What is a meatza pie, you ask? Well, it's kind of like a pizza pie but, you know, meatier.
This pizza has no crust so it's great for anyone on a low carb diet or if you're just looking to cut carbs. It does have a small amount of bread crumbs that act to hold the slices together.
Is a Meatza pie a new thing?
Nope! This has been around awhile. This "meatza" recipe was inspired by my archives of vintage recipes. I found this gem of a recipe titled "Burger-Pizza" nestled in a 23-page mini cookbook put out by Hunts.
The cookbook was not marked with a date since it's technically an ad and not a published book, but it looks to be from the 1950s era with one-liners like "Men, particularly, like its hearty flavor."
I do believe this would make a pretty great and funny Father's Day dinner though, don't you think?
A Meatza? Who's ever heard of a Meatza?
An Italian meat-pie-of-sorts has been on my list of recipes to make and share for some time. I originally became acquainted with the idea of layering ground beef into the makings of a traditional pizza on the short-lived cooking show Nigella.
The show was hosted by English bombshell Nigella Lawson who had a way with Italian recipes. I loved her simple recipes and the way she effortlessly prepared her dishes with such passion! Great show, too bad they never aired any more seasons past the first one.
Freezer Friendly
Anyway, so I stumbled upon this recipe again in my vintage cookbooks and I knew I had to make it. These meatzas are super easy to make and are just something a little fun and different for dinner. It freezes well so you can make a couple at a time and freeze one or give one away.
What kind of meat is in a “meatza?”
You can use any kind of ground meat so if you want to lighten things up, I'd recommend a mixture of half turkey, half beef.
If you're after that "hearty flavor," you could add in some Italian sausage.
You could also use ground or shredded chicken. Pretty much any meat will work here! If you opt to use chicken, you probably just want to leave out the Worcestershire sauce.
Could you possibly make this meatza vegetarian??
I haven't tried but I know there are a lot of faux meat products and recipes out there using beans, nuts, soy and/or tofu. If you give it a try, let me know!
What's the best dish to use to make this?
I think the meatza looks best in a pie pan so you can slice it like a pizza, but if you don't own a pie pan, you could easily make this in a small, square casserole dish.
What toppings could you put on a meatza pie?
You can top your meatza with anything you'd put on a pizza! Vegetables like peppers, onions and spinach are always good choices. You could also add mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage, or chicken.
My personal favorite toppings, inspired by our local pizza shop, are black olives and artichokes. Try adding a few drizzles of pesto sauce, a sprinkle of sea salt or a dusting a herbs.
I also really love hawiann pizza toppings — pineapple and ham. Just like a regular pizza, the topping possibilities for a meatza are limitless!
You may also love...
Love this meatza pie recipe? Then I think you might just love my Taco Pasta Bake too!
This Meatza Pie recipe was featured on Meal Plan Monday and South Your Mouth!
Meatza Pie (Crustless Low Carb Pizza!)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground meat beef, turkey and/or Italian sausage
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup Italian bread crumbs use gluten free bread crumbs for even lower carbs
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cup pizza sauce more or less to taste
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Combine eggs, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and red pepper flakes with ground meat.
- Layer meat mixture into a cast iron skillet and press to make flat.
- Bake at 400˚ for 35-45 minutes or until meat is fully cooked.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet with meat from oven and drain excess fat if desired by gently tilting the skillet over the sink. Be careful to not touch the skillet and don't over-tilt so that the meat falls out!
- Next layer on pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese and any toppings you'd like! Return to oven and bake an additional 10-12 minutes or until cheese has melted.
- Remove from oven and let cool. Serve your meatza using a wedge-shaped pie spatula.
Im assuming the 2 eggs are incorporated into the meat/ herb/ bread crumb mixture?
Yes, that's correct! The eggs get blended in with the meat and breadcrumbs (similar to meatloaf) to help hold everything together.
I haven't tried this. I will try this over the weekend with my kids. Great post!
I think this looks yummy! Meat or veggies, I will try both! Thanks for sharing!