Easy Pizza Bowls

Satisfy your next pizza craving with these delicious pizza bowls. Made with simple ingredients, this easy dinner is the perfect recipe to make when you're looking for the flavors of pizza but also want a quick and wholesome dinner. Endlessly customizable, the whole family can enjoy it their own way.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Leftovers and Storage
• Make it Your Own
• Serving Ideas
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Recipe Card
• Comments

If pizza for dinner always sounds like a good idea to you (like it does for me!), then this pizza bowl recipe is sure to be a hit.

With gooey cheese, savory sauce and your favorite pizza ingredients, it's got everything there is to love about 'za but without the need to fuss with pizza crust (though if you use my artisan dough recipe, it really doesn't take much fuss!).

And if you are on the look out for easy "pizza recipes", be sure to try these Italian sausage pizza quesadillas as well.

Now let's make some pizza bowls!

The Ingredients

• Grains- I usually make these with quinoa but you can also use a different grain such as farro, barley or brown rice. You need 3 cups cooked which is about 1 cup uncooked. If you prefer to make these without grains, feel free to omit them.
• Pizza Sauce- I highly recommend whipping up a batch of this easy recipe made from tomato paste and dried oregano or Italian seasoning. You can also use 1 cup of another favorite pizza sauce, though, if you'd like.
• Toppings- I used the following but feel free to use your favorite pizza toppings instead. You will need about 4 cups in total (about 1 cup of toppings per bowl).
  • Spicy Italian Sausage- Be sure to use fully cooked sausage.
  • Green Pepper
  • Red Onion
  • Cherry Tomatoes
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

The Method

1. Prepare Ingredients.

• Grains- Cook according to package directions and then mix with ¼ cup of pizza sauce.
• Cheese- Shred.
• Vegetables- Cut into small pieces.
• Meat- Cook completely and cut into bite sized pieces.

2. Assemble. In each of four 12 oz oven safe ramekins (or similar small oven-safe bowls), layer the following:

• 1 tablespoon pizza sauce
• ⅓ cup grains
• 1 tablespoon pizza sauce
• ½ cup of toppings
  • I did 1 tablespoon each of green peppers, onions and tomatoes and about ¼ cup of sausage
• ¼ cup shredded cheese
• ⅓ cup grains
• 1 tablespoon pizza sauce
• ½ cup toppings
• ¼ cup cheese

TIP: Be sure to press each layer in tightly before adding the next.

3. Bake. Place the ramekins on a large baking sheet (to catch any cheese that might bubble over) and place in the oven. Bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

4. Enjoy! Garnish with fresh basil and diced tomatoes as desired. Be careful- the edges of the ramekin will be hot! Place the ramekins on a potholder and be sure not to touch the edges while eating.

Leftovers and Storage

Make Ahead: Assemble these easy pizza bowls in ramekins, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator if frozen and bake as per directions.

To Store: Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: To heat unbaked "pizzas", bake as per recipe directions. Previously baked bowls can be reheated in the microwave or in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes.

Make it Your Own

Topping Ideas: Substitute the suggested toppings with 4 cups of your favorite toppings- just make sure that any meat you use is already cooked. Here are some suggestions:

• Pepperoni Slices
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Black Olives
• Bell Peppers
• Spinach
• Bacon

Flavor Combos:

• Barbecue Chicken- Use Bbq Sauce in place of pizza sauce, and mix ¼ cup with 2 cups of shredded or diced chicken (about 2 chicken breasts). Use about ½ cup chopped red onion and ½ cup diced tomatoes. You could use mozzarella or try a sharp cheddar or gouda instead. Top with green onions.
• Hawaiian- Use 2 cups of diced ham and 2 cups of diced pineapple. A bit of crispy bacon and a garnish of parmesan cheese would be tasty additions.
• Veggie- Use 4 cups of your favourite vegetables on pizza. Mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, olives, artichokes and zucchini would all be delicious. Top with some fresh herbs.
• Beef and Onion- Make the ground beef mixture from this regular pizza recipe and use it as the topping. Garnish with some red pepper flakes.

Low-Carb Pizza Bowl- Omit the grains from the bowl and add extra toppings.

No individual ramekins?

You can assemble this as a quinoa pizza casserole instead! You will need to use a 1.5 to 2 quart size casserole dish. Bake time will increase to about 20-30 minutes.

Serving Ideas

This easy pizza bowl recipe is a great all in one meal but if you would like to serve it with some sides, try serving it alongside the same sides you would have with a more traditional pizza such as:

• Mediterranean Salad
• Caesar Salad
• Chicken Wings
• Or for more great options, see this list of sides to serve on pizza night!

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And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• Italian Sausage Rice Skillet
• Bruschetta Chicken Sheet Pan
• Chimichurri Shrimp Bowls
• Ground Beef Tacos

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