Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
A cheesy, saucy low-carb pizza casserole loaded with Italian sausage, pepperoni, vegetables, and mozzarella — no crust required.
Ingredients
Pizza Bake
- 1 jar (24 oz / 680 g) Rao’s Homemade marinara sauce
- 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage, mild or spicy
- 5 oz (140 g) sliced pepperoni
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
- 8 oz (225 g) mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Optional Toppings
- Sliced black olives
- Banana peppers
- Diced jalapeños
- Extra mozzarella
- Fresh basil
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
2. Cook the Sausage
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the Italian sausage and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and fully cooked.
Drain excess grease if necessary.
3. Add the Vegetables
Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms.
Cook for 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Cook for another 30–60 seconds.
4. Add the Marinara
Pour the entire jar of Rao’s marinara into the skillet.
Stir everything together and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
5. Assemble the Pizza Bake
Spread half of the meat and marinara mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan.
Add half of the pepperoni.
Spread the remaining meat mixture over the top.
Finish with the remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, and pepperoni.
Add any additional pizza toppings you like.
6. Bake
Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling around the edges.
For a more golden top, switch the oven to broil for 1–2 minutes at the end. Watch it closely so the cheese doesn’t burn.
7. Rest and Serve
Let the pizza bake rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Garnish with fresh basil or Parmesan if desired.
Nutrition
Approximate per serving, assuming 6 servings:
- Calories: 490
- Protein: 30 g
- Fat: 37 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Net Carbs: 7 g
Tip: For an even lower-carb version, use Rao’s marinara with the lowest available added sugar, skip the onions, and load it up with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, spinach, and extra cheese.
