Keto Margherita Pizza with Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil

This keto Margherita pizza puts classic tomato, mozzarella and basil on our low-carb pizza base mix for about 1.6g net carbs per slice. One pizza (8 slices) takes around 45 minutes from mixing the dough to slicing, with a short rest for the base.

Friday-night pizza is back on the menu. The Groovy Keto Pizza Base Mix needs only eggs and boiling water, then a quick pre-bake before you add a simple passata sauce and fresh mozzarella. If you are weighing up cheese on keto, our guide Is Cheese Keto Friendly? covers how mozzarella fits a low-carb plate.

• Prep time: 20 minutes (including 10 minutes resting the dough)
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Total time: about 45 minutes
• Makes: 1 pizza (8 slices); serves 2 as a main
• Net carbs: 1.6g per slice (6.4g per half pizza)

Ingredients

For the base

• 130g Groovy Keto Pizza Base Mix (half a 260g pack)
• 2 medium eggs
• 40ml boiling water

For the topping

• 100g tomato passata
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated (about 3g)
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Optional: ½ tsp monk fruit decoction & erythritol sweetener
• 125g fresh mozzarella, drained and torn or sliced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (about 10ml), plus a little for finishing
• A small handful of fresh basil leaves (about 5g)
• Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

You will also need baking paper and a baking tray. For a slightly thicker sauce, whisk in a tiny pinch of xanthan gum off the heat.

Method

1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Mix the base. In a bowl, add 130g of the pizza base mix. Crack in the eggs, pour over the boiling water and mix thoroughly until you have a sticky dough. With wet hands, form it into a ball and leave to rest for 10 minutes so the psyllium can absorb the liquid.
3. Shape the base. Place the dough on the lined tray, cover with a second sheet of baking paper and roll or press into a round about 25–28cm across and roughly 5mm thick. Peel off the top paper. Wet your hands if the dough sticks.
4. Pre-bake. Bake on the middle shelf for 10 minutes, until the base is set and just starting to colour at the edges.
5. Make the sauce. While the base bakes, stir the passata with the garlic, oregano, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the optional sweetener if your passata tastes sharp. Warm gently in a small pan for 2–3 minutes, or leave it cold for a fresher finish.
6. Top the pizza. Spread the sauce thinly over the pre-baked base, leaving a small border. Arrange the mozzarella on top and drizzle with most of the olive oil.
7. Finish baking. Return to the oven for 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and blistered and the crust is golden.
8. Serve. Scatter over the fresh basil, add a last drizzle of olive oil, rest for 2 minutes, then slice into 8. Serve hot.

Tips for the best keto Margherita

• Rest the dough. Ten minutes after mixing lets the psyllium hydrate so the base rolls more evenly and less stickily.
• Keep the sauce thin. A light coat of passata stops the crust going soft. Thick dollops of concentrate will add more carbs and moisture.
• Drain the mozzarella. Pat fresh mozzarella dry so the top blisters rather than weeps.
• Add basil at the end. Fresh leaves keep their colour and aroma if they go on after baking.
• Make two bases. Use the whole 260g pack with 4 eggs and 80ml boiling water if you are feeding four, or freeze the second pre-baked base.

Nutrition

Per slice (one eighth of the pizza):

Net carbs are carbohydrate minus polyols. On UK labels, fibre is already listed separately from carbohydrate, so it isn't subtracted again. Our guide Do You Subtract Fibre From Carbs on UK Labels? explains why. Figures use the Groovy Keto Pizza Base Mix label (baked slice with eggs) plus UK McCance and Widdowson's CoFID data for mozzarella, canned tomatoes (as a passata proxy), olive oil, garlic and basil, so they are a guide and will vary with the brands you use. Excessive consumption of polyols, such as erythritol, may produce laxative effects.

FAQ

Is Margherita pizza keto?

A traditional Margherita on a wheat base is not keto, because the crust is high in starch. This version uses our low-carb pizza base mix with eggs and water, then classic tomato, mozzarella and basil toppings. It works out at about 1.6g net carbs per slice (one eighth of the pizza).

Can I freeze keto Margherita pizza?

Yes. Pre-bake the base, cool it, wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month. Top from frozen and add a few extra minutes in the oven. Leftover topped slices keep in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat best in a hot oven or air fryer rather than the microwave.

Can I cook this in an air fryer?

You can finish smaller bases in an air fryer. Shape a thinner 18–20cm base, pre-bake at 180°C for about 6–8 minutes, add toppings, then cook for another 5–8 minutes until the cheese melts. Our guide to keto air fryer recipes has more timing tips for low-carb bakes.

What allergens are in this recipe?

The pizza base mix contains nuts (almonds) and milk (from whey protein), and may contain traces of gluten, other nuts, cereals, milk and eggs. This recipe also uses eggs and mozzarella (milk). Always check the current pack label before cooking for anyone with an allergy.