This upside down pizza casserole is the perfect family friendly keto dish! It's so easy to make and can even be prepped ahead of time for a quick weeknight supper!
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I love a recipe that makes my family ask "I thought you weren't eating carbs?" because they could never guess that what they are eating is actually low carb. This Upside Down Pizza Casserole does just that!
It has all the flavors that you crave in a good pizza with a fraction of the carbs. It comes together easily and can even be made ahead of time for a quick weeknight supper! Add in your favorite pizza toppings to customize it to your taste for the PERFECT low carb craving killer!
In my family, we take our pizza seriously. I am well known among my kids' friends, for my AMAZING homemade pizza and breadsticks. I make everything from scratch, and it's delicious if I do say so myself! Unfortunately, it is FAR from low carb, so it's now something I only make on special occasions.
When transitioning to keto, and especially when trying to get your family on board, I think it's much easier to stick to foods that your family is familiar with. And since everyone is familiar with pizza, this recipe will do just that!
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Ground Beef - Ground turkey or Italian sausage would work great in place of the ground beef.
- Low Carb Marinara - Really any marinara sauce will work, but if you are counting carbs I recommend my recipe for easy low carb marinara or Rao's Marinara sauce.
- Pizza Toppings - For this recipe, I just went with the classic pepperoni, but the sky is the limit here! If you like it on your pizza feel free to use it in this casserole!
- Mozzarella cheese
- Cream cheese
- Almond Flour - I always get asked about substitutions for the almond flour. The crust recipe is essentially a fathead dough with some extra baking powder mixed in. You can substitute the crust recipe with any fathead dough that you like (including coconut versions).
- Baking Powder
- Garlic powder - use any italian seasonings that you like, or leave it out if you prefer.
- Egg
- Butter - you can also use butter flavored coconut oil, olive oil, or you can omit the topping entirely.
- Onion Powder
- Parsley
Yes, this recipe makes a great freezer meal! To do this, simply prepare it as directed up until the foil is removed at the end of baking.
Then, remove the casserole from the oven (after 30 minutes of baking) allow it to cool, and then tightly wrap it with foil and/or plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge or freezer.
Ideally, you would want to thaw it at least halfway before baking it from this point. But if you don't have time just reduce the baking temp a bit and cook covered with foil for 45-60 minutes or until it is heated through.
Most common pizza toppings are perfectly fine to enjoy while you are on a keto diet. Meats (like pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, ham, etc.) vegetables (like onions, peppers, olives, mushrooms, etc.) can be enjoyed without much concern for going over on carbs.
Be sure to check out these other great recipes:
- Homemade Meatballs | Keto
- Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce | Low Carb
- Pizza Dip with Garlic Breadsticks | Keto
- Homemade Frozen Pizzas | Keto
- Low Carb Chicken Parmesan Casserole
📖 Recipe
Upside Down Pizza Casserole | Keto, Gluten Free
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
- 1 ¼ Cup Low Carb Marinara Sauce
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- Pizza Toppings of Your Choice
Crust:
- 1 ¾ cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- 1 oz Cream Cheese
- 1 ¼ cups Almond Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Egg
Topping:
- 1 tablespoon Butter melted
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the ground beef and drain the excess grease. Combine the cooked beef with the marinara sauce and spread it into the bottom of a greased 7x11 casserole dish.
- Top the meat with about 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings.
- For the top "crust" layer, combine the mozzarella cheese with the cream cheese in a medium microwave safe bowl. Heat it in the microwave for 30 second intervals until the 2 cheeses are melted and combine easily. Then, add in the almond meal, baking powder, garlic powder, and egg.
- Spread this mixture on top of the cheese and toppings in your dish. I find it easiest to place the dough in even clumps on the top of the dish and then smoosh them together using my hands until the entire casserole is covered.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the top is browned.
- For the butter topping: Combine the melted butter with the garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley and brush on top of the "crust."
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
Nutrition
Barb says
Hi just curious would coconut flour work in this vs almond flour? I have a child allergic to almonds. Thank you
Sabra says
You can, but the ratios would be a little different since coconut flour is much more absorbent then almond flour. To ensure a good result, I would check out the coconut flour bagel recipe on lowcarbyum.com, and simply sub the crust in this recipe with that bagel recipe - the result should be pretty similar 🙂
Rebecca says
DELICIOUS! I’ve lost 25 lbs. on keto. You never feel deprived eating Upside Down Pizza Casserole. A winner!
Rebecca
Sabra says
Thank you so much, I am so glad that you enjoyed it!! You are totally right, there is a keto friendly substitute for just about anything that you could want. Congrats on your weight loss!!! 25 pounds is AMAZING!!
GranGran A says
I have lost 25 lbs. on Keto! Upside-Down pizza casserole is a delicious addition to my recipes!!!
Andrea says
Delicious!! I don’t tolerate almond flour so I subbed it out for a couple tbsp of coconut flour, added and extra egg and total of 2 oz of cream cheese plus increased the mozz to 2 cups. I used hamburger, mini pepperoni, bacon, and Canadian bacon. I would have added more veggies if it wasn’t for my picky teen. Picky teen approved!! Thanks it’s a keeper!!
Sabra says
I’m so glad you all liked it 🙂 and what is it with teenagers? Mine is super picky too all of a sudden, drives me crazy!
JPH says
I don't have a 7 x 11 casserole dish. I've only got a 9 x 13 or am 8 x 8. Which do you think would be better to use?
Sabra says
Either one should work fine. With an 8x8 you will might need to cook it a tad longer since the dough will be slightly thicker.
Ash says
Any tips for removing the egg? How about non nut based flours? This looks amazing but our food allergies are lengthy
Sabra says
This is a tough one. I *think* that most flours would work in place of the nut flours, but you would have to play around with the proportions a little. The egg gives the dough a little rise, bust mostly acts as a binder so you could probably just add a little extra cheese in it's place. Good luck!!
Shelly says
Can you freeze this recipe and bake later?
Sabra says
Yep! I usually bake it just until the top dough layer begins to brown before freezing, otherwise the texture changes a little.
To cook, I thaw it in the fridge and bake until it’s heated through and the top is fully browned.
Chris says
Made this tonight and it was amazing. Thank you for a good Keto recipe.
Sabra says
So glad that you enjoyed it!
Brooke Kingston says
This recipe is absolutely incredible. Everyone in my household gave it a “10.” I have been searching for YEARS for a family friendly alternative to pizza. This casserole is perfec in every way!! A million thanks for developing this “keeper” recipe. It’s phenomenal!
Sabra says
This comment just made my day! Thank you so much! I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed it 🙂
Natalie says
This was delicious! I made it exactly as the recipe states and it turned out great. I used pepperoni and bacon crumbles for the pizza "topping". Thank you for a yummy recipe!
Sabra says
I am definitely going to toss in bacon pieces the next time I make it! Thanks for the review!
Joellen says
Fabulous Keto recipe! Outstanding hit in this house!!
Janet says
Could you roll the crust between parchment then lay it on top or is the dough too sticky?
Sabra says
I think you could do that! maybe spray the parchment with nonstick spray just in case. Let me know how it goes!
Lucy says
I made this for dinner, it was excellent. I used a 9x13 pan and it was the same amount of time. I also put the crust in between two sheets of wax paper and pressed it out. Worked great. Thank you for the delicious recipe. I will be making this again soon.
Penny says
Could you please confirm that the amount of marinara sauce is 1and 1/4 cup. Also the amount of almond flour is 1 and 1/4 cup. Want to make this tomorrow.
Sabra says
Yep - the amounts on the recipe card are correct. Hope you like it!
Penny says
I made this on Tuesday, I used 1 lb of bulk Italian sausage instead of ground beef. This is the best recipe for pizza for keto people! My husband liked it too. Glad to have been surfing and found this. I will definitely make this again. Oh ,I forgot to mention, I let it set up in the fridge and we had it the next day for dinner.
Sabra says
Thanks so much for the kind review! So glad that you guys enjoyed it!
Stephanie, One Caring Mom says
I can not wait to make this for my family!!! I'm eating low carb so regular pizza just doesn't cut it these days. This will be the perfect substitute!
Lisa Rakouskas says
Yum!! I have been missing pizza a lot lately. This even made my two teens happy! They said “ it”’s too bad you can’t eat this mom.” When I told them I could they were stunned! It tastes like calzone
Cheri says
Holy Yum! I started keto three days ago, and was thrilled to find this recipe but also skeptical because pizza is my favorite food! I made it tonight for dinner for my family, and my husband (who is not on keto) went back for seconds! My college-age girls loved it as well. I could eat this every day and would make it even if I wasn't on keto. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
Sabra says
You're welcome Cheri! Glad you all enjoyed it and welcome to keto! xo
Kate Thomas says
I made this and it’s delish!
Deb Marshall says
Hello Sabra, I made this for supper tonight and both myself and my husband loved it. The only problem I had was smooshing the crust over top with my hands, it kept sticking. Now I'm wondering if the problem was that I used almond flour (as listed in the recipe ingredients), not the almond meal stated in the directions. I think the almond meal would make the crust a little more crispier than mine turned out, although we did enjoy it. Next time I will try the almond meal. Thanks for this recipe, I've been craving pizza for weeks now and this one fit the bill.
Sabra says
Glad that you all liked it! Although almond meal or flour should work just fine, that is a typo in the recipe. Other reviewers have suggested rolling out the top layer between 2 sheets of greased parchment, then laying it on top, so if you are having trouble, this sounds like the best solution to me.
Thanks for the review! xo
Phyllis says
The recipe states to put one cup of mozzarella cheese on top and then Marinera and beef. Then it states to add mozzarella to cream cheese, would that be the 3/4cup that is left over? Or is it still another 1 3/4 cup ?
Phyllis says
On top of the marinara and beef is what that should have said.
Freda Davies says
Love it! Love it! Love it! I ‘m not a great cook and had my doubts but all turned out perfectM no problem with the crust, just flatten it into two pieces and used my lifter to slide it onto pizza. Topping was mushroom and green pepper.
PS Is there a way I can follow you for recipes?
Sabra says
Hi Freda! So glad that you enjoyed this recipe! You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest @thismomsmenu You can also sign up for my email list by entering your email in the box at the top of the page. xo
Judy Knapp says
Do you taste the almond in the dough?
Sabra says
Hi Judy, I have never noticed the dough tasting like almond at all. Hope that helps!
Chris says
This. Was. Amazing. I, too, added bacon and it was fantastic! Definitely going in my playbook! Thank you!
Michelle says
Trying this tonight as after a month on Keto, my husband would practically kill somebody for a piece of pizza. He really wouldn't, but it has been his biggest crazing. Fingers-crossed!
Kristi says
I think I did something wrong, the almond flour didn't really incorporate into the cheese mixture. Suggestions? Still delicious though. I actually made with meatballs.
Sabra says
Make sure that your cheese is REALLY melted before you add in the almond flour and that should help!
Kristi Jones says
Thanks. Perhaps it was just barely melted. I will remember that for next time.
txgrandma says
This was great. My husband commented that he would like to see it in the rotation. (He rarely says that, lol!) I am planning to make this for my gluten free daughter and family very soon. I expect it will be a hit!
I am also thinking that it would be great with an Alfredo and chicken sauce instead of the marinara, for a change. Great idea. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sabra says
That's so great to hear! I definitely think you are on to something with that Alfredo idea 🤔
Sarah says
How does this reheat? Thinking of making it for my lunches next week....
Sabra says
Hi Sarah! We have been on vacation for the past few days and I am slowly making my way through comments, so I hope I am not answering this too late! This casserole reheats really well! The texture of the bread layer does tend to get a little dry when reheating, so I like to add a tad more marinara, or just pour some extra on it before heating it up. Hope that helps!
Ana says
Looks Amazing will be trying with ground turkey instead of hamburger...should be lil lower on carbs n fat maybe?
Sabra says
Hope you enjoy it! Ground turkey will reduce the calories and fat, if you select a lean ground turkey but the carbs will be the same 🙂
B says
Made last night and the fiancé said it was the best keto recipe we've tried so far.
Jackie says
Excellent recipe! Take out pizza was the most difficult thing for me to give up-- recipes like this help me to stay on track. Thank you!
Marda says
I do not need a gluten free recipe. Can I use regular flour instead of the almond flour?
Sabra says
I'm not sure that regular flour would work. You could just substitute a traditional pizza crust recipe for the topping in this though! Hope that helps if you try it let me know how it turns out!
Beverly says
Can this be made without the egg
Sabra says
You can leave the egg out, although the texture will not be quite as bread like.
Michelle says
Hi Sabra, I Did read the comments about a typo. Which would be better the almond flour or Meal? Thank you
Sabra says
Almond flour would be best. If you only have meal, you can pulse it in a blender for a few minutes to make it a bit finer. Hope that helps!
Corrinne says
Wonderfull recipe that feels like I'm cheating but NOT!! Even my teenagers love it. It took me three tries before I really mastered the crust but It was well worth it, I love the recipe!!!
Bonnie says
It has been hard satisfying my family of 4 while doimg low carb, until I found this recipe. I don’t even feel like I'm on a diet with this recipe. My pizza loving toddler loves it. So easy to throw together. I made this recipe in advance and stored in the fridge for a few days before putting it in the oven and ut was still yummy. Perfect for a busy working mom that has little time to prep for dinner during the week.
Sabra says
YAY! So happy to hear it's been a hit 🙂
Marianne says
It was very good. The whole family liked it very much.
Michelle says
This is so yummy! I added shredded parmesan to the mozzarella topping, Italian seasoning to the dough and grated parmesan on top....IT WAS FANTASTIC!
Melissa says
Hi, when do you add the top butter layer? After you take the cover off?