stefanie
0My whole family loves this dish. Thank you for the recipe. Mine comes out of the oven with some water at the bottom. Any ideas how to fix?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Stefanie, It could be that your marinara is more watery than the sugar-free marinara I use, but more likely, the mushrooms and peppers need to be cooked for longer to cook away more of the liquid they release.
Natalie
0Sauerkraut and Canadian bacon pizza is a local favorite. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
Bonita
0LOVE THIS RECIPE. My husband keeps asking me to make it. I never thought I would like a pizza without the crust but this is delicious
Nancy
0Great! My son and I loved it – esp with peppers from the garden. My husband, non-keto and proud of it, enjoyed his on a baguette. This is definitely on the repeat list!
Robin
05 star rating! I loved it and will definitely make it again.
Gloria W Parrish
0Wonderful! My husband loved it!
Alan
0Looks awesome. After cooking the meat do you drain the oil? Also, do you need the sauce or can you add more cheese and forget the sauce?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Alan, There is no need to drain the oil for this recipe. The sauce is not crucial in this recipe so feel free to skip and add more cheese.
Matt
0This recipe was amazing. I changed the mushrooms to zucchini. It was sol delicious. Thank you.
Doreen
0So quick easy and yummy
Teri
0What can be used in place of cast iron skillet? Thank you kindly.
Wholesome Yum M
1Hi Teri, Feel free to use any oven-safe pan for this recipe. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, you can transfer the ground meat to a baking dish, then layer with your desired toppings, and bake.
Mary K Scheer
0Couldn’t save on Pinterest
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Mary, I don’t have any issue with the ‘Pin it’ buttons. Make sure you are logged into Pinterest on your browser before attempting to pin.
Debbie
0Made this today in a cast iron skillet with hot Italian sausage, red and yellow bell peppers, onion, baby bella mushrooms, homemade sugar free sauce, and mozzarella, did not have pepperoni. It was wonderful, first “pizza” I have had in 4 months!! It was fabulous and will definitely go in the “rotation”!
Thank you
Lynn Desormeaux
0I love this recipe and have made it multiple times! I’ve tried it with ground beef, ground chicken and ground sausage and it tastes great with all 3. Can be frozen in portions and taken out as needed.
Thanks for another great recipe Maya, I’m a fan!
Lynn
Terri Gambhir
0This is so good. I am making it for the second time tonight. I used half pizza sauce and half pesto. I also used Italian sausage. This will be our Friday night pizza night meal from now on. I could eat it everyday.
Keri
0I haven’t had pizza in over 3 years, but began craving one last week. I found and made your recipe last night and let me tell you….it did NOT disappoint!!! Truth be told, once I started dinner it was hard to stop – YUM!!! 100%, I’ll be making this again 🙂
I did have an issue with the moisture from the veggies (green bell pepper and sliced Baby Bells)….the more I cooked, the more moisture there was. Veggies were about to get too soft/wilted, so I cut the heat and called it good. I’d rather have extra liquid in the pan (I easily drained liquid off once I had had my dinner and the skillet had cooled) than soggy veggies 🙂
Sue Krause
0This is casserole & not that good of one.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sue, Sorry this recipe didn’t meet your expectations. This recipe is infinitely customizable to match your pizza preferences. Feel free to add any toppings you enjoy, just be sure to account for the carbs if you are low carb or keto.
Michele Chapman
0Can this be made in a Pyrex pan
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Michele, Make sure your glass pan is broiler safe. If it is, then it will work fine, but you’d have to brown the sausage in a pan on the stovetop separately first.
Julie
0A definite winner!!! My husband said he could eat it every night! I used a spicy Italian sausage, and added a little onion to the veggies. Also, sprinkled Italian seasoning (herbs) over the “pizza” sauce. I used some “real” Buffalo cheese mozzarella sliced very thin and then just a little shredded mozzarella and sprinkled fresh Parmesan over the top before putting in the pepperonis.
Diane Sheats
0So funny, I normally don’t watch the recipe videos–just skip to the recipe and form my opinion of the ingredients. But this time I thought I’d watch the video, partly to find out if this is finger food or fork food. And…there’s no video to be found! The places you refer to it, I don’t see anything to tap. Is it possible that it’s missing, or is my computer glitchy?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Diane, I am sorry you can’t see the video! It is there on the recipe card. Please make sure you aren’t viewing the website in ‘Reader Mode,’ which may prevent you from seeing the video on the card. You can verify this in your internet browser settings.
Heather Grant
0Made this tonight. Did a half recipe for me. I used a mini cast iron pan. It was suberb! Yes, did add a few more items for toppings -parmesan cheese, green olives, fresh chopped basil and the rest of the mushrooms. Oh, added some chopped onions, oregano and thyme to ground sausage (i split open the casing on a large Mild Italian sasauge and chopped up the meat) , It was firm and easy to serve too. Definitely making this again!
Lisa Bostic
0This is yummy! My husband and I add own toppings such as mushrooms and black olives. Great recipe, making again tonight!
Susan
0Love this recipe!! I don’t even miss the pizza crust! Definitely a keeper in my book!
April Leger
0Made this last night and it turned out so delicious! The prep was quick and easy too. I will definitely be making this again!
Lynette
0Just made this for dinner and it did not disappoint!! Will definitely make this again!
Justina Robinson
0Delicious – I usually just order a pizza and eat the toppings off, but this can be made quicker than a pizza can be delivered and it’s delicious. I used my cast iron skillet and broiling it was a breeze. I left it in a bit longer because I like the cheese to become golden brown and the pepperoni to curl up into cups. 🙂
Kristin
0Tried this about a year ago. Loved it! Forgot about it, came up on my feed, I’m making it again! So delicious, you dont miss the crust. But if you do, there’s a delicious fathead dough recipe she has as well. That was great also, but because I’m lazy at times I like this is thrown together and done. LOL
Connie
0This looks delicious, definitely going to try it but for some reason, I came up with a different carb count… I only checked because I thought 8.9 per serving was rather high!! So not sure where I messed up, lol.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Connie, Nutrition can vary in this recipe depending on the carb counts of the ingredients you use. Marinara sauce can be very high carb, so be sure to read labels and find one that is sugar-free and low carb. The same is true for the pepperoni and mozzarella (if pre-shredded) as well.
Kathryn
0I love that there’s a crustless keto pizza around. This looks absolutely delicious — can’t wait to give it a go!
Melinda Fewless
0I have a few family members that are keto and they love this!
Jeannette
0What a GREAT idea! I love how you can mix and match the veggies and still have it turn out so well. This is definitely a winner of a recipe!
Jere Cassidy
0Seriously who needs a pizza crust? I love the pizza toppings and this recipe is perfect for us on a keto diet.
Elaine
0Fantastic crustless pizza option. It’s been a while I had anything similar, so really excited to give this one try. My mouth is watering just from looking at the images! 🙂
Nellie Tracy
0This is a great recipe for a weeknight dinner! Love this and so do my kiddos!
Taryn
0Thanks for this recipe! It is perfect for the summer when I don’t want to turn on the oven for a long time.