Sausage and Pepperoni Keto Pizza Cups
Whether it’s a standard thin crust or my thicker keto cast iron pizza crust, I’m a huge fan of pizza in all of its forms. It’s just so hard to go wrong with the combination of meat, cheese, and other classic toppings. Sometimes I want those same flavors in a more bite-size format though, which is where recipes like these keto pizza cups come in. All of the fun and flavor of pizza baked into golden brown mini deep dish crusts! They are a good snack or appetizer alone, or you can pair with a keto salad to make it a full meal.
For the filling, I opted for a combination of pepperoni, sausage, and spinach. It might sounds odd, but if you’ve never tried spinach on pizza, you’re honestly missing out! The fresh flavor is just enough to balance the richness of the meats and cheeses. You can mix and match your favorite toppings for these keto pizza cups though. Just be sure to cook any meat-based ingredients first. You should also avoid high moisture veggies, as they can keep the crust from crisping. In any case, top your filling with your favorite low carb sauce and shredded mozzarella.
The crust is a pretty standard “fathead style” dough, with a couple small tweaks to improve texture and consistency. If you don’t have specialty ingredients like the xanthan gum and psyllium husk, you can leave them out. A small amount goes a long way though, so I definitely think they are worth investing in if you do a lot of keto baking.
Either way, putting these keto pizza cups together is still pretty simple: cut your dough into 12 portions (circles or squares, whichever is easiest), press into your prepared muffin tin, fill, top, and bake. These yummy bites of pizza flavor will be ready to serve under 20 minutes later!
Looking for more keto appetizer recipes? You might also like:
- Keto Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
- Low Carb Avocado Egg Rolls
- Keto Pepperoni Pizza Croissants
- Loaded Keto Zucchini Skins
- Keto Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Wings
Keto Pizza Cups
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 5 ounces shredded mozzarella
- 1 ounce shredded cheddar
- 1 ounce cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup almond flour blanched recommended
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp psyllium husk powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 large egg beaten
Filling
- 6 ounces bulk Italian sausage
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ounce baby spinach optional
- 3 ounces pepperoni chopped
- 1.5 ounce shredded mozzarella
- .5 ounce grated parmesan
Topping
- 3/4 cup low carb pizza sauce
- 2 ounces shredded mozzarella
Instructions
Prep the Filling
- Add sausage and garlic to a pan over medium heat. Sauté until nearly browned, then add spinach. Remove from heat when spinach is wilted and sausage is cooked through. Allow to cool.
- Combine sausage mixture with pepperoni, mozzarella, and parmesan. Set aside.
Prep the Crust
- Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare a muffin tin by thoroughly greasing or lining with nonstick cups.
- Combine the dry ingredients for the crust: almond flour, xanthan gum, instant yeast, psyllium powder, baking powder, and seasonings.
- Separately, add the mozzarella, cheddar, and cream cheese to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 75-90 seconds, or until melted. Stir until smooth.
- Add about half of the almond flour mixture and half of the egg to the cheese mixture, and mix thoroughly. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg.
- Knead briefly to form a smooth dough, then roll out to just under 1/4 thickness.
- Cut dough into 12 even circular or square portions.
Keto Pizza Cups
- Gently press dough into prepared muffin tin. Divide the filling mixture between the cups. Top each cup with about 1 tablespoon or sauce, then sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake keto pizza cups for 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 2-3 minutes before removing from pan.
Serve and Enjoy!
- Best served warm, with additional sauce for dipping if desired.
Notes
- Storage and Reheating: Store refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in an oven, toaster, or air fryer at 300F for a few minutes.
- Mix up this recipe with the pizza toppings of your choice! Meat-based toppings should be cooked first.
- Make sure to choose a pizza sauce with low carb content, such as Rao's Marinara sauce or Primal Kitchen Tomato Basil sauce.