Pizza Meatloaf
Published June 5, 2021 • Updated August 4, 2026
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I make this low carb pizza meatloaf instead of ordering on Friday nights, and my kids don't even notice there's no crust. Seasoned ground beef and pork topped with marinara, melted mozzarella, and crispy pepperoni.
I started making this because my kids kept asking for pizza on Friday nights, and I needed something that hit all the same notes without a crust. What I landed on was everything good about pizza (marinara, mozzarella, pepperoni) layered on top of a seasoned meatloaf base. One of my readers, Denise, said her teenager cleaned his plate and asked if she’d ordered from somewhere. That’s the reaction I was going for.
The base is half ground beef, half ground pork. I tested these separately before settling on the 50/50 ratio. All beef dried out, and all pork left a greasy puddle at the bottom of the pan. The blend gives you enough fat to stay juicy without the excess. Crushed pork rinds replace breadcrumbs as the binder, and they add a subtle background crunch that almond flour and parmesan can’t quite match. If you want to see the same pork panko technique in a different flavor profile, my keto sheet pan meatloaf is a good comparison.
I use a 7-inch round cake pan on purpose. Most recipes call for a loaf pan, but the round shape lets you slice it into wedges like an actual pizza pie. When you set it on the table and cut it that way, the whole presentation clicks. It’s a small choice that makes dinner feel like pizza night instead of meatloaf night. For a completely different spin, the BBQ cheeseburger meatloaf goes the burger-and-cheddar route.
The technique I wish I’d figured out sooner: pull it when the internal temp hits 155 degrees and let it rest tented with foil for 10 minutes. Carryover heat finishes the cook, and the cheese layer sets instead of sliding off when you slice. I used to leave it in until the mozzarella looked done, and it went rubbery every single time. Reader Aaliyah figured this out independently, which made me feel better about how many attempts it took me to land on it.
This keto pizza meatloaf is solid for meal prep too. I’ve sliced leftovers cold for packed lunches, reheated them in the oven until the cheese bubbles again, and even crumbled leftover slices into lasagna as a filling (reader Gerry’s idea, and it works). If you want more low carb pizza options without a traditional crust, the crustless pizza is faster for weeknights and the deep dish pizza scratches the itch when you want real dough.
At 2.2g net carbs per serving, this fits even strict daily macros. I make a double batch most Sundays and it covers two dinners plus packed lunches through midweek.
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Ingredients
1/2 onion, diced -
1 lb ground beef
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1 lb ground pork
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1 cup pork panko
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1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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1 teaspoon oregano
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1 teaspoon parsley
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1 egg
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2 teaspoons minced garlic
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5 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
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1/3 cup low-carb marinara
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10 slices pepperoni
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix ingredients
In a large bowl, mix onion, ground beef, ground pork, pork panko, red pepper, oregano, parsley, egg and garlic.
Put meatloaf in pan
Place into a 7” round cake pan, loaf pan or casserole dish. Push down to mold meat to fit the loaf pan or dish.
Marinara time
Add half of the marinara to the top of the meatloaf and spread to cover evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and place into the oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Pepperoni
Remove foil, add remaining sauce and ½ of the pepperoni slices. Replace foil and place back into the oven for 20 minutes.
Finish your pizza
Add cheese and remaining pepperoni to the top of the meatloaf. Place back into the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve pizza pie style.
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 stuff the cheese and pepperoni inside instead of on top?
I've tried rolling mozzarella and pepperoni inside the meat, and it works if you don't overstuff. I use about half the cheese rolled inside and save the rest for on top so you still get that melted pizza look. Keep the meat layer thin enough to roll without tearing.
What internal temperature should this reach?
I pull mine at 155 degrees and tent it with foil for 10 minutes. The carryover heat brings it up to 160, and the cheese sets instead of sliding off when you cut. I used to bake until the cheese looked done and it went rubbery every time.
Can I use Italian sausage instead of ground pork?
One of my readers did this by accident and loved the result. I've since tried it myself and it works well. Italian sausage has more seasoning built in, so I cut back on the oregano and red pepper flakes in the base mix. The texture runs a bit denser but the flavor is worth it.
How do I keep the mozzarella from going rubbery or sliding off?
Two things I've learned after making this too many times to count: don't overbake after adding the cheese (5-7 minutes max), and let the whole thing rest before slicing. If you cut into it straight from the oven, the cheese hasn't set and it pulls off in sheets. I tent mine with foil for about 10 minutes and the difference is night and day.
Can I make this ahead and freeze it before baking?
I've frozen the shaped, unbaked meatloaf without the toppings and it held up well for up to 3 months. I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap then foil. When I'm ready, I thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed, adding the marinara, cheese, and pepperoni in the last stage.
What pan works best for this recipe?
I use a 7-inch round cake pan because it lets me slice wedges like actual pizza, which is half the fun for my kids. A loaf pan works too but you get rectangular slices. Some people shape a free-form loaf on a sheet pan, and that works for easier browning on the sides. I find the round pan holds everything together better and keeps the marinara from running off.
How should I store leftovers?
I keep slices in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. For reheating, I use the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes so the cheese gets bubbly again (the microwave makes it rubbery). I've also eaten slices cold for packed lunches and they hold up well that way.
Can I use turkey or chicken instead of ground beef and pork?
I've tested both. They work but the result is leaner and drier since you're losing the fat from the pork. I add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the mix when I use turkey. Ground chicken is the driest option, so I mix in a beaten egg yolk too for moisture.
Tilt the pan and blot any pooled fat before adding the second marinara layer. Two pounds of beef and pork give off enough that it pools under the sauce and softens the bottom, which I noticed my first time around. Once I added that step, the cheese melted right and the pepperoni crisped up.
That fat pool under the second layer was my first mistake too. Round pans collect it right in the center. Tilt and blot before the marinara, then the pepperoni actually crisps instead of steaming.
This is officially our Friday pizza night replacement, so I'm trying to nail down a prep-ahead routine. Can I put together the full loaf (meat, marinara, pepperoni and all) the night before, refrigerate it, then bake Friday, or does sitting raw overnight do something weird to the texture?
Italian sausage smell without the sausage. fennel in the pork.
Smart. Half teaspoon of fennel seed and the pork smells exactly like Italian sausage.
By day two the marinara's sunk into the meat and concentrated. Honestly reheats better than it comes out of the oven fresh. Full batch Sunday, slice into six, and by Tuesday it doesn't taste like leftovers anymore. 90 seconds in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel keeps the cheese from going rubbery. The beef-pork ratio holds tighter than straight ground beef after a couple days in the fridge, so the slices actually stay together.nnSwitched from a round cake pan to a loaf pan specifically for this. Rectangular slices pack flat, don't slide around. Six servings, 44g protein each. Almost no cleanup.
beef and pork together looked like extra work. wrong.
Two pounds of meat, one bowl. The pork fat is the whole point.
the pepperoni crisps. finally.
Steve, that crinkle edge is the whole payoff. I spent two batches figuring out the timing. Add them in too early and they just steam into the cheese.
Friday pizza night was a big deal growing up, and I mourned it quietly when I went keto. This brought it back in a way I wasn't prepared for. The oregano and red pepper with the marinara smells exactly like when my mom used to open a delivery box on Fridays. I teared up a little, not going to lie. Four stars because I overdid the marinara my first time, but that one's on me.
That delivery box smell was exactly what I was going for with the spice ratios. Teared up a little reading this one. The marinara is the one place in this recipe where more actually hurts. 1/3 cup, pressed in lightly. Over that and the top steams instead of setting and the cheese layer goes soft where you need it firm. You already caught it.
Tried four other keto pizza meatloaf recipes before this one, and they all have the same problem -- you can taste the effort. The beef and pork blend fixed that. Texture is actually tender instead of that rubbery thing you get with all ground beef, and pork panko holds it together in a way almond flour never did for me. When the pepperoni crisps up those last few minutes and the marinara starts caramelizing at the edges, it stops feeling like a workaround and just tastes like food. Three years keto, not easily impressed. Made it four times now. Cleared out my old rotation.
Four times with a rotation clear is the real bar. The beef and pork split does that thing where it stops reading as 'keto version of a thing' and just tastes like the thing. I clocked that the first time I made the blend too.
Swapped in hot Italian sausage for the ground pork and used Rao's on top, and now I genuinely cannot make regular meatloaf anymore.
Hot Italian gives it a heat the red pepper flakes can't replicate. I scaled back the oregano when I tested it, otherwise the sausage seasoning and the base spices fight. Rao's on top was a good call.
Pull the foil back gently when you add the second layer of pepperoni and press each slice lightly into the sauce before replacing it. They crisp up at the edges instead of just steaming on top.
Wasn't sold on the pork panko as a binder, seemed like an odd swap. Made it anyway, and the texture is better than a standard meatloaf. The beef and pork combo holds together without getting dense, and the pepperoni on top crisps up in a way I didn't expect. This is going in the weeknight rotation.
Pork panko is a weird one. Took me a few batches to trust it but the regular breadcrumb version went dense on me every time. Glad it clicked.
grieved friday pizza nights for four months and then this came out of the oven with the pepperoni crisped up and i genuinely had to sit down
Four months is a long time to miss a Friday. That's exactly why I make this every week.
Brought this to an Easter potluck with my wife's family and nobody touched it for the first 20 minutes because, you know, it's meatloaf (it is, but like in the best way possible). Then my brother-in-law tried a slice and basically stood next to the dish for the rest of the night. The pepperoni gets this crispy edge where it meets the marinara that I genuinely didn't see coming, and that's what got people. Doubled the pepperoni on top next time around and it only got better.
A brother-in-law parked at the dish for two hours is a better endorsement than anything. That crispy pepperoni edge is what does it.
My son has this rule that pizza needs a crust or it doesn't count as pizza. I made this expecting a full negotiation and instead he ate his whole plate without commentary, which in 10-year-old terms is basically the highest possible praise. The pepperoni crisps up on top in a way that's hard to argue with. Going in the Friday night rotation.
No negotiation, empty plate. That's the whole verdict.
My son started calling it 'the meat pizza' halfway through dinner, which might be the highest compliment he's capable of giving anything. He even picked off the pepperoni first, same way he does with delivery. Next time I'm doubling the marinara layer.
'The meat pizza.' That's a better name. The pepperoni pick-off tracks. Double the marinara is smart, the meat can take it.