Low Calorie Pizza

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5 from 759 votes
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My low calorie pizza recipe features a golden, chewy crust piled with toppings and savory pizza sauce. Have a slice for 50 calories or the WHOLE thing for only 400 calories!

Ready for more healthy pizza recipes? Try my protein pizza, eggplant pizza, or cloud bread pizza.

low calorie pizza

I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve tried EVERY low-cal pizza under the sun. Okay, maybe not literally every pizza, but you get the idea.

As I’ve yet to find a suitable replacement, I’ve begun making my own. For this recipe, I started with my Greek yogurt dough that’s baked until it’s golden, chewy, and fluffy. Pile on the pizza sauce and a few high-protein toppings, and voila! A diet-friendly pizza that doesn’t taste low-calorie!

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make low calorie pizza
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. Storage instructions
  6. Frequently asked questions
  7. More lower calorie recipes to try
  8. Low Calorie Pizza (Under 50 calories!) (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

  • The dough is easy to make. Thanks to the magic of self-rising flour, there’s no yeast, kneading, resting, nada. 
  • Fast. Again, no kneading or rest time means the entire process is quick. 
  • Customizable. Like any good pizza recipe, you can add any toppings you want. I left a few low-cal, high-protein options below. 
  • The perfect texture. The pizza crust is crispy on the outside and pillowy soft in the center, with a subtle tang from the yogurt. 
  • Only 50 calories per slice. That’s 400 calories for the entire pizza!

Ingredients needed

  • Self-rising flour. This is one of my favorite ingredients for baking. It’s essentially a combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. When mixed with yogurt, you get an elastic, pliable dough. I highly recommend making your own.
  • Non-fat Greek yogurt. To give the dough elasticity. You can also use plain yogurt, though the calories will be higher. And before you ask, you won’t taste the yogurt at all!
  • Salt. Even though the self-rising flour has a little salt, we add a pinch more just to balance out the flavor. 
  • Italian seasonings. To give the dough Italian flavor. 

For the low-calorie pizza sauce:

  • Tomato sauce. Also known as passata (not ketchup). Use one with no added sugar or salt. 
  • Garlic and onion powder. Adds flavor to the sauce. 
  • Italian seasonings. Both in the dough and the sauce.
  • Brown sugar substitute. Most pizza sauces have some sugar, so we cut the calories by adding a sprinkle of a brown sugar substitute. 
  • Salt and pepper. To taste. 
  • Toppings. I used part skim mozzarella cheese, but any fat free or low fat cheese works. I also added turkey pepperoni for extra protein.

Topping ideas

Don’t feel obligated to keep your pizza plain. Get creative! Some of my favorite lower calorie toppings are onions, spinach, mushrooms, olives, or fresh basil. Proteins like lean ground turkey, chicken sauce, or sliced chicken breast will help you keep fuller for longer.

How to make low calorie pizza

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven and line a pizza pan with parchment paper. Whisk together the tomato sauce ingredients.

Step 2- Make the dough. Combine the dough ingredients in a bowl until smooth. 

Step 3- Shape. Transfer the dough ball to a floured kitchen surface and roll it to ¼-inch thick. Place it on the prepared pan. 

Step 4- Assemble. Pour the sauce over the crust, and add half the cheese and all of the pepperoni. Top with the remaining cheese. 

Step 5- Bake. Bake until the cheese melts and the crust is golden. Let it cool briefly before slicing. 

how to make low calorie pizza

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Use a stand mixer. While optional, it’ll save you time making the dough. 
  • Consider the pan. If you prefer a thicker, crispier crust, try my cast iron pizza recipe using my low-cal dough and sauce. 
  • Stretch the dough with oil. Depending on the yogurt, sometimes the dough can be tacky. If you’re having difficulty stretching it to fit the pizza pan, lightly coat it in olive oil so it’s easier to work with. 

Storage instructions

To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

To freeze: Place leftover slices in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Reheating: Microwave slices for 20-30 seconds or warm in a preheated oven. 

low calorie pizza crust

Frequently asked questions

Which pizza is the lowest in calories?

Pizzas with the lowest calories usually have a thin crust, are heavy on vegetables and lean protein, and are light on cheese. 

Which pizza topping has the least calories?

Any veggie topping (like tomatoes, garlic, spinach, or bell peppers) will be the lowest in calories. For protein, opt for a lean protein like chicken breast or ham. 

More lower calorie recipes to try

low calorie pizza recipe

Low Calorie Pizza (Under 50 calories!)

5 from 759 votes
My low calorie pizza recipe features a golden, chewy crust piled with toppings and savory pizza sauce. Have a slice for 50 calories or the WHOLE thing for only 400 calories!
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 14 minutes

Ingredients  

For the low calorie pizza sauce

For the low calorie toppings

  • 1/2 cup fat free mozzarella cheese divided
  • 1/4 cup Pepperoni reduced fat or Turkey pepperoni

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a large baking sheet or pizza tray with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the flour and yogurt and mix until combined. Add the salt and Italian seasonings and shape into a smooth ball of dough.
  • Lightly flour a kitchen surface. Transfer the ball of dough on top and place a sheet of parchment paper on top. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into 1/4 inch of thickness. Transfer the dough onto the lined sheet or tray.
  • In a small ball, whisk together the sauce ingredients until smooth.
  • Spread the sauce over the pizza crust. Add half the shredded cheese, followed by the pepperoni, then the remaining cheese.
  • Transfer the pizza into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden. Remove the pizza from the oven and slice into eight slices.

Notes

Calories per slice are for the crust and sauce. With the toppings, each slice comes to 75 calories each.
TO STORE: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 
TO FREEZE: Place leftover slices in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. 
TO REHEAT: Microwave slices for 20-30 seconds or warm in a preheated oven. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 49kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSodium: 193mgPotassium: 41mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 51IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 7g
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’m always looking for ways to satisfy a craving in a healthy and convenient way. Stumbles across this recipe and thought it looked too good and too easy to be true.
    It’s not! It’s REALLY good! I was able to make two pizzas (one for me, one for my 17yo) in no time flat! We both loved it.. ..going to try making it in cast iron next time! Def my new go to easy comfort food dinner!

  2. 5 stars
    Arman, love love this, have made it many times and also your cast iron pizza. How wonderful to find a pizza recipe that is not fattening and not to mention so so easy to make.
    Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. I never tire of trying them out.

  3. 5 stars
    Great recipe ! Perfect for my diet , tastes great . I will make a few changes when I make it next , I will increase the recipe by another 1/2 cook the crust first & not use parchment paper on the pizza pan . Instead I will spray the pan & roll the dough out on it with sprayed parchment paper over the dough when rolling it out . I used turkey Pepperoni & fat free Mozzarella , came to only 265 calories for 1/2 the pizza !

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