Recipes for Pizza Lovers
Everybody loves pizza! We can’t say no to that cheesy, tomatoey crunch. While pizza is an undeniably delicious treat to enjoy from time to time, it’s not always the most slimming-friendly option. Our lower calorie, pizza-inspired recipes borrow all the best bits from your go-to pizza favourites to create everyday dishes that won’t take you off track. From pasta bakes to puff pastry pizza swirls, there’s an idea to fulfil all your pizza kneads on this list! Did someone order pizza-loaded flavour every night of the week? Coming right up!
(Psst! You’ll definitely want to grab your Family Meal Planner and take notes for this one – the line-up is too tasty to miss.)
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Pizza Muffins
Curb your pizza cravings in one snack-sized nibble with our crunchy Pizza Muffins. So quick and simple to make, they’re just the ticket when you’re after a light yet pizza-loaded lunchtime bite. To make your muffins even more filling, serve them up with a fresh, crispy side salad. We’ve kept our toppings simple with a veggie-loaded combination of mushrooms, sweetcorn and onion (aside from melty cheese, of course!), but there’s nothing to stop you playing around with different flavour combos. Just be sure to adjust any calories accordingly, if you’re counting!
You can find the full recipe in our Quick & Easy Food Planner. If you don’t have your copy yet, you can grab one here.
Pizza Waffles
Pizza for breakfast, anyone? There’s no tastier pizza-inspired treat to wake up to than our low carb, satisfying Pizza Waffles. Moreish and light at 194 calories per serving, they take next to no time at all to put together. Simply prepare the batter, pile on your choice of toppings and bake!
Don’t worry if you don’t have a waffle maker at home. Silicone moulds like these are budget-friendly and just as effective for making waffles golden and fluffy in the middle.
For tomatoey pizza base flavours, we’ve put together a super simple spicy tomato dip that brings everything together nicely. The level of spice is down to you – add even more Sriracha if you like your sauces hot, hot, hot!
Pizza Swirls
All your favourite pizza flavours in a delicately-swirled puff pastry bundle, our Pizza Swirls are a proper pizza treat. With a tomato, cheese, ham and basil filling, they’re delightfully moreish for far fewer calories than you’d expect (just 102 per swirl!).
Easy to prepare in a batch and save for another day, take these tupperware-friendly swirls on the go and enjoy the best of pizza-inspired flavours no matter where you are. Ready in under half an hour, there’s really no excuse to try one (or two!).
Pizza Twists with Pizza Dip
Loaded with classic cheese and tomato flavour, our Pizza Twists with Pizza Dip are a crowd-pleaser you need on your next buffet spread. Flavoursome, shareable party food, we’ve kept the calories nice and low by using a light puff pastry alternative to create an irresistible pizza-loaded bite. Keep an eye on them while they’re baking in the oven – you only have to wait around 15 minutes before you can take them for a dip!
Our top tip? Take your light puff pastry out of the fridge half an hour before you’re ready to get twisting; it makes the sheets so much easier to work with.
Pizza Pasta
There’s no need to choose between your two favourite Italian-inspired dishes with our crowd-pleasing Pizza Pasta. A simple, no-fuss meal, you can feed the whole family in under half an hour with this oven-baked cheesy feast. We’ve combined the classic flavours of a pepperoni pizza to make this dish a surefire winner, but you can always swap out pepperoni for your favourite alternative pizza toppings. Top yours with chopped peppers, mushrooms and sweetcorn, if you’re feeling extra veggies. Either way, we can’t say no to that bubbly cheese topping…
You can find the full recipe in our third cookbook, Pinch of Nom: Quick and Easy.
Ham and Mushroom Pizza Calzone
It’s no secret by now that we love using tortilla wraps as a pastry alternative for some of our favourite crispy-coated treats. That’s how our Ham and Mushroom Pizza Calzone comes loaded with a pizza-inspired filling, for only 390 calories per calzone – winner! The tortilla wrap ‘pastry’ firms up until nice and crispy in the oven, so you’ll never taste the difference!
A calzone Fakeaway night is ideal when you’re looking for a lighter way to curb those pizza cravings. The best part? The flavour possibilities never end!
Why not give our Chicken and Sweetcorn Pizza Calzone a whirl?
Rigatoni Pizza Pie
Give the spare pasta in your store cupboard a show-stopping makeover with our Rigatoni Pizza Pie. Loaded with mozzarella, peppers, mushrooms and tomato slices, there’s no shortage of pizza-based deliciousness here. A great way to give leftovers a new lease of life, you can use up any stray veggies or loose ingredients to make your flavour-filled pizza topping. Served with a side of fresh veg or salad, we guarantee it will be an instant hit with the whole family!
You can freeze this one too, so you can save a portion for another day when you’re feeling too busy to cook. Ideal!
Squash Pizza Slices
Using fresh slices of butternut squash, our Squash Pizza Slices are a dreamy alternative to a dough-based pizza dinner. We’ve combined a rich, garlicky mix of tomatoes, herbs and seasoning to make our homemade tomato puree base. Smother your squash triangles and bake them in the oven for around 15 minutes until they’re mostly tender. Topped with cherry tomatoes, Cheddar cheese and melted mozzarella, we’re betting you’ll never miss the dough!
Pizza-loaded Fries
While pizza and chips can be a tasty treat from time to time, our slimming-friendly Pizza-loaded Fries make the best of both worlds for only 390 calories per serving. Loaded with cheese, tomato sauce, sliced peppers and mushrooms, this one’s made for sharing (even if you won’t want to!). A delicious way to give ordinary fries a makeover, they’re perfect to tuck into on a family film night. We can’t get enough of that crispy, pizza-loaded crunch!
The full recipe is in our second cookbook, Pinch of Nom: Everyday Light. You can pick up a copy to complete your Pinch of Nom here.
Hash Brown Pizza
You may have heard of a veggie pizza base made from cauliflower, but have you ever tried a hash brown base? Made with a tasty blend of potatoes and red onion, our Hash Brown Pizza base is just as crispy and satisfying as higher calorie alternatives.
For our cheesy topping, we use a fine Deiss grater like this one from Amazon. It makes sure all that melty goodness spreads nice and evenly!
There are so many ways to enjoy pizza-inspired deliciousness, without eating a pizza at all! From loaded fries to breakfast waffles, our slimming-friendly pizza dishes make the most of familiar toppings and flavours without taking you off track.
We knead to know which pizza recipe you’ll make first!
Share what you’re rustling up over in our Facebook group – it’s the place to be for a friendly chat, recipe ideas and slimming motivation.
Plus, don’t forget you can always scroll through the Pinch of Nom Gallery if you’re looking for ideas of what to make next! You’ll find loads of amazing photos shared by our lovely community, so you can see what everyone else has been making lately.