Crustless Pizza
Published February 20, 2022 • Updated July 20, 2026
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I built this around what I actually want from pizza: all the toppings, all the cheese, no crust. Ground sausage becomes the base, everything piles on, and it comes together in one skillet in under 15 minutes.
I started making this because I wanted pizza night without spending 30 minutes on dough. What I ended up with is something my family requests more than the version with crust. It’s become one of our Friday night staples.
If you want a totally different spin, my cottage cheese pizza bowl uses cottage cheese as the base for something creamy and high-protein. My keto skillet lasagna hits similar Italian comfort food notes in one pan. And for something even faster, my pizza bowl uses the same flavors with almost no cooking.
Ground Italian sausage gets browned and crumbled in a cast iron skillet until those little pieces almost form their own crispy base. Toppings pile on, cheese melts down into everything, and you broil for 2-3 minutes until bubbly. The whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes.
The sausage layer is what makes this work. When you brown it long enough (I give it a full 5-6 minutes over medium-high heat), those crumbled pieces get crispy on the outside and hold everything together like a crust would. I can lift slices right out of my 8-inch skillet once it cools for a few minutes. You can eat it with a fork, but picking it up is more satisfying. One reader, Tracy, told me she makes this weekly now and doesn’t even miss real crust.
This is keto pizza at its most practical. Each slice comes in around 0.5 g net carbs if you skip the marinara and bell pepper. Even loaded up with sauce and veggies, you’re well under 5 g per serving. I’ve been making some version of this since I went keto in 2012, and it’s the one I keep coming back to when I want pizza without any fuss. It’s also a true one-skillet, low carb dinner, so cleanup takes about two minutes.
The topping combinations are wide open. I go heavy on pepperoni because the edges curl up and get crispy under the broiler, and that little crunch is everything. Mushrooms, black olives, and sliced bell pepper are my go-to for a loaded version. For another recipe with Italian sausage front and center, try my stuffed Italian sausage.
I watch the broiler the whole time because the cheese goes from perfectly bubbly to burned in about 30 seconds. Two to three minutes on high is all it takes. I’ve also made this in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes when my skillet fits. Let it sit for a couple minutes before cutting. The cheese firms up just enough to hold together.
How to make crustless pizza
I brown the sausage first, stir in seasoning and a little marinara, cook any vegetables that need softening, then pile on toppings and cheese and broil until bubbly.
Key ingredients
- Ground sausage or pork: I use Italian sausage most of the time because the seasoning is already built in. Ground pork works if you add your own Italian seasoning. Ground beef and turkey are fine too.
- Seasonings and marinara sauce: A couple tablespoons of marinara give the meat that pizza-sauce flavor. I keep homemade keto pizza sauce in the fridge when I have time to make it. Skip the sauce entirely for the lowest carb count.
- Pizza toppings: Go heavy. Pepperoni, salami, fresh basil, bell pepper, onion, mushroom, black olive. I load mine up and the sausage base holds it all.
- Shredded cheese: I mix mozzarella and mild cheddar (4 oz each). Provolone and parmesan also work. For a creamier result, stir in a couple tablespoons of cream cheese before adding the shredded layer on top.
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Ingredients
1 lb ground sausage or pork -
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
-
1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
2 tablespoons pizza or marinara sauce, optional
-
2 oz green bell pepper, optional
-
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
-
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
-
14 slices pepperoni
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Cook sausage
In a cast-iron or oven proof skillet, brown and crumble the ground sausage or pork until cooked through. (About 5-6 minutes)
- Italian sausage or ground pork
Add seasoning and sauce
Once the ground sausage is cooked through, stir in Italian seasonings, garlic powder, salt and marinara sauce.
- Italian seasonings
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Marinara sauce
Cook vegetables
Push the ground sausage off to the sides of the skillet and add bell pepper or any vegetable that needs to be cooked into the center. Cook until softened, then stir into the rest of the ground meat. Remove from heat.
- Bell pepper
Add remaining toppings and cheese
Sprinkle most of the shredded cheese blend on top of the ground sausage layer evening. Top with pepperoni slices or other toppings. Then sprinkle remaining cheese layer on top.
- Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- Cheddar cheese (shredded)
- Pepperoni
Broil
Place skillet in the oven under the broiler on high for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without meat?
I've tested a cheese-only version where you skip the sausage entirely and build the base from shredded mozzarella crisped directly in the skillet. It works, but it's a different dish. The cheese base gets thin and crackery, more like my cheese taco shells than a pizza crust. You lose the thickness that lets you pile on toppings and pick up slices. If you want a meatless version with more structure, I'd spread a layer of cream cheese on the bottom of the skillet, top with shredded mozzarella, and broil. It holds together better than cheese alone.
What size skillet should I use?
I use an 8-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe. It keeps the pizza thick enough that slices hold together when you pick them up. A 10-inch works too, but the layer will be thinner and you lose that satisfying lift. If you're doubling for a bigger crowd, a 12-inch skillet or oven-safe baking dish is the way to go. I've also made this in a 9x9 baking dish when all my skillets were dirty, and it turned out fine. The sausage base just spreads flatter.
Can I use ground beef instead of sausage?
I've tested it with ground beef, ground turkey, and ground chicken, and they all work. Ground beef is the closest in texture to sausage. Just add your own Italian seasoning and a little extra garlic since you're losing the built-in flavor that Italian sausage has. Turkey comes out a little softer because pork fat is what creates that crispy bottom edge, so season it more aggressively. One of my readers, Teresa, made it with ground beef and homemade marinara from her garden herbs and said it became a weekly staple for her family.
Can I bake this in the oven instead of broiling?
I've done it both ways. If your broiler makes you nervous, bake at 425 degrees for about 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. It works, but you won't get those browned, blistered spots on the cheese that the broiler gives you in 2-3 minutes. My preference is still the broiler because it's faster and the pepperoni edges curl up and crisp, which is my favorite part. If you go the oven route, I'd bump the temp to 450 for the last 2 minutes to get some browning on top.
How do I reheat leftovers?
I reheat mine under the broiler on high for about a minute. The cheese melts again and the sausage base stays crispy, which is exactly what you want. The microwave works if you're in a rush, but everything goes softer. An air fryer at 350 for 2-3 minutes is my second favorite method. The edges get even crispier than the first time around.
Can I make this ahead and bake it later?
I do this all the time. Cook the sausage and any vegetables, add your toppings and cheese, then cover the skillet and refrigerate. It keeps for 4-5 days before baking. When you're ready, broil on high for 3-4 minutes straight from the fridge. I've prepped two at once on Sunday and baked them throughout the week.
Is this keto friendly?
This is one of the most keto-friendly dinners I make. With the full recipe (sausage, cheese, pepperoni, and marinara), each slice is under 5 g net carbs. If you skip the sauce and bell pepper, it drops to around 0.5 g carbs per slice. I've been eating this way since 2012 and this is one of the recipes that's stayed in my regular rotation the longest.
What vegetables work best?
I've tried just about everything in this. Bell pepper, mushrooms, and black olives are my standard rotation. Onions work but dice them small so they cook through in the skillet. Zucchini and spinach are good in summer, but squeeze out the moisture first or your pizza gets watery. I pat sliced zucchini with a paper towel and wilt spinach separately before adding it.
How many net carbs are in each slice?
With the full build (sausage, cheese, pepperoni, and marinara), I get each slice down to under 5 g net carbs. When I leave out the marinara and bell pepper, it drops to around 0.5 g a slice. I count net carbs by subtracting fiber from total carbs, and almost all of what little is here comes from the sauce, with a trace from the cheese. It's one of the lowest-carb dinners I keep in steady rotation.
Can I make this in the air fryer?
Yes, and it's what I do when my skillet is already busy. I brown the sausage in a pan first, then layer everything into an oven-safe dish or a couple of ramekins and air fry at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and browned on top. I watch it the same way I watch the broiler, because the cheese goes from pale to scorched fast at that temperature.
Net carbs under three and it actually keeps you full, which is what got me to come back a few more times. Four stars. The concept works, but the seasoning guidance is actively hurting it. Italian seasoning and garlic powder are both listed optional, and if you take that literally, the sausage comes out flat and the whole thing tastes like nothing. Season your sausage first and ignore the 'optional' label. Same with the broil step, that's mandatory no matter what the recipe says. Three full minutes under the broiler and it finally tasted like what it's supposed to.
It smells like Friday nights for 2.8 net carbs.
Sausage and pepperoni crisping together is hard to compete with. We run this on Friday nights for exactly that reason, Crystal.
Making this for my husband who loves pizza but won't touch sausage. Would ground beef work as a straight swap, or does the higher fat content in sausage actually matter for how it all holds together under the broiler? I've done skillet meals with ground beef plenty of times, just wasn't sure if swapping it out changes things once you're under high heat with the cheese on top.
Jessica, ground beef works. I've made it that way. The fat difference doesn't change how it holds under the broiler. Cheese does that. Only thing you lose is the sausage seasoning, so go heavier on the Italian seasoning and garlic.
Wasn't sure a crustless pizza was actually going to scratch the nostalgia itch, but it did. Friday night pizza when I was a kid was almost ceremonial. Same corner place every week, extra pepperoni, the smell in the car on the way home. When the sausage went into the skillet with the Italian seasoning and garlic, my kitchen smelled like that for a minute, and it kind of stopped me. Then the pepperoni goes under the broiler and those little edges start to cup and brown and I was just standing there, not really expecting to feel that way about a skillet of sausage. I've gotten good at eating around the things I miss on keto, but this one didn't make me do that. Tasted like the thing. Not a workaround. Really grateful Annie put this one out there.
40 grams of fat sounded like a lot until I actually counted what I usually eat anyway. Pretty new to keto, still figuring out the math. Made this Tuesday night. Sausage browned in maybe eight minutes, had everything layered before I thought I was even close to the broiler. The bell pepper threw me a little. Mine came out with some crunch still in it and I couldn't tell if that was fine or if I did something wrong. The cheese under the broiler looked like actual pizza though, which I wasn't expecting at all. Should the pepper be mostly soft or is a little texture normal for this one?
Skip the broil if you're making this ahead and reheating by portions. Made a full pan Sunday, pulled it before the oven step, refrigerated it in quarters, then hit each piece under the broiler for about two minutes when I was actually eating. The cheese gets that same bubbly top, the pepperoni crisps up, and it doesn't turn rubbery from double-cooking. Four lunches, no sad desk food.
Stopping before the broil is the right call if you're portioning it out for the week. I've been making the whole pan and reheating slices, but each piece gets fresh-melted cheese this way. Four lunches out of one Sunday skillet, Holly.
Went in pretty sure the sausage layer was going to read as a meat bowl with cheese, not pizza. The pepperoni cups and chars under the broiler in a way I didn't expect, that's what actually locked in the pizza flavor for me. Nothing I've made with cauliflower crust has done that.
The charring is the whole thing. Pepperoni has enough fat that it cups and the edges go almost crispy-dark under direct heat. Cauliflower has almost no fat, so you get steam instead of browning. I've made probably a dozen cauliflower versions over the years and none of them tasted like pizza, even buried under mozzarella. The sausage base doesn't look like pizza going in, but the broiler fixes that.
One thing I figured out after making this a few times: drain off most of the fat from the sausage before you layer the cheese, otherwise it pools at the bottom and the topping layer gets greasy instead of set. First time I made it the mozzarella kind of floated and I couldn't figure out why. Small fix, real difference in how everything comes together. I also swapped in Rao's marinara instead of the straight pizza sauce and it's noticeably better, more tomato depth without changing the balance at all. Threw this together last week on a 95-degree day when turning on the full oven wasn't happening, and 2.5 minutes under the broiler in my Lodge had the pepperoni edges crisping up while everything underneath was still bubbling. This is my default now when I want pizza and don't want to deal with a crust.
Rao's is what I use too, way more depth. That fat step is real. Floating mozzarella is the giveaway.
Made this for a cookout last weekend and it was gone in ten minutes. First skillet thing I've ever brought somewhere that actually held up.
Ten minutes at a cookout is basically a compliment. The broiler step is what makes it travel, that sausage base sets up firm once it's had a couple minutes under high heat.
Found that pressing the sausage into a thinner, more even layer before adding the toppings gives you better cheese coverage and it heats through faster under the broiler. Took me two tries to figure that out, but it's the version I keep coming back to.
Thinner press, better broil. Took me a few runs to land there too.
Been keto almost two years and I had basically written pizza off. Made this on a random Wednesday night with what I had in the fridge and I genuinely wasn't prepared for how it felt to eat it. The broiler gets the cheese and pepperoni to this caramelized, slightly crispy top that I forgot existed. It's going on permanent weeknight rotation.
Two years is a long time to go without pizza. That caramelized top is the whole reason I build it this way. Glad a random Wednesday fixed that.
I've tried other sausage-base pizza bowls and they always come out kind of watery and flat. The broiler step is what I was missing. Two minutes on high and the cheese goes from pale to legitimately bubbling and browned, like actual pizza. No idea why I stuck with the other versions.
The pale cheese version is a completely different dish. Two minutes on high and the pepperoni even crisps up at the edges.
I figured without a crust it was just going to be a sausage scramble, but that broiled cheese on top? Actual pizza.
Ha, same thing I thought when I was testing it. Looks like a skillet scramble until that top layer goes under the broiler.
My husband saw the skillet come out and immediately said 'where's the crust,' then ate half the pan without another word. That sausage base holds all the cheese and pepperoni together so every bite has everything in it. Already planning to make it again Friday.
Silent skeptic ate half the pan. That's the reaction. See you Friday.
Probably on my sixth or seventh time making this at this point. The first few runs I followed the recipe pretty closely, but somewhere around batch three I started pushing the pepperoni slices toward the edges before it goes under the broiler, so they crisp up separately from the cheese. It sounds like a small adjustment but you end up with these little lacy, almost chip-like rounds around the outside that are genuinely the best part of the whole skillet. I also swapped half the mozzarella for provolone one night when the store was out, and the flavor was noticeably richer (the mozzarella by itself is fine but the provolone adds something underneath). The sausage releases a fair amount of liquid as it cooks, so I drain it pretty thoroughly before adding the sauce or the whole thing ends up watery. Not a dealbreaker, just worth knowing. Still making it most weeks.
Provolone swap is real. I'd do half and half over straight mozzarella at this point. And yeah, the sausage drain belongs in the recipe notes, it goes watery fast if you skip it.