Bell pepper pizza is just the thing when you crave pizza 🍕 but prefer to avoid grains and unnecessary carbs!
This recipe is one of my favorite lunches. I love the flavors of pizza, and bring able to enjoy them layered on a vegetable base is wonderful.
My kids love bell pepper pizza too, which makes me very happy indeed. I'd much rather make these for them than another of their faves, which is bagel pizza.
A keto pizza alternative
I feel pretty confident in saying that for most of us who adopt a keto or a low carb diet, giving up pizza is one of the hardest things to do.
For the most part, I have found that I can let go of my old eating habits fairly easily. After all, there are so many wonderful low carb and keto options! But pizza is one thing that I do miss.
My solution? Finding ways to enjoy the wonderful pizza flavors - tangy tomato sauce, bubbly cheese, and flavorful toppings - without them being attached to a high-carb, doughy base.
I think I've become pretty good at this (here are my keto pizza recipes). Bell pepper pizza is a great example. You get to enjoy the yummy flavors, without the extra carbs and calories.
The ingredients needed for this recipe
You'll only need a few ingredients to make this tasty keto meal (this is an overview. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below):
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 if you'd rather avoid processed meats, 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.
How to make bell pepper pizza
It's so easy! The detailed instructions are 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 for about 20 minutes at 400°F.
How to serve bell pepper pizza
I love making this dish for lunch. See the photos? That's basically my lunch plate. Tasty and filling. If I make it for dinner, I also add an easy side dish such as microwave broccoli.
Can I keep leftovers?
Yes, you can. First, allow them to cool. Then place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
More bell pepper recipes that you might enjoy
One of my favorites, and a very easy one, is this recipe for roasted bell peppers. And these ground beef stuffed peppers do require some work, but they are wonderful, and you can make them ahead of time and reheat.
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Bell Pepper Pizza
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium bell peppers
- 0.5 cup sugar-free pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella
- Your choice of toppings (I used 4 slices uncured pepperoni)
- Olive oil spray
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the core and membranes.
- Layer the filling: Spoon 2 tablespoons pizza sauce into each bell pepper half. Top with 2 tablespoons mozzarella, then with 2 more tablespoons pizza sauce, and finally sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons mozzarella. Add your toppings.
- Place the stuffed bell peppers on the prepared baking sheet. Spray them with olive oil. Bake, uncovered, until peppers are tender and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
NOTES
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. 