Low-Carb Pizza Casserole
By Kath Dedon
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We have had this Low-Carb Pizza Casserole a couple of times now, and I just love it! Even Bob, who really can’t get very excited about pizza, likes it. So I decided it’s a recipe to share.
The recipe was developed by Kalyn Denny and you can find it on her blog, Kalyn’s Kitchen. Click here to see her recipe, including a video that shows you how easy it is to make. (By the way, Kalyn’s blog is a great resource if you are watching your carbs. She’s been sharing low-carb recipes for 13 years!)
It does take a little bit of time to separately cook the sausage and then the mushrooms, but this Low-Carb Pizza Casserole is super-easy and can be on the table in less than an hour.
One of the things I love most about this recipe is the fact that the leftovers reheat beautifully in a microwave oven. I love to pack leftovers in my lunch when I’m subbing! In fact, I find I crave this just for the leftovers!
If you like pizza but don’t want the carbs, do give this Low-Carb Pizza Casserole a try. It can easily be adapted to suit your taste. You could use black olives, green peppers, or onions. Just think about your favorite pizza toppers. I even thought of swapping the sausage and mushrooms for cubes of ham and pineapple for a Hawaiian pizza version! However, I know Bob would not eat it so that version will probably not be happening in my kitchen.
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Low-Carb Pizza Casserole + The Dedon House Salad = Dinner!
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Low-Carb Pizza Casserole
(Adapted from Kalyn Denny’s recipe for “Low-Carb Deconstructed Pizza Casserole” on her Kalyn’s Kitchen blog)
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Serves 4 – 6 (Kalyn says it serves 6, but at our house it’s 4 generous servings.)
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1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (do not use petite dice)
1 pound Italian sausage (Use bulk sausage or remove the casings from links.)
2 tsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil
¾ tsp. dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
12 oz. fresh mushrooms, washed and cut into thick slices
1½ cups (6 oz.) grated Mozzarella cheese
15 slices pepperoni, cut in half
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I found all of the ingredients at my local Safeway.
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- Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil an 8-inch x 11-inch (2 quart) baking dish.
- Put the tomatoes in a strainer to drain.
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3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When it’s hot, add 2 teaspoons of the oil and swirl it around to cover the bottom.
4. Add the sausage and cook until it is done, breaking it up as it cooks.
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5. When the sausage is done, put it in the prepared baking dish.
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6. Top the sausage with the drained tomatoes. Sprinkle the oregano and grind the pepper over the tomatoes. (If you use unsalted tomatoes, sprinkle with a bit of salt.)
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7. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until done and starting to brown.
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8. Spread the mushrooms out over the tomatoes.
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9. Cover the mushrooms with the cheese.
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10. Spread the pepperoni out over the cheese.
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11. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
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Kath – this looks very yummy. I’m think of adding a base of thin sliced baked eggplant on the bottom. Seeing that bag of Tillamok cheese brings back fond memories of being at the creamery and having a fresh waffle cone full of their butter brickle ice cream.