Pizza Casserole (Low Carb)

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Last Updated on December 8, 2023

Kid loved, this easy pizza casserole is a lower carb version that the whole family can enjoy! Top with all your favorite pizza toppings!

pizza casserole in a cast iron pan

I can remember clearly the first time I had deep dish pizza.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven and it was with tears I bid goodbye to it when I gave up all grains. 

Now, you know I eat dairy and some Paleo kids out there don’t but I can not have pizza without cheese.   This recipe is both a paleo homage to deep dish pizza and a casserole hence the name.

I didn’t want to mess with a coconut flour crust with this so I used eggplant to line the bottom of my 8″ cast iron pan. When you cut up your eggplant, if you notice it’s browin inside please note that eggplant with slight enzymatic browning is perfectly good to use

I don’t make a huge batch of this because Mr. Bejelly doesn’t like eggplant and is not big fan of casseroles.

Imagine my surprise when he gobbled up half of this.  

Also, I get my Italian sausage bulk from my Italian grocery store so it cooks up like a ground beef.  If you get links you’ll need to crumble them up.

low carb pizza casserole on a plate with a cast iron pan in the background.

Why this recipe works

Pepperoni pizza meets casserole and creates a super simple dish that you can whip up easily.  

How to Make This Pizza Casserole Recipe:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. 
 
Grease your large skillet with the coconut oil and line with the strips of eggplant. You only want one layer of eggplant (you might have extra).

Spread a light layer of pizza sauce over the eggplant and top this with half of the mozzarella and Parmesan.

Next add all the Italian pork sausage and top with the rest of the mozzarella and half of the balance of the Parmesan
 
Spread a layer of marinara over it all and put in your oven for 1 hour.
 
Six minutes before the pizza is complete, take the pan out of the oven and cover with the rest of the Parmesan. Garnish with Italian parsley.

Notes and Variations

  • You can easily add more toppings like black olives, green peppers and keto fettuccine.
  • You can make this in a casserole dish versus a large skillet.

If you like this Pizza Casserole recipe, you’ll love:

Keto Cheese Crisps

Keto Calzone Recipe

Keto Pizza Crust


Did you make and love this recipe?  Give your review below and make sure you share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!

PALEO PIZZA
Yield: 6

Pizza Casserole

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This easy, cheesy pizza casserole is the perfect main course!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Grease your pan with the coconut oil and line with the strips of eggplant. You only want one layer of eggplant (you might have extra).
  2. Spread a light layer of pizza sauce over the eggplant and top this with half of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
  3. Next add all the Italian pork sausage and top with the rest of the mozzarella and half of the balance of the parmesan
  4. Spread a layer of marinara over it all and put in your oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
  5. Six minutes before the pizza is complete, take the pan out of the oven and cover with the rest of the parmesan. Garnish with Italian parsley.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 463Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 1133mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 29g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

pizza cassrole in a cast iron pan with text overlay on top

57 thoughts on “Pizza Casserole (Low Carb)”

  1. Do you need to cook the eggplant prior to constructing the casserole to get rid of the bitter taste? Or is it fine to just put it directly in the pan uncooked? Eggplant has always been tricky for me and mine usually comes out watery.

    Reply
  2. I just came across your recipe for Pizza Casserole via Pinterest. Yeah! I’m excited to try this recipe and was wondering if you peel the eggplant. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Rhonda, you could always use buffalo mozzarella. It is not dairy (dairy comes from cattle) and is virtually lactose and casein free. Most people with lactose and casein issues tolerate buffalo mozzarella very well. Also, while the original Paleo stance was no dairy, Robb Wolf (the Eat Real Food guy that kind of brought Paleo into the mainstream) recently endorsed raw milk.

      As for the recipe, OMG it’s delicious. I’ve missed pizza so much, and now I feel like the itch has been scratched! Thank you so much for sharing, Kelly!!

      Reply
  3. I hope this is not a silly question. I am still very new to cooking… do you need to use cast iron, or would a glass or metal pan work? It seems like cast iron would allow for a more crispy edge. Is that accurate? I have never cooked with cast iron. Is that something everyone should try?
    Thanks for your help!

    Reply
    • Hi Lynn, you would really have to cook this low and slow for several hours to get a crispy texture due to the sauce. However, if you are cooking a low liquid recipe, you will get a crispier crust from cast iron 🙂

      Reply
  4. How is this a freezer meal? Do I freeze it after I cook it or put the ingredients on a bag and freeze before? You probably noted this somewhere, but I missed it.

    Reply

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