This keto pepperoni pizza cauliflower casserole is one of those recipes that sounds questionable on paper – but completely wins people over once they try it.
It’s cheesy, filling, and surprisingly comforting, even for people who swear they don’t like cauliflower. Seriously – just read the comments below and see for yourself. It’s also easy and economical, making it the perfect low carb dinner or side dish.
If you’ve ever made my “better than potatoes” cheesy cauliflower mash and thought, YES, then you already understand the appeal here. This recipe starts with a creamy cauliflower base and leans into that comfort-food territory, then adds pepperoni and mozzarella for a very pizza-adjacent situation.
The pepperoni is what makes it work. It adds a salty, slightly tangy bite that cuts through the richness and keeps the whole thing from tasting flat. Once everything is blended, spread into a casserole dish, and baked with more mozzarella and pepperoni on top, it stops feeling like a “cauliflower recipe” and starts feeling like something you actually want to eat.
This is also one of those dishes that tends to win over cauliflower skeptics — including kids (and my husband) who normally won’t touch the stuff. It’s creamy, cheesy, and familiar enough that the vegetable part fades into the background. If you want to push it further into pizza territory, you can add a thin layer of pizza sauce under the cheese, but it’s optional. It holds up just fine without it, and I prefer it that way to be honest.
This recipe reheats well, makes great leftovers, and works as either a main dish or a side, depending on how you use it.
If you’re looking for a keto cauliflower casserole that doesn’t feel like compromise and dieting sadness – this is the one. Pinky promise.
Cauliflower Casserole Tips & FAQ
Can I use frozen cauliflower?
Yes. Frozen cauliflower works just fine here — just make sure it’s fully cooked and very well drained before blending. Excess water will make the casserole looser than intended.
Does this really taste like pizza?
It’s not pretending to be a slice of New York pizza — but the pepperoni and mozzarella give it a familiar, pizza-adjacent flavor that most people find very satisfying. If you want to lean harder into that flavor, you can add a thin layer of low carb pizza sauce under the cheese.
What if I don’t like pepperoni?
You can reduce the amount or swap it for cooked sausage, bacon, or even chopped ham. That said, the pepperoni adds a salty, slightly tangy note that balances the richness, so the flavor will change if you remove it completely.
How do I keep the casserole from being watery?
The key is moisture control. Drain the cauliflower thoroughly after cooking, and don’t skip blending it while it’s still warm — that helps excess steam escape before baking.
Is this a main dish or a side?
It can be either. Served on its own, it works as a simple keto meal. Paired with protein (like chicken or meatballs), it makes a great low carb side dish.
Does it reheat well?
Yes — this casserole reheats very well and often tastes even better the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat gently.
More Keto Cauliflower Casserole Recipes
Cheesy Green Chicken Enchilada Cauliflower Casserole
Jalapeno Popper Cauliflower Casserole
Keto Chicken Pesto Cauliflower Casserole
75 Best Keto Cauliflower Casseroles
Keto Pepperoni Pizza Cauliflower Casserole
- Total Time: 46 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This keto pepperoni pizza cauliflower casserole is creamy, cheesy, and surprisingly satisfying — even for people who claim they don’t like cauliflower. A smooth cauliflower base is blended with cheese and pepperoni, then baked with mozzarella and more pepperoni on top for an easy low carb dish that works as a main or a side. It reheats well and is great for meal prep. Low carb, gluten free, nut free, egg free.
Ingredients
For the Puree
- 4 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 8 slices pepperoni
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Casserole
- 12 slices pepperoni
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
For the Puree
- Clean and trim the cauliflower, breaking it into medium sized pieces.
- Place in a microwave safe bowl with cream and butter.
- Microwave, uncovered, on high for 10 minutes.
- Stir to coat cauliflower with cream/butter mixture.
- Microwave for another six minutes on high (or until tender.)
- Remove from the microwave and put into a high speed blender or food processor along with the 8 slices of pepperoni and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Puree until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- You can adjust the cream and butter to your preference for consistency.
For the Casserole
- Spread the cauliflower puree into an 8 x 8 oven proof casserole dish.
- Cover with 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, and layer with pepperoni.
- Bake at 375 degrees (F) for about 20 minutes.
- Alternatively you could microwave this for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Category: keto main dish
- Method: microwave
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup
- Calories: 207
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 5g net
- Protein: 10g
Angelina says
so excited! finally going to make this tonight!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Awesome, hope you love it!
Pattie says
Mellissa,
O!M!G! This may be my favorite of your recipes yet. I used low fat mozzarella cheese and it was (still) so creamy and cheesy. I love garlic so I added some garlic salt to the puree. The only reason I had leftovers for lunch was because I packed away a serving before I ate it all! It warmed up nicely in the microwave.
Thank you! You have saved me from a losing battle with pizza!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’m making some tonight Pattie and I’m going to try your garlic salt idea! I hope to be eating it within the next half hour – SO GOOD! Glad you liked it too! :)
Satisfied! says
I just made this and omg i almost cried! it was SO GOOD literally the best thing i’ve ever had with a cauliflower
i’m like so happy i’m rambling but whatever YOU MUST TRY IT IT’S SO YUMMMM
Big Dude Likes Food says
Tried this one out as dinner for the family Thrusday. Somehow I missed the bit about it being an appetizer, oh well. I just made twice as much.
It turned out really good. The only thing I wasn’t a big fan of was the consistency. Have you tried this without blending it smooth? I think some actual cauliflower chunks and maybe cubes of pepperoni may have improved the texture of this while still leaving the great taste.
Crystal Ibarra says
Made this for dinner today…… It was a hit! everyone loved it. Such a unique yet familiar flavor. Delicious. Thank you!
Andrew says
Thanks for this recipe! I tweaked a couple things, but it came out really good! First, I used low-fat mozzarella, and in addition to the pepperoni, I threw in some black olives both in the puree and scattered on top. They added the salt I needed and made it look even pizza-ier! I’m forwarding this on to my mom now; she’ll enjoy it!
Lisa says
Hi. Planning to make this tonight. I don’t have a microwave, so am I ok to simply boil the cauliflower or would roasting be better? thanks so much in advance :)
PS love meatball mondays :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Lisa, working on next Monday’s recipe as we speak – so far so good! :) You can boil the cauli or roast it – if you boil it just make sure you let it drain for a few minutes to dry it out as much as possible so that the end result isn’t soggy. Hope you like it!!!
Pat says
This was a recipe to make right away and I did. I used frozen bag of cauliflower, microwaved til tender, then into the food processor. TOO EASY! And it tasted just fantastic. I had it as a full meal one night and leftovers were side dish to grilled meat. Speaking of meat, also love your “Meatball Mondays”. Thanks for the great recipes and your photos that make everything look so irresistible.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so very much for the positive feedback Pat! I’m so glad you liked this recipe – it really is one of my new favorites!!! And I’m having a blast with Meatball Mondays! :)
Bon says
This was fantastic Mellissa. I don’t dislike cauliflower but normally it’s one of those “okay” veggies to me….this changed that. YUM! Nice and cheesy, fantastic texture. I’ve never pureed pepperoni before, what a great idea. I made it exactly as written except I added some minced garlic to the puree. I envision this as a very versatile recipe that you can adjust to your mood…perhaps blending in some Italian herbs, crushed red pepper or black olives…excited to think of the possibilities. Thanks!
Ron says
I tried making this today. It turned out great. Very tasty. Although I couldn’t convince my children to try it instead of pizza.
Mellissa Sevigny says
ha ha! I’m not a miracle worker, Ron! I never thought they’d eat this instead of pizza – but if you want to get your kids to eat their veggies, this is one good way to disguise them! :)