Keto Fathead Pizza with Sausage, Kale and Ricotta is my twist on an old upstate New York favorite. This version is quick & easy to prepare with almond flour and mozzarella cheese. My family loves it!
I enjoyed some of the best pizza ever, when I lived in upstate New York! It was thin, crispy and sturdy enough that it would stand straight out. We would fold it in half lengthwise and chow down. I was in my twenties at the time and it was a thing to "go out for a slice" after work or after socializing at the local bars. As I said, that was some of the best pizza I've ever had. In particular I loved a mozzarella, ricotta, and broccoli specialty pizza.
This recipe is my take on that pizza but using sauteed kale (or spinach) and Aidell's Chicken & Apple Sausage. It would be considered a white pizza, but instead of a garlic sauce, I rub the crust with a clove of garlic and brush it with olive oil.
Like many of you low carbers, I miss a good pizza. And like other low carb and keto bloggers, I have jumped on the Fathead Pizza (the Holy Grail!) bandwagon.
For those of you unfamiliar, the Fathead Pizza Crust is a low carb, ketogenic pizza dough made from cheese and almond flour. It becomes a thin and crispy pizza crust when rolled out thinly and baked. It's amazing! It's a forgiving dough that is almost impossible to mess-up. What I mean is... it's so simple that anyone can make it.
I have been playing around with the ingredients and ingredient proportions for this low carb pizza dough for a few months now. It's SO forgiving that I haven't made a bad one yet, but I do have a favorite and a runner up as far as alternate ingredients go.
My favorite tweak to this dough is the addition of a little plain whey protein powder. I feel it gives the dough a bread-like texture and enhances the flavor. My next favorite version is the addition of a little oat fiber 500 which not only results in a more bready texture, but tastes a little more bread-like. Incidentally, you don't have to add either of these ingredients to get a good result.
I changed the ratios of ingredients to get a larger pizza and to get a result I liked better. I think that these simple additions enhance both texture and flavor. If you don't feel like adding the protein powder or don't have it, add an additional ounce of blanched almond flour or use the original recipe.
If you haven't tried this crust yet, and aren't allergic to dairy or almonds, don't wait any longer. You can have your favorite pizza faster than it can be delivered. Really!
But let me talk about the pizza for a minute...
You may be looking at the serving size and feeling sad. Yeah, me too. But this pizza is very nutritionally dense -- or filling. For me, gone are the days of eating 3 pieces of pizza (or more) for dinner. Having healthily adjusted my thinking, I now enjoy one piece of this fathead pizza with a large dinner salad. Nowadays, I find that I just want the taste of pizza and no longer have those intense pizza cravings.
I only use 1 sausage in this recipe because I feel that the amount of protein per serving is more than adequate, but add as much as you like.
If you're looking for a more traditional pizza take a look at the Low Carb Supreme Pizza or Low Carb Pepperoni Pizza
This Keto Fathead Pizza with Sausage, Kale, and Ricotta is 6 net carbs per serving!
Makes 2 10" round or 1 large sheet pizza.
Keto Fathead Pizza With Sausage, Ricotta and Kale
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese (5 oz / 142 g)
- 2 ounces full fat cream cheese 57 g
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 cup almond flour (3 oz / 85 g)
- 2 tablespoons whey protein powder ( or oat fiber or more almond flour)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- garlic salt
Toppings
- 1 link Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage cooked and sliced
- 4 ounces kale suteed with 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 clove garlic
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (5 oz / 142 g)
- 3 ounces fat-free ricotta cheese (85 g) fat-free has less carbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and position one rack to the bottom position and the other to the upper third.
- Sauteed Kale: In a medium frying pan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, slice 1 clove of garlic and quickly wash and de-stem the Kale (or spinach). Saute the garlic in the pan until it softens, then add the kale and cook until wilted. Remove from the heat.
- Low Carb Pizza Crust: Place the 5 ounces of grated mozzarella cheese into a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Cut the cream cheese into about 6-8 pieces and place in the bowl with the mozzarella. Microwave the cheeses for 1 ½ -2 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave. Stir the cheeses together. Break the egg into the cheese and stir with a fork until combined. It will take a minute to coax the two to blend. Add the almond flour and protein powder and blend completely. Sometimes I use my hand at the end and knead the dough until it is more elastic than sticky. If it's super sticky, let it cool a bit.
- Method: Hands - Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan and with oiled hands, pat the dough evenly into place. The dough will cover most of the sheet pan. Dock (poke holes all over) with a fork.
- Rolling Pin: Alternately, roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper. This is my preferred way. Remove the top piece of parchment and transfer the dough and parchment to the baking sheet. Dock (poke holes all over) with a fork.
- Bake: Bake on the bottom rack for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and rub the crust with a piece of garlic. Pour two teaspoons of oil onto the crust and spread with a spoon. Add half of the mozzarella cheese, the sauteed kale, ricotta cheese, sausage and the remaining mozzarella. Bake on the upper rack until the cheese has melted.
- Cut and serve.
Caroline MacGregor
Can you the base without a microwave? I don’t have one and I’m finding so many US Keto recipes require one (I’m in the UK). Thanks!
Kim
You can melt the cheese in a pot on low heat on the stove, but you will have to add a little oil or butter to keep it from sticking. -Kim
lora
Hey Kim,
I have to say I've made this recipe at least 20 times and it's always fabulous. I was curious as to what protein powder you prefer in it. Depending on brand I feel like I could totally be getting more/less of the benefit than you are since the formulas are so different.
Thanks!
Kim
Hi Iora. I'm glad you like the recipe. I use Isopure Zero Carb Protein Isolate (it's made by Nature's Best). I buy the unflavored (plain) variety because I can use it for sweet or savory recipes. -Kim
Jennifet
Can you freeze these?
Kim
Hi Jennifer. I would cook the pizza base, cool, wrap, and pop into a freezer bag. To use I would thaw in the fridge the night before, then top and bake. -Kim
Jaron
Hi Kim,
Thank you for the great recipe! I made it a few days ago and it was a hit, the only thing is I was trying to find a way to make it in a baking pan and have it cook more evenly at a lower temperature for longer. Have you experimented with the cooking temp and time and could I ask what results you got?
Again thank you
Kim
Hi Jaron, I'm so happy you liked the recipe. I have not experimented baking at a lower temperature. I am sorry. -Kim
Debora E Rempel
I don't understand how fat-free ricotta has less carbs than full fat. Everything I read says the opposite.
Kim
Hi Deborah. The brand at my store had less carbs than the regular. Use the lowest carb ricotta cheese you can find whatever it is. -Kim
Sherie
Will xanthum gum added to dough recile turn out well?
Kim
Hi Sherie. Great question. Since the mozzarella cheese acts as a binder the recipe doesn't need the xanthan gum. Did this answer your question? -Kim
Janice
Fat free ricotta cheese does NOT have less carbs than regular.
Kim
Actually, Janice, I looked at several brands at my local store and the fat free had less carbs than the full fat. I don't know if it was just those specific brands, if it was an anomaly, but I do look at labels before I make my purchases. Thank you for your kindly worded comment. -Kim
Janet
Interesting additions to fathead dough. I make it and use 1 tsp xanthan gum. I use it to make bagels. But next time I do I will be trying your crust recipe. My one question is do you ever use both whey protein powder and oat fiber?
Kim
Thanks, Janet. I haven't seen it with xanthan gum but I have seen psyllium husk used before. No, I have not made the dough with both protein powder and oat fiber. I did notice when making it with the oat fiber, it was just a little dry - my family remarked on it too. Maybe 1 T of each would do the trick? If you use both, I would be interested in hearing what you thought. Have a great day. -Kim
Jackie
Thanks for this version - I will be trying it!
One question - almond flour measurements are all over the place in many low carb recipes. I've used 100grams=1cup as my standard and now am wondering if I'm off?
Kim
HI Jackie. Great question. I use a very finely ground almond flour that weighs in at 85-90 grams a cup. I do not pack my almond flour when measuring. If I include grams in my recipe, that means that I measured it while I was testing the final recipe. Sometimes I forget. I hope this helps and that you like the recipe. Have a nice weekend. -Kim
Sam
Made this and loved it
Kim
Yay! I'm glad you liked it, Sam. Thanks for letting me know. Have a wonderful weekend. -Kim
Deborah
Pizza is one of my favorites foods, I have tried to make it low carb, but the problem I have tried cauliflower, I can't get past the taste. I can't wait to try it your way, It looks so good. Thanks!
Kim
Hi Deborah. I hope you like the pizza. If you want an authentic white sauce on it, you will have to Google for one, I'm sorry. Thanks for your comment. Have a great night! -Kim
Mary Lynne
Kim, Yes it did help! I did as you said and it was delicious!!! I found that if you let it sit for awhile and cool it isn't so floppy, now I am going to check out your supreme pizza recipe and try that!! Thank you!!
Kim
Oh good, I'm glad! My kids loved the Supreme Pizza! Enjoy. -Kim
Mary Lynne
I am making the crust but I want to make it with a traditional red sauce, should I bake it for a little bit first, and then put the sauce, cheese, sausage (cooked) and pepperoni on it and cook it longer. Just wondering how the crust would hold up if I didn't cook it first and put on all the ingredients and then cooked it. Thanks!! Love your recipes!!!
Kim
Hi Mary. Thanks for your nice compliment! I would cook the pizza dough first. Then, add your toppings and cook just to heat. I have found that with the red sauce, the crust is not as crispy. Also, I like using the broiler to melt the cheese on top. I hope this helps. -Kim
Katie Crenshaw
Kim, this looks wicked good!! I love the combinations of the ingredients. I have never thought of using almond flour for the dough. This sounds like heaven in a bite!! Thanks for the inspiration. I will be cooking this soon!! xoxo
Kim
Hi Katie! Thanks for the "comment love". It's one of my favorites, but my kids like the Supreme version better. Have a great day! -Kim
Beverly Siek
Hi! I've just discovered your blog through this recipe post and will be following! My attention snapped in when you mentioned Upstate NY and pizza. We enjoyed the most amazing white pizza when we lived there in the 1980s and I have never found anything close to it or been able to replicate anything like it so I can't wait to try this recipe. I cook from scratch as much as possible, love farmers' markets, and am LCHF. I can't wait to read more of what you've posted,and look forward to trying your recipes!
Kim
Hi Beverly. I'm glad you found me. I'll say it again, upstate has the best pizza.
I just want to share that I DID NOT make a white sauce for the pizza, so it won't taste exactly the same. I'm not sure why I didn't except that I wanted the recipe to be fast. I encourage you to look for a white sauce recipe to help this pizza taste more like the real-thing. Have a great day! -Kim