Irresistible Keto Pizza Casserole with Ground Beef – Easy Low-Carb Comfort Food!

This keto pizza casserole recipe with ground beef is a fantastic low-carb alternative to traditional pizza, perfect for those following a ketogenic diet or simply looking for a healthier option. It's packed with flavor, easy to make, and can be customized with your favorite pizza toppings. This one-skillet recipe, featuring zesty Italian sausage, ground beef, and pepperoni, will quickly become a family favorite.

Why Choose Keto Pizza Casserole?

This crustless pizza casserole is loaded with ingredients that deliver the taste of pizza without the carbs. It’s an awesome low-carb pizza night alternative for your entire family. If you’re on a low-carb diet, this is perfect.

Low-Carb and Keto-Friendly: With only 6 grams of net carbohydrates per serving, this casserole fits perfectly into a ketogenic lifestyle. This crustless pizza has only 6 grams of net carbohydrates in a serving. And, what I love about it, is that nearly all of these carbs are from fresh vegetables! As a means of comparison, according to the USDA, a third of a traditional medium pizza (which is about 2 slices) is 53 grams of net carbs, most of which is from the dough.
Sneak in Veggies: It's a great way to incorporate extra vegetables into your diet, making it a family-friendly meal, even for picky eaters.
Meal Prep and Freezer-Friendly: Prepare it ahead of time for busy weeknights, as it reheats well and can be stored in the freezer.
Versatile: Easily adaptable with various toppings and ingredients to suit your preferences. This simple recipe is so versatile, and I give you tips on how to make this low carb pizza casserole your own with easy variations.

Ingredients You'll Need

Here's a breakdown of the key ingredients for this delicious keto pizza casserole:

Ground Beef and Italian Sausage: The meaty base of the casserole, providing protein and rich flavor. Add the ground beef and ground Italian sausage to a large skillet and brown it.
Vegetables: A mix of low-carb vegetables like yellow onions, green bell peppers, and mushrooms add flavor and nutrients. To make this dish filling but also to enjoy this as a crustless pizza with all the toppings, I‘m using a mix of low-carb vegetables like yellow onions, green bell peppers, and mushrooms.
Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the vegetables. You could substitute avocado oil if you wish.
Marinara Sauce: Provides the classic pizza flavor. Add in the Raos Marinara Sauce, stirring to combine then flatten the top with a spatula.
Pizza Blend Cheese: A mix of mozzarella, romano, and cheddar cheese for a cheesy topping. Pizza Blend Cheese: this is usually a mix of mozzarella cheese, romano cheese and cheddar. You can use any shredded cheese that you prefer if this is not available in your local market.
Pepperoni: Adds a spicy and savory element. Followed by a solid layer of pepperoni.
Italian Seasoning and Garlic Powder: Enhances the overall flavor profile. Add the onion and Italian seasoning plus garlic powder.
Ricotta Cheese: Ricotta adds such a lovely flavor to this dish, and the extra creaminess really puts it over the top.
Eggs: Eggs are used as a binder. The dish does not taste like eggs.
Heavy Cream: In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, ½ cup shredded mozzarella, and heavy cream.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the Vegetables: Drizzle the olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant and translucent. Add in the garlic and stir. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté your onions and green peppers in the avocado oil until translucent. (about 5 minutes )
Brown the Meat: Place the ground beef in the skillet along with Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Using a meat chopper, break the ground beef into chunks. If you have excess fat on the beef, drain it from the pan. Add in your sausage and ground beef, chopping and stirring until brown. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Combine and Simmer: Add the cream cheese and marinara. Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink and the cream cheese has melted. Add the tomato sauce and ricotta cheese. Mix well and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add the bell pepper. Fold in the mushrooms and olives if you’re using them.
Layer the Casserole: Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking oil spray if it isn't a nonstick pan. Add the ground beef mixture to the 9x13 casserole dish. Layer the casserole in a 9×13 baking pan. I made two layers with 1/2 sausage meat, 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 the vegetables, 1/2 the cheese, and 1/2 the pepperoni.
Add Egg Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, ½ cup shredded mozzarella, and heavy cream. Drizzle the egg and cream liquid mixture on top.
Top with Cheese and Pepperoni: Sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella on top. Add the pepperoni. Put the meat mixture into your casserole dish and top it with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Dot the top with the pepperoni slices.
Bake: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble. I like for the cheese to brown at the corners of the pan. Bake in a pre-heated 375-F oven for about 20 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly. Place skillet in oven on high broil to brown the top.

Tips and Variations

Cheese Choices: While the recipe calls for a pizza blend, feel free to experiment with different cheeses like provolone, Monterey Jack, or even a sprinkle of feta for a tangy twist.
Meat Options: You can use ground pork, chicken, or turkey instead of ground beef. This casserole is so hearty and meaty that you don’t need much with it.
Vegetable Additions: Consider adding other low-carb vegetables like spinach, zucchini, or eggplant to boost the nutritional content. We love to add our favorite toppings and different vegetables to our pizza bake like black olives, fresh parsley, fresh basil, and diced tomatoes.
Spice Level: Adjust the amount of Italian sausage or add red pepper flakes for a spicier kick. My husband loves to add a little bit of sliced green pepper, fresh minced garlic, garlic power, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese to his servings.
Make it Ahead: You can cook the ground beef and the cream cheese and marinara. If you plan to make the dish ahead I do not recommend you add the cream and eggs.

Serving Suggestions

This hearty casserole can be enjoyed on its own or paired with a simple side dish. A simple salad with a killer dressing like this Green Goddess or Ranch Dressing would do the trick. Serve.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: The casserole will last for 3-4 days (covered) in the refrigerator.
Freeze: I have frozen this casserole, fully cooked.

Is Pizza without Crust Keto-Friendly?

Pizza toppings are largely keto-friendly. So, a pizza without the crust would keep the carbs low enough for most people to enjoy crustless pizza it stick to 20g of net carbs per day. When making this recipe or buying it, just be sure to choose low-carb vegetables and sauce-free meats. For example, in this recipe, you’ll see that I include pepperoni, mushrooms, and peppers. You’ll want to skip things like bbq chicken unless you are using a keto-friendly bbq sauce.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

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