Peppers pizza is just the thing when you crave pizza 🍕 but prefer to avoid a doughy crust!
It's a super easy recipe that's ready in about 30 minutes. I love making it for an easy lunch.
After transitioning to a low-carb diet, I started looking for ways to enjoy the wonderful flavors of pizza - tangy tomato sauce, bubbly cheese, and flavorful toppings - without them being attached to a doughy base.
I think I've become pretty good at this (here are my keto pizza recipes). This peppers pizza is a great example and one of my favorite lunches. I make it almost every week.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make peppers pizza. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Bell peppers: You can use any color you like, and it's actually fun to combine a few colors.
Pizza sauce: I like to use a sugar-free sauce such as Rao's.
Shredded mozzarella: Sometimes, instead of mozzarella, I use an Italian cheeses mix or shredded provolone.
Pizza toppings: Whatever you like! I like pepperoni, but you can use other toppings - olives are good, for example, and so are red onions.
Olive oil spray: This is for giving the peppers a quick coating of oil before putting them in the oven.
Instructions
Making peppers pizza is easy! The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
Prep the vegetables. Start by preparing the bell peppers. Cut them in half lengthwise and remove the core and membranes.
Stuff them with pizza ingredients. Add marinara sauce, mozzarella, and your desired toppings to each bell pepper half.
Bake. Place them in a baking dish, spray them with olive oil, and bake them for 20-30 minutes in a 400°F oven, until the peppers are tender-crisp and the cheese is melted.
Expert tips
When prepping the bell peppers, you can leave the stems intact. It makes for a pretty presentation.
Although it's best to layer the filling - sauce, cheese, more sauce, and more cheese - when I'm feeling lazy I simply add the sauce, then the cheese, then the toppings.
Frequently asked questions
I like to use bell peppers. You can also use mini peppers or - if you enjoy spicy food - poblano peppers. It's pretty when you use different pepper colors.
You could try broiling it six inches below the heating element (not directly below) for 3-5 minutes. But I prefer baking this dish. When broiling, you run the risk of burning it, and it can also result in the peppers being too crunchy.
There are several veggies that can be used as an alternative pizza base. A few of my favorites are portobello mushrooms, eggplants, and zucchini.
Substitutions
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
- As mentioned above, you can use mini peppers or even poblanos.
- Mozzarella is a classic, but shredded prvolone works too.
- Try sprinkling a tablespoon of dry-grated parmesan cheese on the peppers before baking them.
- You can use different toppings. While I enjoy pepperoni and olives, other options include red onions and small cooked mushrooms (or even well-drained canned mushrooms).
Serving suggestions
I love making this dish for lunch. It's so tasty and filling and you don't need anything else to go with it. Here's my lunch plate from the other day:
If I make this recipe for dinner, I also add an easy side dish such as microwave broccoli or arugula salad.
Storing leftovers
Leftovers are actually very good. First, allow them to cool. Then place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
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Recipe card
30-Minute Peppers Pizza
INGREDIENTS
- 3 medium bell peppers
- ¾ cup sugar-free pizza sauce I use Rao's
- ¾ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
- Your choice of toppings (I use pepperoni and olives)
- Olive oil spray
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a small rectangular rimmed baking dish with olive oil. The baking dish that I use is from Sur La Table. It measures 10 X 7 inches and holds about 2 quarts.
- Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove their core and membranes. You can remove the stem or cut around it gently to leave it intact.
- Arrange the peppers in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Layer the filling: Spoon 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce into each bell pepper half. Top with 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella, 2 more tablespoons of sauce, and finish with 2 more tablespoons of mozzarella.
- Add your toppings. I like to use pepperoni (2-3 slices per pepper half) and sliced black olives.
- Lightly spray the peppers with olive oil. Bake, uncovered, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted, 20-30 minutes. Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
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NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 