A delicious deep dish low carb pizza with soul! This keto grain-free crust is light and airy and can stand up to whatever toppings you decide to pile on there.
Let’s talk about pizza. What is it about the stuff that makes it so well loved the world over? It’s practically iconic, that round “pie” slathered in tomato, cheese, and pepperoni. It’s the perfect party food because it feeds a crowd and everyone likes it. It appeals to kids and adults alike. It’s on every kids’ menu in every restaurant in the nation, and it’s the go-to late night snack food for college kid. (Unless you go to McGill University, in which case pizza is replaced by poutine. But that’s a whole other ball of wax.) It’s basically a magical combination of protein, fat, and…lots and lots of carbs.
When new to the low carb lifestyle, many people find that they miss pizza the most. That’s why you see so many low carb pizza recipes. We are all in search of the ideal pizza recipe that gives use plenty of protein and fat with just a wee bit of carbs. I for one have put in a fair bit of effort on this front. It’s not that I am actually in search of some holy grail of low carb pizza. In fact, unlike many people, pizza was never my favourite food growing up. Apparently I was a low carber in the making even back then because I preferred chicken wings or steak or lamb chops. I liked pizza well enough and certainly ate my fair share but it wasn’t my first choice.
But now I just really seem to enjoy the challenge of creating new low carb pizza recipes. It’s not a search for perfection, as I already have a few really good ones that I think live up to the concept of ideal pizza (Check out my low carb Jalapeño Popper Pizza!). But sometimes I get an idea in my head that I really need to try, like using something similar to Soul Bread as the crust. Since the batter is quite thin and liquidy, you can’t just roll it out. So I went deep dish style for this and baked it in a cast iron skillet. I also simplified both the ingredient list and the method for Soul Bread, using my blender to mix up the batter more easily and smoothly
I will say, it was a little more like “pizza bread” than actual pizza because the crust is quite thick. The kids loved it as is, but I am going to try cutting the amounts down to 2/3 and making it a little thinner. It’s definitely a keeper of a recipe, though. I went with basic pepperoni and cheese but it would definitely hold up to whatever you wanted to load it up with.
Deep Dish Soul Bread Pizza
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
A delicious deep dish low carb pizza with soul! This keto grain-free crust is light and airy and can stand up to whatever toppings you decide to pile on there.
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 364 kcal
Ingredients
Crust:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tbsp half and half or 2 tbsp cream and 1 tbsp water
- 1 cup whey protein isolate
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Toppings:
- 1 cup sugar-free tomato sauce
- 4 ounces pepperoni slices
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 12 inch skillet well (it doesn't need to be cast iron although that is the best for this purpose).
-
In a large blender jar, combine the cream cheese, butter, eggs, and half and half. Blend on high for 30 seconds and then scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
-
Add the whey protein, baking powder, garlic powder, cream of tartar, and salt and blend for another 30 seconds, until smooth.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared skillet. Bake about 15 to 20 minutes, until top is just firm to the touch and edges are golden brown.
-
Remove from oven and spread with tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese and top with pepperoni (I like to put some pepperoni under the cheese as well as over the cheese).
-
Bake another 8 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove and let cool a few minutes before slicing.
Recipe Notes
Serves 8.
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Food energy: 364kcal
Total fat: 25.73g
Calories from fat: 231
Cholesterol: 155mg
Carbohydrate: 4.26g
Total dietary fiber: 0.14g
Protein: 20.82g
Nutrition Facts
Deep Dish Soul Bread Pizza
Amount Per Serving
Calories 364
Calories from Fat 232
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25.73g
40%
Cholesterol 155mg
52%
Total Carbohydrates 4.26g
1%
Dietary Fiber 0.14g
1%
Protein 20.82g
42%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Louise DePino says
What doe Whey protein do for baked goods. I see it in a lot of your recipes. Is it for the protein value or does it help the baked goods? Is there a substitute?
Carolyn says
Think of it this way: gluten is a protein, so in its absence, another dry protein helps baked goods rise and hold their shape. In this recipe, the whey is indispensable (although you may be able to replace with egg white protein, I haven’t tried that yet). In some recipes, it can be skipped but your end result may not be as well formed.
Maurene Mealy says
I did not have any whey protein so I tried unflavored Paleo Protein Egg White Protein and it turned out wonderfully. I think this thick crust could be used for something besides pizza. Any ideas?
Cecelia says
Can you use just whey protein or does it have to be Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate?
Carolyn says
I think you should be able to use any whey protein in this recipe. I just showed an example of what I used.
AZ@...And a Dash of Cinnamon says
I love how deep dish your crust is! You are totally right though, pizza is such a huge staple now it seems world wide. However, the carb load is insane.
Annette Mahoney says
Cant wait to male this. an easy peasy pizza yum. For me I will only use grassfed whey as I dont want any GMo from the farm factory cows. This is just my preference. I can see endless topping choices with this.
Carolyn says
I’m with you. I like Tera’s Whey and the brand I linked to.
Billie Vanderburg says
I add a heaping teaspoon of Italian seasoning in my raw dough and use red pesto for the sauce. Really low carbs in the pesto and adds so much flavor.
Carolyn says
Love that idea, sounds really good!
Alice B says
Carolyn,
I have wondered about using the Soul Bread as a pizza crust so thank you for trying this! It looks beautiful and sounds wonderful and will likely be something I make today! I have all the ingredients on hand!!
Thank you for all you do!
Alice B.
Tamera Alexander says
Just made this! Delicious! The bread IS thick (as you said), so next time I’ll either make two pizzas–or maybe half the ingredients for the bread. ?? You think that will still work? I’m a fan of thin crust though, so others may love the thickness. I did pepperoni with onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers. And you’re right, this crust handled it all! Thanks for another great recipe.
Carolyn says
Because it’s hard to half these ingredients (3 eggs), two pizzas would be good or maybe 2/3 of the recipe would be thin enough. It’s something I plan to play with! If you try two pizzas, let me know how long it takes to cook…the first stage should be cooked for quite a bit less, I would imagine.
Tamera Alexander says
Ah…true (on the eggs, duh). And will do when I make it again.
Right now I’m making your Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. They’re in the oven. Only, I didn’t have almonds so I’ve made them with pecans. ?? We’ll see! They sure smell wonderful, and the batter was great too.
kelly says
that sounds like a delicious substitute!
Anita Kinsella says
Wonder if you could halve the dough and refrigerate the rest or bake two crusts and freeze one?
Carolyn says
I think you probably could freeze the second one.
Bren says
I’m wondering if I HAVE to have cream of tartar in this recipe? Can I replace it with something else or omit it completely? I just live a ways from the store and have all ingredients except for that and hoping to save a trip just for one ingredient 🙂
Carolyn says
You know what? I just tried a different recipe based on soul bread and left out the cream of tartar and it worked just fine. Give it a try!
Peggy says
When a cake or cookie recipe calls for cream of tartar and baking soda and you have no cream of tartar on hand, simply use baking powder instead. One tsp. of baking powder equals 1/4 tsp. of baking soda and 5/8 tsp. of cream of tartar.
When beating egg whites, substitute white vinegar for the cream of tartar. Each egg white requires 1/8 tsp. of white vinegar.
It may however, affect the taste a little.
Stacie says
I saw this recipe and just had to make it, so I made this tonight. It was SO GOOD! I actually halved the recipe (threw out half an egg, lol) but I don’t have a cast iron skillet and just used a casserole dish which I think was smaller. It still came out pretty thick, which made the center a bit dry but I really liked it. I’m going to make it again in a bigger casserole dish (which currently has other leftovers in it) very soon, I just need more toppings. Even my brother liked it and said it reminded him of the pizzas my mom would make with a biscuit crust. Oh, I also didn’t have any cream of tarter, so I subbed a little extra baking powder and threw in a touch of vinegar, still came out alright . . . just in case any of you don’t have that either.
juliendbq says
I’ve got stacks of printed out recipes for breads, pizza, cookies, muffins, pancakes, as well as savory dishes. I’m still on my quest for “Best Of Pizza” recipe. You have several on your site … which is your favorite, thus far? Am I wrong to assume this recipe wasn’t “it”? It’s a conclusion I drew yesterday when you said, ” I just tried a different recipe based on soul bread and left out the cream of tartar and it worked just fine.”
At any rate, I plan to try this recipe and LOVE the idea that it’s whipped up in a blender … no rolling out dough … baked in a skillet! Thanks so much!
Carolyn says
This one is very good and my comment about a different recipe wasn’t a pizza. I was just using the idea of Soul Bread in that recipe too and found I didn’t really need the cream of tartar. My thoughts on this one are that it’s really delicious and a fun way to serve pizza toppings but that the crust could be thinner and I will try that next time. As for my ultimate pizza thus far? Definitely this one: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2016/05/low-carb-jalapeno-popper-pizza.html
But I do kind of love them all, they are just different.
Carolann says
Thank you for your hard work.
Gabriella says
This recipe looks amazing! I don’t have a cast iron skillet though… what else would you recommend ?
Carolyn says
Any 12 inch skillet would do (as long as it’s oven proof!). Barring that, I’d probably bake it in a 9×13 inch pan.
Elizabeth says
Carolyn – You are a culinary wonder! The gift you share with others in creating wonderful dishes and deserts that are healthful and soulful is unsurpassed. I dearly appreciate your commitment in that endeavor!
I made my all-time favorite Chile Relleno Chicken Soup yesterday with a batch of Garlic Parmesan Knots and was thinking of you and all the work you put into your creations. Having been diagnosed T1 two years ago at the age of 44, your food blog has since been a true and tried source of food inspiration and consumption!
And…thank you so much for creating the simple “single serve” recipes. I am a single gal working on my dissertation and life is hectic enough (adding T1 to the mix). It is luxury to have those seamless wonders – Pumpkin Pancakes For One (which I topped with slices of D’Anjou Pear sauteed in butter, cinnamon and nutmeg) – that bring simplicity to my hectic mornings.
To say a simple “thank you” seems so little, but…Thank You!!
Carolyn says
I love hearing this so you’re welcome!
Dina DuBose says
Can’t wait to try this. Just wondering – the nutrition analysis – is that for slice, or for the whole recipe? Thanks!
Carolyn says
It’s for a serving, which is 1/8th of the recipe.
Cecile says
I made this recipe last weekend but cut it in half….using a 10 inch cast iron pan. Perfect!! Not too thick, not too thin! We were not hungry for hours and hours afterward; but not so much as to pass up your yellow cake for dessert!
Kim says
I put the ingredients into My Fitness Pal so I could track my meal & my numbers are waaaay different than yours. My carbs are what I’m most wondering about. I ended up with 21g. How did you get 4.26g?
Kim says
Forget it… after looking at the ingredients, there’s a garlic powder on their site that has crazy high carbs! Once I switched it the carbs changed to 3g. I only put in the crust as well so that I can use any sauce & add toppings as I want to! Your stuff is awesome! I’m so glad I landed onto your site!
Carolyn says
You know what’s funny? When I was writing up this recipe, I accidentally put in a cup of garlic powder, instead of teaspoon. I got much higher carbs and couldn’t figure out why until I went through the ingredient list and saw that.
Kim says
Crazy how things work! I haven’t tried this yet, but I have made your buns & they were delicious with my cheeseburger & I bought a Beef n Cheddar from Arby’s (I know, I know, but I was out & had no choice) and threw it on the bun & tossed their bun… and they were delicious! I did omit the garlic powder so it would be more like a white bun. So yummy. Plan to try this soon. Can this one be made ahead & frozen?
Carolyn says
I can’t see why this couldn’t be frozen. And I think it’s great that you brought your own bun to Arby’s!
Talei says
Hello, I’ve never posted before, even though you’re blog is top of my list… for years! Any hoo, this recipe caught my eye. Make in a blender!!! So I’ve now made it many times. BUT, as bread. It makes the closest thing to bread that I’ve made so far, and I’ve been at this a long time. But, heres the thing. Add 1/4 cup of grated motza chees! You will not believe it! I bake it in a large glass pie plate, cut into wedges, then slice through the middle to make 2 pieces of “bread”.
So, thank you for all the hard work you do. If not for you’re pizza recipe, I would not have figured out this recipe. You rock.
Carolyn says
Sounds delicious!
Brande says
This was DELICIOUS!!!!!! My daughters exclaimed, “WOW, it looks like a REAL pizza!” I’ve experimented with so many different crusts from paleo to low carb…they are over it! This is our favorite. Thank you!
Carolyn says
Yay, so glad to hear it!
Bill says
Probably the iteration I miss most is CI’s Pepperoni Pan Pizza. In that one the dough almost “fries” in olive oil as it cooks. The picture of this puts me in mind of that one to the point that I’m going to have to try. I’m wondering what I’ll get if I preheat some EVOO in a 300 oven b4 bumping to 350 and maybe add 1/2 cup or so of mozzarella in the dough prep for perhaps a bit more chew. I don’t really know what the mozzarella will do (maybe make a mess), but i’d be interested on your opinion before I wade into it.
thx,
LuAnne says
I’m just getting started on Keto and I’m so glad I found your website. Your recipes look amazing and I’ve already saved a bunch of them. Does this crust get crispy like pan pizza? Thanks!
Carolyn says
The outer edge does. If you want it really crispy and thinner, do less of the crust. A 1/2 recipe works well for thin crust.
Bill says
I’m guessing you don’t want to venture an opinion. 🙂
Don’t really blame you, but I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Melissa Williams says
Hi! Thanks so much for this recipe! The first time I saw it I knew I had to try it and now it’s a staple in my house. I have a question. Originally, I ordered the recommended whey protein powder. I even used the pizza crust recipe and poured it into a loaf pan and made a fabulous loaf of bread. But the second time I went to order the protein powder I accidentally ordered whey protein concentrate 🙁 do think I could use it the same way as the isolate or no?
Carolyn says
I think in this particular soul bread recipe, it would be fine. In ones where you are trying to actually get bread or rolls, it may not work as well (I can’t say until I try it!).
Bill says
Ok, test drive #1 is in the books. I did add 1/2 cup of mozz to the crust and I think it did add a pleasant textural component to crust, especially the exposed edge that I left. I also added 2T olive oil to the preheating skillet, and that did help me achieve the sort of “fried” flavor of the original, but the crust was thicker than I would prefer as suspected from comments. The next time I do this (probably after I do the original for Super Bowl :)) I will divide the batter between two 9″ cake pans as in CI, coated with 1T EVOO ea. Since this crust isn’t really capable of being crisp I’m betting I won’t sacrifice much by using the cake pans, especially with the addition of the EVOO, but we’ll see. I also used a simple sauce of EVOO, garlic, and hand crushed whole tomatoes cooked down a bit w/oregano to taste to give a more pizza like flavor. I have high hopes for this pizza by golly; thanks for giving me something I can play with that may actually get me where I want to go.
Oh, and for anyone sans gall bladder who doesn’t think they can handle the pepperoni, a 30 second ride in the microwave between some paper towels will rid it of pretty much all its fat, but not its flavor.
Penny Shepherd says
Made this for the first time today and added 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning to crust batter – fantastic! Next time I’m going to add 1 tsp yeast for a little yeasty taste as well. I also added sliced calamari olives and sliced fresh mushrooms.
Jerry says
I oiled my cast iron skillet with coconut oil. The crust stuck. What should I have used instead of coconut oil? Also, when I lifted the pizza out of the pan, the cheese with the topping slid off. I used cooked Italian sausage instead of pepperoni.
Carolyn says
I am not sure, I would have thought coconut oil would work just fine. My crust has never stuck with this recipe, and I usually use avocado oil. My cheese has not fallen off either so I am not sure what to say there.
Lou Ann Benson says
Made this for dinner tonight. It was great with a tossed salad. We will definitely repeat this one! 🙂
Julie says
I’d love to try this put whey protein powder and I don’t get along. I read all the comments but didn’t see anything I could sub. Is there anything I can sub for it?
Thanks…..love your site and recipes.
Carolyn says
This one really requires the whey protein but I do have other pizza recipes!
Robin says
I use cast iron a lot when cooking and making this sounds delish, Do you heat your cast iron skillet before adding the crust mixture as it is cold and has a hard time heating up? Or does it need the cold skillet to help it in its baking process?
Thanks in advance.
Robin
Carolyn says
I didn’t heat it up but I can’t see that it would be a problem.
Kelly says
I halved this recipe and used 1 egg plus 1.5 TBS of egg white and it worked perfectly. I didn’t have high hopes for this recipe because I usually find recipes using egg and protein powder tasting too much like the protein powder. I did add some italian seasonings to my crust but other than that and using some egg white so I didn’t have to throw out half an egg, followed the recipe exactly. Delicious!
Liz Johnson says
Am just sitting down to a late lunch and devouring a piece of this heavenly pizza fresh from the oven! I read all the reviews on your website and added about a 1/2 cup grated mozzarella and Italian Seasoning to the crust. I heated my cast iron pan w/ a couple tablespoons olive oil in it too. The extra oil in the pan really gave a good almost chewy crunch to the edges and even a little to the bottom. The flavor was definitely deep dish Chicago style, I’m a die hard crispy crust fan but now and then there’s nothing like a good deep dish. This didn’t disappoint, yes the texture is a bit off from traditional, but when you care more about your health than junk food then this texture is perfect. I topped it with lots of cheese, pepperoni, onions, jalapenos and mushrooms and a little more cheese. I’m thinking that since the crust is pretty thick and almost dryish, having some heated marinara sauce or Franks Red Hot w/ Ranch for dipping it in would make it even more like the traditional style. Thanks Carolyn for yet another winning recipe!
Saad Qidwai says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was craving deep dish pizza and was debating a cheat meal before I happened to see this page. Needless to say… No cheat meal needed. This pizza was amazing. I didn’t have whey or cream of tartar so I just made it without those 2 ingredients and it was still amazing. This is now my go to pizza recipe (deep dish or thin crust). Thank you very much
Alisha says
So i cant find whey anywhere! been to 3 different places do i have to add the whey?
Carolyn says
This recipe is entirely based on whey, so yes. Can you order online?
Samantha says
The nutritional facts are per slice?
Carolyn says
Always.
Kasey says
Hi, I’m looking at this recipe and wondering if there’s any way to replace the whey protein? If the crust isn’t as fluffy I’m ok with that. I do a lot of my own cheese making, can I replace other little with fresh whey? I am a single mom with not a lot of money, I have to stick with simple every day ingredients today I can get relatively cheap, but my oldest son is autistic and on a restricted carb diet. All the recipes I can find for most things take specialty ingredients. Help please?
Carolyn says
Soul bread is based on the whey protein powder so skipping it means you would not have anything there! Try my magic mozzarella dough instead… https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-magic-mozzarella-dough/
Kasey says
Thank you, I will! I’m sorry about my typos, I’m not used to typing on my phone yet.
Lori says
This tastes so good. My 13 year old son requests this regularly.
Janelle says
Hi Carolyn, I love your recipes!!
I don’t normally think about substitutions, but do you have any idea if casein protein powder has whatever magic in it to work like the whey powder in this recipe?? I know they’re both from milk, obviously, but that’s all I know.
Thanks!
Carolyn says
I haven’t ever used casein protein powder so I really can’t say for sure. But I would probably try it!