Free calorie & nutrition tracking
Pizza is not usually the first food that comes to mind when you are tracking calories. This version, however, is built so that it fits a goal-focused diet too. The base is made from a quark dough without yeast, and the topping is packed with protein from minced meat, ham and light cheese. One serving has about 40 grams of protein, which is more than in many so-called training meals. Plenty of vegetables add fullness and fibre without the calories running away. On this page the nutritional values update automatically if you swap or remove ingredients, so you can adapt the pizza to your own products.
Pizza is a favourite for many, but the traditional version is often fatty and heavy on carbohydrates, with barely any protein. This recipe turns that around. The base and the topping are built so that one serving delivers about 40 grams of protein at a reasonable calorie count. That makes the pizza a meal that keeps you full for a long time and supports your training, while you still enjoy real pizza rather than some substitute.
I do not want healthy versions to be boring. Pizza has to taste like pizza, which is why this one has a generous, juicy topping and not just a stripped-down base. The idea is simple: raise the share of protein and add volume with vegetables, so you get the same fullness with fewer calories. That way you can log the pizza with a clear conscience.
The base is made from a quark dough, a quick and protein-rich alternative to a traditional yeast dough. Quark, wheat flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt are mixed into a dough that is ready to roll out right away. No proving is needed, so the pizza comes together clearly faster than with a yeast base. Quark brings moisture and protein to the base, and baking powder makes it suitably airy. Roll the base thin, because a thin base crisps up better and keeps the serving moderate in calories.
The protein comes from three sources. Lean minced meat is browned and seasoned, ham strips add more heartiness and savouriness, and cheese binds it all together. Two cheeses are used, mozzarella and a lighter grated pizza cheese with a lower fat percentage than usual. This gives you that familiar melted cheese top while gathering less fat and fewer calories. Chopped tomatoes act as the base for the sauce without needing to be cooked separately, and a splash of lemon juice brightens the flavour.
The pizza is loaded with vegetables: mushroom, fresh tomato, onion and cauliflower. Here the vegetables are more than decoration. They add volume and fibre for very few calories, so the serving is more filling without the energy going up. Break the cauliflower into small florets so it cooks along with the pizza. Spread the vegetables evenly so every slice gets both protein and vegetables.
A few things improve the result. Brown the minced meat well before assembling, because raw minced meat releases liquid in the oven that softens the base. Roll the base thin and even so it bakes crisp and does not stay doughy in the middle. Do not pile the topping on too thickly, because too wet and heavy a surface leaves the base soft. Bake the pizza in a hot oven on the lower rack, so the base gets direct heat and crisps up. Let the pizza settle for a moment before slicing so the topping stays in place.
The pizza is divided into four servings. One serving has about 497 calories and as much as roughly 40 grams of protein, which is an excellent ratio especially for a pizza. Thanks to the generous vegetables, you also get several grams of fibre per serving. Cut the pizza into pieces so the serving size stays known.
The nutritional values have been calculated per ingredient, and they update in the calculator on this page if you swap or remove ingredients. If you use a different cheese or minced meat, for example, you get the right numbers straight from your own products. That makes the pizza a meal that works for both taste and goals, and treating yourself does not have to mean forgetting your tracking.
Save this recipe to your own recipes, you can adjust the serving size and ingredients.
