Low Calorie Pizza
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My low calorie pizza features a golden, chewy crust topped with a homemade pizza sauce and your choice of toppings. Each slice comes in significantly lighter than traditional pizza. It’s an easy option for a more balanced pizza night.
I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve tried just about every lighter pizza variation out there. While some were good, none quite matched the texture and flavor of a classic slice. Traditional pizza can contain 200–300+ calories per slice, depending on the crust and toppings, which adds up quickly. So I went back to my kitchen to develop my own version.
I use my Greek yogurt dough as the base, replacing part of the traditional flour-and-oil dough while still baking up golden and chewy. Paired with a simple sauce and measured toppings, it creates a pizza that’s lighter per slice while still delivering the structure and flavor of any good pizza.
Table of Contents
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.
- The perfect texture. The pizza crust is crispy on the outside and pillowy soft in the center, with a subtle tang from the yogurt.
- 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.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into this low calorie pizza crust, along with kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- 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. If you don’t have any on hand, you can easily make your own.
- Non-fat Greek yogurt. To give the dough elasticity. The yogurt bakes into the dough and doesn’t leave a noticeable tang. You can also use plain yogurt, though it will be higher in calories.
- Salt. Even though the self-rising flour has a little salt, we add a pinch more just to balance out the flavor.
- Italian seasoning. Optional, but it adds an Italian flavor to the dough.
For the low-calorie pizza sauce:
- Tomato sauce. Also known as passata (not ketchup). Use one with no added sugar or salt.
- Spices. I’m using garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning for flavor.
- Brown sugar substitute. Most pizza sauces have some sugar, so we cut the calories by adding a sprinkle of a brown sugar substitute.
- 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 sausage, or sliced chicken breast will help you feel fuller for longer.
How to make low calorie pizza
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 about 10 inches wide. 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.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use a stand mixer (optional). While I prefer mixing the dough by hand, a stand mixer helps incorporate the yogurt evenly and create a smoother texture.
- Consider the pan. For a thicker, crispier crust, bake in a preheated cast iron skillet. For a thinner crust, use a pizza pan or sheet tray.
- Lightly oil sticky dough. 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 with olive oil to make it easier to work with.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftovers can be refrigerated 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. I actually like to reheat slices on a hot skillet until the edges are hot and crispy- it tastes like it’s fresh out of the oven.
Frequently asked questions
Greek yogurt dough replaces part of the traditional oil-heavy pizza structure. Using non-fat yogurt and self-rising flour reduces the amount of added fat while creating a chewy crust.
Yes, you can. Use part-skim or fat-free mozzarella cheese (as I’ve done) and add more vegetable toppings. You can also roll the dough to 12 inches instead of 10, then slice it into 10 pieces.
While the crust is slightly lighter than a traditional yeast-and-oil dough, it still bakes up golden and chewy.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
Nutrition information is calculated using weighed ingredients and analyzed by our in-house registered dietitian. Values are estimates and may vary depending on specific brands, ingredient substitutions, and portion sizes. For best accuracy, we recommend weighing ingredients (especially flour) where possible.
Low Calorie Pizza
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup self rising flour 80g
- 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt 160g, non-fat
- 1/4 teaspoon salt 1.5g
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings 1g
For the low calorie pizza sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce 60g
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 0.5g
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar substitute 2g
- 1/4 teaspoon salt 1.5g
For the low calorie toppings
- 1/2 cup fat free mozzarella cheese 56g, divided
- 1/4 cup Pepperoni 30g, 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 onto the sheet of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll it out to 10 inches wide. Transfer the dough onto the lined sheet or tray.
- In a small bowl, 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
- Nutritional information: Calories listed reflect the crust and sauce only. When made with the listed cheese and pepperoni toppings, each slice contains approximately 83 calories. A full 10-inch pizza (no toppings) is 440 calories.
- Pizza weight: Each slice without toppings weighs approximately 1.2 ounces (35g). With the cheese and pepperoni, each slice will be 1.55 ounces (44g).
- Leftovers: Keep refrigerated for 5 days or frozen in a ziploc bag for 2 months.
Nutrition
More lower calorie recipes to try
I love a batch of these low calorie chips with salsa or guacamole for a savory snack.
Low calorie cereal topped with almond milk is my current favorite breakfast.
Chewy, doughy low calorie bagels that don’t need any yeast or proofing time.
Adding more veggies for bulk makes this low calorie pasta an ideal dinner.
If you want more healthy pizza recipes, Try my protein pizza, eggplant pizza, cottage cheese pizza crust, or cloud bread pizza.
Originally published December 2021. Updated to improve measurement accuracy and provide revised nutrition estimates.
Mad this twice already. Delicious and less calories. Thanks for sharing.
No where that I can see do you give any indication of the approx size of this pizza…I realize it will vary somewhat but can you give us an idea?
Hi Laura- between 12-14 inches, depending on thick you roll it.
this is soo good! i added sweet corn, cottage cheese, onion and tomato passats and some seasonings. it turned out to be about 400 calories for six slices and it is very filling. the greek yoghurt is nowhere to be tasted and it tastes like normal pizza dough. i would just suggest to make the dough a bit thicker because mine almost fell apart when picking it up.
I can’t believe how good this was! Obviously I ate the whole thing and not 2 slices, however I still managed to max our on 1500 cals for the day which wouldn’t have happened if Domino’s had gotten involved. Thank you!
I’m doing 1300kcal a day, how much u lost so far and in how many days? I went from 110.2kg down to 101.4kg in 24 days. Feels like an eternity
Best protein pizza ever!!
Very small pizza 10” diameter rolled to 1/8 “ thickness. Should be labeled as a personal pan pizza when rolled to 1/4” thickness.
Hi Brenda! We’ve recently updated the recipe to reflect that the size is 10-inches, which is much bigger than a personal pan pizza (6 inches).
Best low calorie pizza that tastes like actual pizza!!! So yummy!!!
way better than i expected it to be! tastes like real pizza! highly recommend.
Was skeptical to make this because of the few ingredients, but it was honestly amazing. Tastes like real pizza and has a great fluffiness to it. Will be making this much more in the future!
1:1 yoghurt to flour creates a sticky mess that isn’t anything like dough, sticks to everything and is unusable. Had to increase flour considerably
Hi Rob- were you using Greek yogurt? I’ve tested this recipe with various yogurt brands (Greek-style), and my measurements provided are accurate. I’ve also recently added metric measurements, too. If you want to let me know what brand yogurt you used I can troubleshoot for you!
I never leave comments on food blogs but I had to. I am absolutely shocked : the pizza turned out incredible.
I thought it would end up being a super thin, not very satisfying disk with dried out toppings but I was so wrong. The dough rose SO WELL in the oven and was incredibly fluffy (crispy outer crust, soft middle), making the whole thing super delicious. Even my grandma who has appetite issues caused by a disease ate two big slices. And the best part is that it took my slow self less than 30 mins to make it, cleaning included. Will definitely try with other fun toppings.
Calories asside, I don’t see myself making dough with yeast for quick dinner pizzas again. So THANK YOU !!
I appreciate the simple ingredients and that this is fairly easy to make. However, it’s important for my fellow calorie-counters out there to know that this is NOT a 200 calorie pizza. Self-rising flour for this recipe is 267calories. Yogurt is 80 cal. Pizza sauce is 15 cal. Plus the calories for whatever toppings you put on (pepperoni and cheese are also going to be high calorie counts). Still a yummy-tasting treat but you’d have to perform a miracle to get this for 200 calories as advertised.
Hi Cai- with all due respect, I’m not sure where you are seeing 200 calories for the whole pizza? I’ve never once stated this recipe is 200 calories for the whole thing. Perhaps you’ve mistaken it for my cloud bread pizza (which does fall under that category).
I’ve provided metric measurements, and our in-house dietitian has broken down how the nutritional information was calculated, including the weight of each slice. Hope that is helpful!
This recipe is the holy grail for pizza lovers that are also into fitness. I’ve made it twice now and it keeps getting better. Thank you !
You can defiantly taste the yogurt. The calorie count is off, this is not 400 calories for the whole pizza. Made as in recipe the crust is 400 alone.
Hi Chris- not sure why you can taste the yogurt, unless its the brand you used. Most Greek yogurts are quite mild 🙂
The calorie count for the whole pizza is correct- We explicitly state that it is for the crust and sauce. 🙂 I’ve also included nutritional information if you include the cheese and pepperoni. It’s difficult to give specific macros and no ones pizza topping choices are the same.
Been waiting for a low calories Pizza. Love pepperoni pizza but it always has too many cards.
I don’t understand why you aren’t using yeast? It’s not like yeast makes it any less healthy and it tastes a lot better in my opinion. I like the idea of using greek yogurt tho, I’d like to give that a try.