The ultimate keto-friendly comfort food
You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who isn’t seduced by the mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked pizza. But if you’re a devout low-carber or following a grain free diet, traditional pizza bases just don’t fit the bill.
Ultra-low carb and grain free, this pizza is packed with protein and fat making it a fantastic work-around to satisfy your cravings. Plus, each serving gives you over 50% of your daily vitamin C, vitamin A and calcium requirements.
Using the versatile cloud bread as its base, this pizza delivers a fluffy, cheese based dough which, when teamed with the deliciously aromatic toppings, makes for keto approved meal fit for any Friday night. Or Monday. Or Tuesday. Or, well, any day of the week.
Most pizza sauces are laden in sugar, which can ruin even the best-intentioned low-carb pizza. Whilst you could get away with simply spreading tomato puree on your base, the keto tomato sauce really does elevate the dish, resulting in a delicious, authentic pizza that delivers a little slice of heaven. You can also use the sauce with other Italian-style meals or snacks like keto meatballs or served over courgetti.
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Makes: 2 Servings
Ingredients
For the crust
4 eggs (ideally organic, free range to get the most nutritional value)
125g soft cheese (full fat is best)
1/2 tsp sea salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground psyllium husk powder (optional)
¼ tsp cream of tartar (optional)
For the toppings
One batch Keto-friendly Tomato Sauce
½ red onion, sliced
½ green bell pepper, sliced
½ red bell pepper sliced
100g feta cheese
150g red leicester cheese
½ tsp dried oregano
Handful fresh basil leaves
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan/gas mark 3) and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Separate egg whites from yolks into two bowls.
Whip egg whites together with salt and cream of tartar (if using) until very stiff peaks form – about 2 to 3 minutes. You should be able to carefully turn the bowl upside down without it falling out.
Add soft cheese to egg yolks and mix until smooth and frothy.
Add baking powder to the egg yolk mixture and psyllium husk (if using) and mix until combined
Gently fold a third of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture - be as gentle as you can so you keep the air in the egg whites. Fold in another third before finally adding the rest and folding again until incorporated.
Spread the mixture with a spatula, onto your prepared baking tray to about ½ inch (1 cm) thick.
Bake in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes or until golden.
Allow to cool for a few minutes. In the meantime, set your grill to medium-high and give it a few minutes to warm up completely.
Spread the pizza sauce over the top of the crust. Arrange the red onion, following by the peppers. Then sprinkle with the feta and red leicester. Finally sprinkle with the dried oregano.
Cook under the grill for about 5-6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust is a dark golden-brown. Check regularly to prevent the crust burning. Sprinkle the top with fresh basil leaves before cutting and serving.
Pro tip:
To get the best results, make sure your whisked egg whites are extremely firm and that your egg yolk mixture is perfectly smooth.
Experiment with different seasonings to alter the flavour of your end product. Garlic powder and mixed herbs added to the really add to the authentic flavour.
For an extra cheesy pizza, try adding about 50g grated mozzarella to your cloud bread dough.
You can substitute flavoured soft cheese, mascarpone cheese, cottage cheese or full-fat Greek yogurt for the soft cheese.
Cloud bread pizza changes its consistency the next day or when cooled down but arguable tastes eve better. Assuming it’s not all eaten rather rapidly by then!
Low-carb and keto topping options are endless: nitrate-free bacon, mushrooms, blue cheese, shredded chicken, sautéed onions, gouda cheese… you can choose your own adventure.
Try making a batch of cloud pizza bases in advance and store them for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Storage:
Cloud bread pizza does best when stored in the fridge and can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. You will notice that the bread will take on a softer texture after it has been refrigerated.
Cloud bread by itself can freeze for up to three months. To reheat, place frozen keto cloud bread in the fridge to thaw overnight. Then warm it up in a toaster oven or regular oven until it is heated thoroughly.
Nutrition per serving:
Total carbs: 6g
Net carbs: 5g
Fibre: 1g
Fat: 33g
Protein: 29g
Kcal: 420