Pizza night gets a low carb makeover! Stuffed with Italian sausage and plenty of mozzarella, this easy Pizza Casserole recipe proves you don’t need crust to experience delicious pizza flavor. Ready in 30 minutes!
If you’re a fan of low carb casseroles, be sure to give this delicious Chicken Broccoli Casserole recipe a try for the perfect weeknight dinner! Or assemble a delicious Spaghetti squash lasagna boat for a hearty Italian dinner!
Low Carb Pizza Casserole
When I’m trying to decide on a dinner everyone in the family can agree on, one thing always comes to mind: PIZZA. We especially love pizza with hot Italian sausage, olives and (of course) lots of ooey-gooy mozzarella cheese.
Turning my favorite pizza into a one-dish casserole was almost a no brainer. While there are plenty of recipes out there for pizzas with no-flour crusts, I wanted a meal that was easy to make without needing gluten free flour or pulverizing cauliflower.
For this recipe, all you have to do is brown some sausage and layer it with sauce, cheese, veggies and a couple of seasonings. It comes out of the oven hot and bubbly, with all the amazing aromas of a freshly baked pizza.
Ingredient Notes
As with all our recipes, double check your labels to make sure there are no ADDED SUGARS.
- Italian sausage – We love spicy sausage in our pizza casserole, but you can definitely use mild or medium if you prefer.
- Mushrooms – Use jarred mushrooms, well drained OR substitute fresh if preferred
- Black olives – Jarred or canned, sliced. Green olives can be substituted or added.
- Green pepper – Sliced or diced, depending on your preference. Red or orange bell peppers would work too!
- Pizza sauce – Double check your label to make sure it is sugar free. I love Rao’s pizza sauce with no added sugar. If you like extra sauce, add an extra jar to the layers!
- Diced tomatoes – Canned or fresh.
- Pepperoni – Or substitute Canadian bacon or ham.
Not into all these toppings? Go ahead and mix and match your favorite (sugar free) pizza toppings!
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to drain the sausage grease well from the pan before adding the oil, to prevent the casserole from being too greasy. Also make sure to drain any canned or jarred items before adding to the recipe so things don’t get soggy!
- If you don’t want to do this, you can remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and cook the veggies in the remaining grease (skip adding the olive oil).
- Double check labels on any ingredients to make sure they’re free of added sugars.
- If you like your pizza casserole extra saucy, add a second jar of pizza sauce!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Use a regular skillet to cook the sausage and vegetables, then layer the ingredients in a 13×9 baking dish instead.
Store leftover pizza casserole covered in the fridge. Reheat and enjoy within 3 days.
A 12 inch cast iron skillet works best for making this in one pan. You can also use any 12 inch skillet to brown the sausage and veggies, then transfer to a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish to bake.
With meat, veggies and cheese in one pan, Pizza Casserole serves as a complete low carb meal all on its own. It would also be perfect served with a fresh Antipasto salad on the side.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Swedish Meatballs
- Breaded Pork Chops
- Cheeseburger Zucchini Boats
- Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Pizza Casserole
Pizza night gets a low carb makeover! Stuffed with Italian sausage and plenty of mozzarella, this easy Pizza Casserole recipe proves you don't need crust to experience delicious pizza flavor. Ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground Italian Sausage, hot or mild
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 large green bell pepper, sliced or diced
- 1 jar (4.5 ounce) mushrooms, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 jar (13 ounce) pizza sauce
- 2.5 ounce pepperoni
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tablespoons sliced black olives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large 12-inch cast iron skillet, brown the Italian sausage, crumbling it as it cooks. Drain the grease and let the sausage dry on a paper towel lined plate.
- Add olive oil to the skillet as well as the green pepper, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes, until peppers soften slightly. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon and drain off excess grease.
- Layer the ingredients in the skillet in TWO layers. Starting with 1/2 the sausage, then 1/2 the diced tomatoes, 1/2 the pizza sauce, 1/2 the vegetables, 1/2 the cheese, 1/2 the pepperoni, and 1 Tbsp of black olives. Repeat the layer.
- Place skillet in oven for 12-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Always double check your labels to make sure the products are sugar free! Rao's pizza sauce tastes delicious and has no ADDED sugar.
- Add or substitute your favorite sugar free pizza toppings. Fresh pineapple, sliced onions, you name it! You can also use fresh mushrooms, and fresh diced tomatoes instead of canned if you prefer.
- If you don't want to drain the sausage grease, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and add the veggies to saute in the remaining grease (no need to add the extra olive oil).
- By draining off the excess grease in this recipe, you'll have less liquid in the bottom of your skillet after baking.
- No oven safe skillet? No problem. Use a regular skillet to cook the sausage and vegetables, then layer the ingredients in a 13x9 baking dish instead.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 485Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1130mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 27g
This dinner takes just 5 minutes of prep time with under 30 minutes in the oven. With so many ways to adapt this meal based on your favorite pizza toppings and flavors, you’ll find yourself craving Low Carb Pizza Casserole over and over again!