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Get It Now- What Is Pizza Casserole?
- Why You’ll Love This Pepperoni Pizza Casserole Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Pizza Casserole
- Recipe Variations
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Pizza Casserole
- More Easy Casserole Recipes
- Tools To Make A Pizza Bake
- Pizza Casserole (Easy, 5 Ingredients!) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
This pepperoni pizza casserole recipe, sometimes called a pizza bake, is one of the easiest no crust pizza options you can make. Loads of pepperoni, marinara, Italian seasonings, and melty mozzarella cheese layer over roasted cauliflower and cook in under an hour, including prep! It’s similar to my pizza bowl and crustless pizza recipe in a cast iron skillet, but with the ease of a casserole.
Here at the Wholesome Yum house, we absolutely love pizza night. In fact, we have it for dinner in some form almost every week! Of course, this isn’t to say that keto pizza casserole actually replaces real pizza for us all the time. When we really want a true pizza – with the crust and everything – my keto pizza recipe is our absolute favorite. We alternate that one with a cauliflower pizza crust, portobello mushroom pizza, and chaffle pizza.
What Is Pizza Casserole?
Pizza casserole is a one-pan dish that with your favorite pizza toppings baked in! Variations of this casserole replace the usual crust with cooked pasta or vegetables.
This dish uses roasted cauliflower as the crust substitute — and just like with cauliflower mac and cheese and cauliflower potato salad, it makes a perfect starch replacement!
Why You’ll Love This Pepperoni Pizza Casserole Recipe
- Tangy tomato sauce with pepperoni and cheese
- Cheesy pizza taste with caramelized roasted veggies
- 5 simple ingredients
- Only 10 minutes of prep
- No kneading dough or rolling it out
- Naturally low carb, gluten-free, and healthy
- Great for kids (or any pizza lovers)!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for pizza casserole, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower – I used cauliflower as a healthy base in this keto pizza casserole recipe. It works well since it has a neutral flavor, but you can get other ideas for the base in the Recipe Variations section below. Use fresh or frozen cauliflower florets, cut into bite-sized pieces. Riced cauliflower also works!
- Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil works well for this Italian recipe, but use any neutral cooking oil you like. Avoid butter because it can scorch before the cauliflower is cooked through.
- Italian Seasoning – I prefer to make my own homemade Italian seasoning, but store bought seasoning mixes work fine.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – For seasoning cauliflower.
- Marinara Sauce – Any kind of marinara will do, but I always use no or low sugar varieties, either store-bought or this sugar-free marinara sauce recipe. You can also use sugar-free pizza sauce or even make a white pizza casserole with alfredo sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese – Shred it yourself or get it pre-shredded to save time.
- Pepperoni Slices – Regular pepperoni or turkey pepperoni both work well. You can also do other pizza toppings either on top or inside the casserole — see the Recipe Variations section below for ideas.
How To Make Pizza Casserole
This section shows how to make baked pizza casserole, 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.
- Toss. In a casserole dish, toss the cauliflower with olive oil, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Arrange in a single layer.
TIP: Roasting on a sheet pan also works!
To save on washing dishes, I used the baking dish that’s later used for the casserole, but the cauliflower does roast faster if you use a baking sheet.
- Roast. Cook cauliflower until tender and lightly browned, stirring halfway through.
- Top. Evenly pour marinara sauce over the cauliflower mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Top with pepperoni.
- Bake. Return pepperoni pizza casserole to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and golden. Let the pizza casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
There’s more than one way to make this delicious pizza. Try these variations!
- Crockpot Pizza Casserole – Layer cauliflower florets in a slow cooker and pour in the marinara sauce. Cook on high for 2 hours. Add the cheese and pepperoni slices during the last 15 minutes.
- Zucchini Pizza Casserole – Use 1 lb of sliced zucchini instead of cauliflower. Brush slices with oil and season with salt, then roast on a sheet pan at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes. Pat dry, transfer to a casserole dish, and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
- Pizza Pasta Casserole – Trade cauliflower with your cooked pasta of choice (I use keto egg noodles). Transfer pasta with sauce to a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F, then remove from oven and top with shredded cheese and pepperoni slices. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Use other veggies – Swap out some (or all) cauliflower for broccoli, mushrooms, onions, green bell peppers, garlic, or black olives. Cut into even pieces (so they roast at the same rate) and fold them into the cauliflower (the base layer of the pizza bake), or use them as toppings instead of pepperoni.
- Try other meats – I made a pepperoni pizza casserole since it’s the most popular flavor, but you can also make this dish with Canadian bacon, cooked ground beef (or ground turkey), Italian sausage, shredded chicken, or baked bacon.
- Add toppings – I used fresh parsley as a garnish, but you can also try fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes, or grated parmesan cheese.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftover cauliflower pizza casserole in an airtight container up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Meal prep: Assemble ahead, cover in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to bake. Or, freeze the assembled casserole and bake straight from the freezer. This method takes longer, but allows for more long term storage. It will last at least 3 months frozen.
- Reheat: Reheat portions in the microwave, or reheat the entire casserole in a warm oven at 350 degrees F.
- Freeze: Wrap fully cooled portions of keto pizza casserole in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months.
What To Serve With Pizza Casserole
This easy pizza casserole recipe stands on its own, but for heartier appetites or if company’s coming, here are some extras to go with it:
- Easy veggies – Share oven space with tasty sides like baked brussels sprouts, roasted green beans with garlic, and balsamic roasted mushrooms.
- Salads – Pair a pizza bake with a Caprese salad, Greek salad, or cucumber tomato avocado salad.
- Soups – Try this dish with chicken florentine soup, vegetable soup, or sausage kale soup.
- Chicken Wings – Whenever I ordered pizza in college, I always got an order of chicken wings on the side. So, on pizza nights we usually make air fryer chicken wings or baked chicken wings.
More Easy Casserole Recipes
Casseroles are among the most common dishes I make for dinner. Making a meal is so much faster and easier when you only have to make one thing! Here are more of my favorites:
Tools To Make A Pizza Bake
- Stoneware Casserole Dish – A high-quality baking dish that goes from oven to table.
Pizza Casserole (Easy, 5 Ingredients!)
This pepperoni pizza casserole recipe is an easy dinner in one dish, featuring tomato sauce, melty cheese & zesty pepperoni. 10 minutes prep!
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
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In a 9×13 in (23×33 cm) white stoneware casserole dish, toss the cauliflower with olive oil, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Arrange evenly in a single layer.
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Roast cauliflower in the oven for about 25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and a little golden. (Leave oven on afterward — you will need to use it again.)
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Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the cauliflower. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place pepperoni slices on top.
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Place the casserole back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup, or 1/6 of entire casserole
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. 🙂
150 Comments
Kim
0You are so awesome for posting this. I will be using this a weekly staple and freezing it to survive the holidays!! Love it so delicious!!!!
Debbie O'Dell
0OMG,,, holly cow.. OMG,, THIS IS INCREDIBLE.. I will NEVER have mac-in-cheese again.. EVER.. this was sooo good.. I called family and told them to try… YOU have got to be kidding.. I have celiacs and food is not my friend.. My husband and I have been doing Keto for several months. Just to be healthy and lose weight.. and wow…. I could eat this every night. Going to try the pizza casserole tomorrow. Thank you.
Joelle
0My husband and I just made this for dinner and it was delicious! We did make the cauliflower finer than the directions and it was great. This will definitely become a quick go to meal on busy nights!
Marian Harris
0OMG this is sooo good. I added fried-off chilli pork fennel sausage removed from the skins to the cauliflower before the second bake and a layer of baby spinach under the sauce and cheese
Sheri Seawright
0Ok! This was DELICIOUS! I made mine with Mezzetta Marinara Sauce. I wasn’t really sure how small to cut the cauliflower. I cut the cauliflower into 1/2” pieces and had enough to fill the casserole dish to the top, so I took some cauliflower out. I did find the recipe was runny getting it out of the pan, but that was ok. Taste made up for it! It was almost like lasagna in my opinion, or a super tricky cheesy italian pizza! I didn’t miss the crust! WOW!
Dominic
0This is really one of those recipes where the sum is greater than the parts. The only problem I had was for whatever reason, the heads of cauliflower I get are smaller than I think most others have access to. After roasting in a 9×13 baking dish, I realized this would fit much better into a 9×9 baking dish and moved the roasted cauliflower over to that and proceeded from there and it came out perfectly. I eyeballed the cheese and sauce (you can’t mess it up) and I used Rao’s Tomato Basil tomato sauce (it’s so good). Sprinkled some grated parm with the Italian seasoning and topped with LOTS of pepperoni. This was so easy, and exactly the Italian dinner we were missing on Keto. I can see taking this in so many ways (banana pepper rings are happening next time). Served with a nice big salad and it was a hit. I don’t like cauliflower all that much, but in this – just lovely. Thank you for another GREAT recipe!
Judy
0So glad this person posted this. A 9” x 9” dish would be so much better. I did small florets.
Frederick
0Does it have to be in a glass casserole dish. I have a 9×13 cake Pan.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Fredrick, That will work nicely. Enjoy!
Manda
0Thank you, for the recipe I loved it. I added a sprinkle of parmesan because cheese is life. I think next time I may add mushrooms and crumbled bacon to recreate my favorite pizza minus the crust.
Nell
0Can you add browned crumbled sausage to the top with the pepperoni?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Nell, Yes! That sounds delicious!
Cheri
0If you use cauliflower rice how much would you use?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cheri, 5-6 cups of cauliflower will cover the 9×13″ casserole dish well.
Beth
0Kinda new to cooking. I’m looking to make this ahead of time and freezing it. When I bake it would it still be 10 minutes or longer because it is frozen?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Beth, It would be a lot longer if you bake from frozen, at least 30 minutes. You could also just thaw overnight and then bake from the fridge, but it would still take longer. You can just check when it’s hot.
Dominic
0Also, be careful putting cold glass into a hot oven. I’ve blown up a lasagna before and it took me FOREVER to clean up. 🙂
Lorie
0Easy to put together and delicious! Used frozen riced cauliflower (thawed). Worked great. Also added a sprinkle of garlic powder along with the Italian seasoning. Quick supper!
Larinzo Emerson
0I am not a cauliflower fan in any kind of way, but you can’t even taste it in this dish and the only way you know it’s there is by the crunch. I made this dish for the first time tonight and I love it; the food taste like pizza with no crust or spaghetti with no noodles, and I definitely will be making this again and again whenever I want some pasta or pizza. Thanks so much for sharing; I am now a fan!!
Cynthia
0These recipes look delicious!
Amanda Smith
0Can I use frozen cauliflower?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Amanda, Yes frozen cauliflower is fine. It would be best to dry pan fry the frozen cauliflower to remove some of the water, but if you don’t have time, frozen straight into the casserole dish will work too.
Jill
0I made this tonight… as a mother of four, pasta nights were common. We are a keto family so cauliflower is now our starch substitute[Cali-fauxtatoes anyone? Lol] So, anywho, I sauteed a whole chopped onion, cooked till translucent. Added about a teaspoon each of dried oregano and dried basil. I then then added two large minced garlic and, when fragrant, added about half a jar of tomato sauce and then took it off the heat. I steamed a very large cut up cauliflower. I was worried steaming would make the cauliflower too wet but it wasn’t the case, in fact, I needed to add a few spoons of the steaming water on top of all of it because it looked too dry. I mixed some mozzarella and parmesan into the sauce to add more flavor. I assembled as directed with cheese and pepperoni on top and family is happy. Thank you. I think I’d also enjoy some ground beef or Italian sausage crumbles and/or sauteed peppers next time, too! Can you tell I’m Italian? Lol.
Michael Scott
0I’m 76 (male) and have been on Atkins for 21 years. Two of the biggest secrets of success that I have learned over the years is first to be able to change every recipe into low carb and second to make everything taste as good as high carb or even better. I have found that the pizza casseroles taste as good as pizzas with crusts. I have made them with low carb crusts as well but found that I could live without a crust. The pizza casserole is a lot easier to make. After 21 years I usually make personal adjustments to every recipe anyway. There are so many examples of low carb recipes available that it makes an Atkins type diet a pleasure!
All The Best
Mike Scott, Ottawa, Canada
Makhluk
0Color me impressed. This was really good. I’m not really concerned about keto or low- carb, I’m into delicious, healthy food, and this meet those requirements. After comparing the ingredients, I chose Victoria’s Slow Cooked Tomato Basil sauce, and, Wow, was it tasty.
Next time I feel the need to be a little less healthy, l want to find an excellent pizza crust recipe and try these same toppings.
Thanks for a quick, easy, healthy recipe I can throw into my lazy day lineup.
April
0Hello, can this be made in a crock pot? Its just to hot to turn on the oven.
Thank you
Wholesome Yum
0Hi April, that should work. Try it on low heat for 3-4 hours, and check the cauliflower to ensure it doesn’t get mushy.
Jessica
0Can you cook in Crockpot? Maybe low for 4-5 hrs?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jessica, I’d check after 3 hours to make sure the cauliflower doesn’t get too mushy. Let me know if it works!
Janet
0Tried this recipe tonight & I was very pleased with the results. I will be making this again, Thank you for sharing!!!!!!
Casey
0Cauliflower pizza casserole? I mean, CAULIFLOWER!! I love cauliflower but I was SUPER skeptical about how the texture would turn out. And I was worried my wife would not like it because she is a total “texture person.” We were both blown away at how it turned out. It was scrumdiddlyumptious! It was so easy, I mean, I did it and I’m not much of a cook. But I am with your recipes!
Thank you so much for all you do, you are amazing!
Anne E Fitzgerald
0LOVED THIS! I used fresh mozarella and I think it made a little watery, but we just used a slotted spoon, no biggie. I also used tomato and moz chicken sausage cut on the bias. I grilled it first and then threw it on the top when it came out of the oven to keep the sausage warm. Will try with ground italian pork sausage next.
This is legit. Like, so easy, will be in a two week rotation for me.
Sandi
0I am not what you would call a cauliflower lover. I have, being on Keto, learned to tolerate it, but this recipe is making me LOVE it!!! I love pizza. This gives me all the flavors of pizza. It’s really, really good!
Thank you for sharing this! This will be a recipe I use over and over. So simple!
Tammy
0Threw it together quickly. Made my own marinara sauce, added bacon instead of pepperoni, jalapeños, cheddar bacon sausage. Can’t wait to let tim cool off enough so I can eat it! May even add some sour cream!
Jenny Uhlar
0I made this tonight! My husband absolutely loved it. We will make this again. Thank you for the wonderful low carb recipe.
Jennifer M Bauer
0Most delicious!! Looking forward to checking out your other recipes!
Pam
0Great recipe. Tastes delicious, and it’s easy to make.
Marcy K
0Made this for a potluck and everyone complimented it and wanted the recipe!! Yaaaaaaay!!
Donna
0Easy to follow, tasty recipe. Definately a keeper for those days when you don’t have a clue, or much time to rustle up some chow for 4 grown adults.
Coco
0This was great! I added 1/3 cup of fresh mushrooms on top as well. After the 10 min bake, I switched to broil and watched carefully to make it just right.
Marcy J
0I made this delicious dish tonight. I made my own marinara sauce. This is now a staple in my home.
Lori
0Have you (or has anyone) tried freezing the leftovers? I live alone, and will be starting a 7-day Egg Fast tomorrow, but I am making this for football Sunday today.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lori, Yes, you can freeze leftovers.
Rabia
0Can I use Bolognese sauce instead of marinara?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sure, you can if you’d like!
Amanda Grant
0I made this and it was so yummy! Thank you for posting this easy recipe.
Trish
0I made this tonight because it’s raining and I wanted some comfort food. Delicious!! I added a few jalapeño strips, crumbled cooked sausage crumbles and garlic. This recipe is a keeper!! Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the casserole, Trish! Thank you!
Erika
0Woot woot it turned out great! Soooo good. I just stared keto and this is just perfect. I added some mushrooms and green pepper to the cauliflower. And low carb pizza sauce instead of marinara. Thank you for this quick amazing recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Erika! Please come back soon!
Christina
0Amazing! So good. Highly recommend it!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the casserole, Christina! Have a great day!
Doreen Aery
0Hi. I love this recipe. However, because of digestive issues, I cannot use cauliflower. Is there another veggie instead? Thanks for all you do.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Doreen, Sure, feel free to use any veggies you like!
Robin
0This is a fantastic idea because we love pizza at our house, too. I must cut the carbs for my family, though! This isn’t really a question about the recipe but cauliflower in general, and I’m hoping this will be a great platform for an answer.
I don’t like cauliflower. I don’t love the texture, taste, or smell. To be fair, I’ve only ever tried to eat it raw and in a store-bought, freezer steamed “mashed potato” form (yuck). So many people are using it for healthy recipes. Have a misjudged cauliflower? Is is some magical unicorn that tastes different roasted and hidden behind sauce and cheese? Any other advice for making myself love it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Robin, I definitely recommend trying cauliflower roasted. The flavor is pretty different versus steaming, and there isn’t much of a smell that way. Let me know what you think if you try it!
John
0Can you cauliflower rice instead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi John, Yes, you can! If you still “roast” it, you’d need to reduce the time quite a lot since the pieces are much smaller. Otherwise you could steam or stir fry it before making the casserole with it. Squeeze out extra moisture first if you steam it.
Kathy
0Tried it loved it; will make again
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Kathy!
Stevie
0Just made this recipe, very excited to try it! Only thing I did differently was steam the cauliflower before roasting it, and by adding a layer of cheese between the sauce and veggies. I was afraid to roast it before steaming since I discovered I’m sensitive to texture and flavor of food, and can get overwhelmed by the flavor of cauliflower. Is the cauliflower less intense after roasting?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Stevie! Please let me know what you thought of it. I actually prefer to roast without steaming. I much prefer the taste of cauliflower when roasted than steamed. It doesn’t get that smell or mushy texture.
Tabitha
0This recipe called for too much salt and pepper. Otherwise it would have been delicious.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tabitha, The recipe did not specify the amount of salt and pepper. Are you thinking of a different one? The salt and pepper are listed without an amount because you can just sprinkle as much as you’d like.
Tabitha
0I guess I got confused because the salt and pepper follow the 2 tbsp of olive oil so I took it as the salt and pepper needed that amount as well. My bad.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’ve done that before, Tabitha! I hope you try it again!
Monica Scherzer
0Do you use low-fat or regular mozzarella?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Monica, I use regular, but you can use either one for this recipe.
Brian
0My wife and I have enjoyed our adventures in a new way of cooking. Everything has been so tasty, right down to the desserts we’ve made. Thank you so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Brian! I am so happy you are enjoying my recipes!
Rachel
0I made this last night ..it was delicious!! I didn’t even miss the crust. I added tomatoes and mushrooms with the cauliflower then put spinach, artichokes, olives, and garlic on top with cheese at end. Soo good !
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Rachel! That sounds amazing!
Barbara
0Too much salt, pepper, and sauce.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Barbara! The amount of salt and pepper you put in is up to you depending on your taste, that’s why I don’t list the amounts for those ingredients on the recipe card. You can definitely make it using less sauce as well. 🙂
Penny
0How much sodium does it have?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Penny, unfortunately my recipe card doesn’t show that information. You can try putting the ingredients into an online nutrition calculator. Hope this helps!
Aneah
0Love this idea – I’m thinking of modifying it – slightly – to fit into a frozen food quickie version. I make zucchini lasagna in individual size portions where I put wax paper into the single serve baking dish, layer it all out and freeze for later baking for individual servings. This sounds like it would be perfect for that as well. Along with some thinly sliced bell pepper and black olives to go along. Thanks for the idea!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That is an awesome idea, love it!
Ellen Richardson
0Can you use riced cauliflower?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ellen, I haven’t tried that but you definitely can! It will take a lot less time to cook upfront before adding the toppings.
Lauri
0This looks delicious, but according to my calculations only 60% of the calories come from fat, so how can it be keto?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lauri, It’s impossible for every individual food to be the perfect macro ratio. With 7g net carbs per serving, this casserole can definitely fit into a keto diet. The goal is for your day (or meals, if you prefer) to be keto overall. If you prefer more fat in your meal with this, you can add more butter to the cauliflower, or more cheese overall. Hope this helps.
John Hryniw
0Oh, Lauri, really??
Maya, seems like a great recipe. Keep up the great work.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, John!