High-Protein Crustless Pizza Bake
Low carb, sugar-free and ready in 30 minutes — a seasoned turkey-meat crust under sugar-free sauce, bubbling mozzarella, mushrooms, peppers and olives
This high-protein crustless pizza bake keeps every promise on the cover: low carb, sugar-free, ready in 30 minutes — with 28g protein, 6g net carbs and 290 calories per serving. A seasoned ground-turkey base stands in for the crust, topped with sugar-free pizza sauce, a blanket of bubbling mozzarella, mushrooms, peppers and black olives.
Per serving: 290 calories, 28g protein and 6g net carbs. Ready in 30 minutes.
Why you’ll love this pizza bake
- 28g protein per serving for just 290 calories
- Low carb and sugar-free — exactly as promised on the cover
- On the table in a genuine 30 minutes
- All the pizza flavours with zero crust carbs
- Bubbling, golden mozzarella and a stretchy cheese pull
- Tray-sized for family dinners and leftovers
Health notes
- Turkey-meat crust: Ground turkey, egg and Parmesan press into a firm, protein-rich base instead of dough.
- Sugar-free pizza sauce: Many jarred sauces hide 4–6g of sugar per serving — choose one with no added sugar.
- Vegetable toppings: Mushrooms, peppers and olives bring flavour and colour for very few carbs.
- Real mozzarella: That bubbling golden top needs real cheese; pre-shredded is fine for a weeknight.
- Locked from the cover: The photo supplied the title, claims, time and macros, so they are kept consistent throughout the block.
Key element — pre-bake and drain the meat base
Press the turkey mixture thin and even, bake it on its own first, then tilt off every drop of fat before the sauce goes on. Skip this and the base steams under the toppings; drain it and you get a firm, sliceable pizza bake like the tray in the photo.
Ingredients
Meat crust
- 1½ lb ground turkey (93% lean)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Toppings
- 1 cup pizza sauce, no added sugar
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 green pepper, sliced into strips
- ½ red pepper, sliced into strips
- ⅓ cup sliced black olives
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Swaps
- Chicken crust: Ground chicken works the same way; press it thin.
- Pepperoni top: Lay sugar-free pepperoni over the cheese before the final bake.
- Meat feast: Add cooked, crumbled sugar-free Italian sausage with the mushrooms.
- Dairy-light: Use reduced-fat mozzarella; the top browns a little less but still bubbles.
Instructions
| 1 | Press the meat crust. Heat the oven to 425°F. Mix the ground turkey, egg, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Press firmly and evenly into a greased 9×13-inch tray, right to the edges. |
| 2 | Pre-bake and drain. Bake for 12 minutes. Using oven mitts, tilt the tray and spoon off every drop of rendered fat. This is the step that keeps the base firm. |
| 3 | Sauce and first cheese. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the base, leaving a small border. Sprinkle over half the mozzarella so the toppings have something to grip. |
| 4 | Load the toppings. Scatter the mushrooms, green and red peppers and black olives over the sauce. Finish with the remaining mozzarella right to the edges, so the corners go golden. |
| 5 | Final bake. Bake for 8–10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and spotted golden brown. For deeper colour, grill/broil for 1–2 minutes, watching closely. |
| 6 | Rest, slice and serve. Rest for 5 minutes so the base firms up for clean slices. Scatter with fresh parsley and serve straight from the tray, with a server for the stretchy cheese pull. |
Pro tips
- Press the meat thin — a thick base takes longer and releases more fat.
- Draining the fat after the pre-bake is the whole game for a sliceable base.
- Check your pizza sauce label; hidden sugar is the usual low-carb trap.
- Sliced mushrooms on top brown beautifully; bury them and they stay pale.
- The 5-minute rest turns a floppy bake into proper slices.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 290 |
| Protein | 28g |
| Net carbohydrates | 6g |
| Total carbohydrates | 8g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Total fat | 14g |
| Sodium | 740mg |
Per serving (8 servings), locked from the cover: 28g protein, 6g net carbs, 290 calories. Exact macros vary slightly with turkey fat percentage and pizza sauce brand.
Variations
Margherita
Skip the veg, use extra mozzarella, and finish with torn basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
Supreme
Add sugar-free pepperoni and sliced red onion under the cheese.
BBQ chicken
Ground chicken base, sugar-free BBQ sauce, red onion and smoked cheese.
Veggie overload
Courgette ribbons, spinach and artichoke hearts over the sauce.
Storage
| Method | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Up to 4 days | Airtight container; leftover slices reheat brilliantly |
| Freezer | Up to 2 months | Freeze slices on a tray, then bag; thaw overnight |
| Reheat | — | Oven or air fryer at 375°F for 6–8 minutes until the cheese bubbles again |
