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Mar 20, 2018 By Jessica Beacom

Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Bake

Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Jump to Recipe

Craving pizza but not the takeout price tag or the gluten? Try out Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Bake for a healthy twist on an old favorite!

 

Close up of casserole dish with quinoa topped with melted cheese, pepperoni and fresh basil.

Resist the urge for takeout or delivery with this healthier pepperoni pizza-inspired dish

There’s just something about pizza that’s so irresistible. No secrets here, I love pizza. Especially pepperoni pizza.

But for years (err, decades) I told myself that I didn’t like pepperoni or even pizza, for that matter. Looking back I realize that my ‘dislike’ of pepperoni pizza was really just a lie that I’d been telling myself to make it easier to so ‘No’ to a food that was never on my diet of choice. Having grown up and gone to college at the height of the low-fat-everything craze I had a serious fear of fat and that grease that would pool atop a perfectly baked pizza was something akin to napalm for this fat-phobic gal. Even smashing it between blotting it with a paper napkin wasn’t enough to justify it being a choice that wasn’t going to make me instantly gain 15 pounds.

Sad, right? Nowadays, thanks to having found my food freedom, I can enjoy a slice or two of pizza with toppings galore without a shred of guilt. But only when it’s worth it because I don’t feel awesome after eating pizza.

So it’s this physical love-hate (not mental or emotional because…food freedom, baby) that led me to create this Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Bake. It has all the flavors of my favorite pizza but without gluten and with more veggies and more fiber. A win-win for sure if you’re a pizza lover like me. 

Craving pizza? Try this healthier #glutenfree swap... Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Bake #realfood Click To Tweet

 

Photo of Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Bake with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes and hunk of fresh parmesan cheese.

Make it a Make-Ahead Meal

You know what else I love about this Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Bake? It’s perfect for meal preps because you can use this dish to your advantage in one of two ways:

  1. Make it and bake it then store in a covered container in the fridge once it has cooled (or individual glass meal prep containers if you’ll be taking it for lunch) then just reheat & eat later in the week, or
  2. Assemble the dish in an oven-proof baking dish with lid then store in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you need an easy, no-fuss meal during the week you can just pop it in a preheated oven and let it bake while you take care of other things or make a salad.

I also love that this Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Bake is kid-friendly.

 

pepperoni pizza quinoa bake with a serving spoon

Make it your own

Speaking of kids, if your kids don’t share your affinity for pepperoni then don’t throw the baby out with the bath water just yet. Get creative and find a way to compromise. I feel like I’m the Queen of Culinary Compromise most days having one child with a varied and somewhat adventurous palate and another with a very limited palate (<<I blame her genetics for being a ‘super taster’ not her). So what I often do is make this dish half pepperoni-half mild Italian sausage by setting aside half of the quinoa-veggie-sauce mixture to add sausage to before spooning it into the baking dish. Then I dot the top of the sausage side with a few pieces of sausage so it’s clear which side is which because, believe me, if you’ve ever suffered the dramatic wrath of a hungry, pepperoni-hating preteen who mistakenly dug into the wrong side of the dish you’d do the same.

Other ways you can make this dish your own or customize it to your family’s tastes are to use the veggies you have on hand or those you know they really like. Mushrooms, eggplant and spinach are all delicious in this dish and an easy way to add more veggies. Got leftover cauliflower rice or steamed broccoli on hand? Toss that in there, too! That’s another great way to stretch your grocery buck, boost the nutrition and decrease food waste.

 

up close of spoonful of pepperoni pizza quinoa bake

 Dig in!

Serve with a giant green salad or a side of sautéed greens or roasted green beans to round out the meal. And parmesan cheese. Don’t forget the parmesan cheese for your sprinkling pleasure. 

 

P.S. Looking for other great make-ahead to bake when you’re ready recipes? Try our Southwest Quinoa Bake and 5-Ingredient Baked Ziti 

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Let's Get Cookin'

Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Bake

  • Author: Jessica Beacom
  • Prep Time: 10 min.
  • Cook Time: 30 min.
  • Total Time: 40 min.
  • Yield: Serves 4-5 1x
  • Cuisine: Gluten-free, Egg-free, Nut-free
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained (we used Tiny Hero Quinoa*)
  • ½ medium onion, diced
  • 1 large zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch ‘half-moons”
  • 1 medium bell pepper, any color, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
  • ½ c. warm water
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 ounces turkey pepperoni slices, cut into fourths
  • Fresh basil, optional
  • Fresh grated parmesan cheese, optional
  • Red pepper flakes, optional

* Note – If using Tiny Hero Quinoa, cooking directions differ slightly from regular quinoa so you’ll want to cook it according to the package directions instead of those in Step 2 below.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a small casserole dish or 9×9-inch glass baking dish with oil and set aside.
  2. Place quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cool running water for 30-60 seconds. Transfer to a medium saucepan and add 2 cups water or broth. Bring to a coil then cover pan and  reduce heat to medium-low. Allow quinoa to cook, covered, for 15 minutes or liquid is absorbed. Let stand covered for 5 minutes then fluff with fork.
  3. While quinoa is cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil. When oil just begins to shimmer, add onions and peppers. Saute for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions starts to soften. Add zucchini and garlic. Continue to cook an additional 7-8 minutes or until veggies are tender.
  4. While veggies are cooking, combine ingredients for sauce: tomato paste through black pepper, including the 2 Tbsp. of remaining olive oil. Stir until well combined, taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
  5. Add quinoa, sauce, pepperoni and ¾ cup mozzarella cheese to the veggies in the skillet, reserving a few pepperoni slices for the top.
  6. Transfer to a 9×9-inch baking dish (or leave it in the skillet if you’re using cast iron!)
  7. Sprinkle top of casserole with remaining ¼ cup mozzarella cheese and reserved pepperoni slices.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes or until hot throughout and cheese is bubbly on top. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

Notes

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/5th recipe
  • Calories: 348
  • Sugar: 6g
  • Sodium: 651mg
  • Fat: 17g
  • Carbohydrates: 36g
  • Fiber: 7g
  • Protein: 17g

Tell us – what are your favorite pizza toppings? Did you make this dish? If so, how did you ‘make it your own’?

 

Pin It Now & Make It Later

pinterest image for pepperoni pizza quinoa bake


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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Beth says

    March 23, 2018 at 6:18 pm

    I see this had “freezer friendly” under the recipe name at one point. Would you freeze it after assembly and before baking, I assume?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      April 1, 2018 at 1:09 pm

      Hi Beth, yes that is correct. Freeze it prior to the 15 min baking time. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Gayle says

    March 24, 2018 at 6:19 pm

    Does this recipe freeze well for leftovers?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      April 1, 2018 at 1:11 pm

      Yes, this recipe does freeze well!

      Reply
  3. Melanie says

    March 25, 2018 at 6:30 pm

    Another fabulous recipe and it met my need to have a pizza! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      April 1, 2018 at 1:14 pm

      So great to hear! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Barbara says

    April 12, 2018 at 9:35 am

    Do you think I can sub Cauliflower for the Quinoa? I am not doing grains at all but this looks so, so good I want to try it. I miss pizza! Thanks for all your great recipes I eat Paleo/W30/Keto and your recipes work great for this WOE combo which works best for my body and my weight loss need. So thanks and keep it the great tasting recipes.

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      April 17, 2018 at 7:18 pm

      Hey! That’s a good question. We have not tried this recipe with cauli-rice but I’d love to know how it turns out if you give it a try. Keep us posted!

      Reply
    • Lyndsey says

      October 30, 2018 at 9:25 am

      Barbara did you ever try the cauliflower rice? I wanted to try and sub half for the quinoa to lessen the carbs a little. Did it work well for you??

      Reply
    • Rachel says

      January 20, 2019 at 4:54 pm

      I made this recipe with cauliflower rice, and it was absolutely amazing! I couldn’t believe how tasty it was! Highly recommend!

      Reply
      • Stacie Hassing says

        January 20, 2019 at 7:45 pm

        Love the idea of using cauliflower rice!

        Reply
  5. Virginia says

    July 27, 2018 at 11:50 am

    Made this recipe last night and it receives Five Stars from both my fiance and myself. I had it cold for breakfast at my desk and it makes great leftovers too. I’m also excited to try different variations. Do you use the sauce recipe with any other dishes? It was really tasty and I’m curious how else you would recommend using it. Thank you!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      July 31, 2018 at 1:22 pm

      Thanks, Virginia! I’m so glad you loved this dish – even served cold! I use this sauce for making homemade pizzas and it also makes a nice chicken or eggplant parmesan.

      Reply
  6. Erica says

    August 5, 2018 at 10:58 am

    Yummy and easy. My husband loved it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Lindsey says

    August 9, 2018 at 10:24 am

    What is the healthiest brand for turkey pepperoni?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      August 9, 2018 at 5:21 pm

      I like the Applegate Naturals Uncured Turkey Pepperoni.

      Reply
  8. Kaitlyn Reilly says

    March 8, 2019 at 7:56 am

    Do you ever use another protein in place of turkey pepperoni ?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      March 8, 2019 at 10:17 pm

      You could definitely use cooked ground beef or turkey or even Italian sausage.

      Reply
  9. Melanie Merkle says

    March 16, 2019 at 1:29 pm

    Do you use the remaining 2 T of olive oil in the sauce?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      March 19, 2019 at 5:27 pm

      Yes, I updated the instructions so that it’s more clear.

      Reply
  10. Peggy Lucius says

    May 27, 2019 at 2:37 pm

    I love this recipe and so does my family! Is this recipe freezer friendly?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      May 27, 2019 at 5:33 pm

      Thanks! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. I can be frozen though it may be a little ‘wet’ upon thawing in which case we recommend reheating it in a preheated 350F oven, uncovered, to allow some of the moisture to evaporate as it warms up.

      Reply
  11. Ashley says

    May 26, 2020 at 3:52 pm

    Love this recipe!! It has all of the flavors of pizza but with more nutrients. This is one I keep making again and again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  12. Kim says

    May 28, 2020 at 4:47 pm

    Can you use mullet instead of quinoa?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      May 29, 2020 at 11:21 am

      You definitely can.

      Reply
  13. Bev says

    June 1, 2020 at 7:29 pm

    I thought it was the best quinoa dish I have had so far. Husband was not a fan. I keep trying things with quinoa but just not hitting the do again with my family so far.

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      June 2, 2020 at 6:52 pm

      Hi Bev,

      We’re glad you loved it but sorry to hear that the family wasn’t as excited about it as you were.

      Reply
  14. Vicky says

    July 7, 2020 at 5:29 pm

    Just made this and my husband and I both loved it! I’m amazed at how chock full of veggies it is and 17 grams of protein is amazing. Thanks for sharing this, it’s in the rotation!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      July 8, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      YAYYYYYY!!

      Reply

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