This low carb Meatza Recipe (aka Meat Crust Pizza) with Italian Sausage shows that you can get a fully satisfying pizza experience without the crust. In this recipe, the meat IS the crust!
It’s a little ironic that my favorite pizza toppings are literally just red sauce and cheese. Ok, and basil too. Or sometimes if I’m feeling really wild and crazy I’ll go for mushrooms (YUM). But meat on my pizza just usually isn’t my thing.
Enter Meatza, which is basically a meat-lovers dream pizza, and I love it!
I don’t know the origin of Meatza (can anyone help? If so, please leave a comment below), but the first time I made it was about 10 years ago. I used one of Melissa Joulwan’s recipes from her Well Fed cookbooks. (Side Note: Her recipes are killer, even if you’re not paleo!) And I’ve been making different versions of Meatza ever since.
The Best Meatza Recipe (aka Meat Crust Pizza)
There’s no reason pizza night has to be full of carbs, and if you want something different than cauliflower crust or fathead dough, I have you covered!
When you make Meatza, the crust is whatever ground meat you like, topped with whatever toppings you like. It’s basically just a huge, thin hamburger that’s baked with pizza toppings. (And it’s so good!)
In its simplest form, Meatza crust is just ground meat. However, you can add any seasonings you want, such as:
- Salt and black pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- Coconut aminos
- Ground spices, such as cumin, paprika, etc.
- Minced herbs, like rosemary, thyme, etc.
- Minced garlic
- Grated onion
Pro Tip: I like to use Italian turkey sausage (instead of ground beef or another ground meat) to make Meatza because it’s already seasoned! Just look for one that doesn’t have sugar added.
The sky is the limit when it comes to Meatza pizza toppings! Here are a few ideas:
- Red sauce
- White sauce (similar to alfredo sauce, or just spread on ricotta cheese and some garlic sauteed in olive oil)
- Cheese
- Olives
- Onion
- Mushrooms
- Bell pepper
- Banana pepper
Pro Tip: If you add veggies that have a lot of water (such as mushrooms and/or bell peppers), slice them very thinly or quickly saute them first before topping the Meatza.
Meatza Ingredients
- 1 pound ground meat (here we use bulk Italian turkey sausage; you can also use ground beef (90% lean or leaner works well), ground turkey, or ground chicken)
- 1/2 cup of favorite tomato pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- Any toppings you like (here we use green bell pepper, red onion, and Kalamata olives)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Think of Meatza as a big, thin burger that’s topped with pizza toppings. It’s really easy to make!
- Spread 1 pound of ground meat out into a circle on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400F until fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Use a paper towel to gently blot off any liquid.
- Top with tomato sauce and cheese.
- If you want, add your favorite pizza toppings!
- Bake at 425F until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. If desired, briefly broil to brown the cheese in spots (stay with it, this can happen fast!)
Meatza FAQs
What Other Meat Can I Use For Meatza?
Whatever meat you use, make sure it’s ground! Here are a few options:
- Beef (90% lean works well)
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Sausage (I like Italian turkey sausage because I don’t have to add any seasonings!)
What Can I Serve with Meatza to Make it a Full Meal?
This pizza-inspired low carb delight is delicious with anything you’d serve with regular pizza! Here are a few ideas:
- Carrot and celery sticks
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Low Carb)
- Extra Crispy Beer Battered Onion Rings
- Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks (Low Carb)
How Can I Make This Recipe Paleo?
Simply omit the cheese!
More Low Carb Pizza Recipes to Try
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xoxo, Faith
Easy Low Carb Meatza Recipe (aka Meat Crust Pizza) with Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian turkey sausage bulk, not in casing
- 1/2 cup low-carb tomato pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded Muenster cheese or any kind of shredded cheese you like
- 4 thin slices green bell pepper
- 3 slices red onion
- 2 tablespoons Kalamata olives pitted and halved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Spread the sausage out to a circle about 10 inches in diameter on a large baking tray. Bake until fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Gently blot off excess liquid once cooked.
- Turn the oven up to 425F.
- Spread the pizza sauce on top of the cooked meat. Sprinkle on the cheese. Top with the green bell pepper, red onion, and olives.
- Bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes at 425F.
- You can run it briefly under the broiler after that if you want the cheese to brown in spots.
- Serve warm.
Faith’s Tips
- Net Carbs: 6g per serving
- The Meat Base: I like to use Italian turkey sausage to make Meatza because it’s already seasoned! Just look for one that doesn’t have sugar added. You could also use ground beef (90% lean works well), ground chicken, or ground turkey.
- Veggies With a High Water Content: To use veggies that have a lot of water (such as mushrooms and/or bell peppers) as a topping, slice them very thinly or quickly saute them first.
- Ground Beef Topping: If you want to add ground beef as a topping for any pizza, be sure to brown it first!
Nutrition
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
I tried this first in the 1990’s from the Atkins Diet and have made it with many variations since reading their diet plan book. Always a hit.
I’m seriously going to try this. Like in half an hour.
That sounds delicious; thanks for the shout out for my Deconstructed Pizza Casserole! I love dishes with pizza flavors but no crust!