3 Healthy Pizza Recipes Under 200 Calories a Slice
One of America's favorite comfort foods gets a makeover
By Claudia Gallo
Making your own pizza isn’t difficult—even if you don’t have one of those tabletop outdoor pizza ovens—and it’s better for your health than ordering out. Depending on the toppings, some takeout pizza and frozen pies can be loaded with calories, fat, and sodium. In fact, pizza is No. 2 on the list of the top 10 sources of sodium in the American diet.
Done right, though, pizza can make for a nutritious meal.
“You have more control over the amount of cheese and salt you use, and you can switch to a whole-grain crust, which adds fiber,” says Amy Keating, RD, a dietitian at Consumer Reports. “The best way to make any pizza healthier, though—whether you make it yourself of take it out of a box—is to pile on the vegetables.”
Try these healthy pizza recipes, developed in Consumer Reports’ test kitchens. They call for a prebaked thin whole-wheat crust (we used Pastorelli Ultra Thin Pizza Crusts Whole Wheat), but you could also use refrigerated whole-wheat dough or make your own whole-wheat crust.
And if you want to invest in a pizza oven, check out CR’s review of four popular models.
Margherita Pizza With Arugula
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (no salt added)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper or black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 12-inch prebaked 100% whole-wheat thin crust
2 cups lightly packed arugula leaves, coarsely chopped
4 oz. unsalted fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces
2 tablespoons shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese
10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (about 1 tablespoon)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 450° F. Whisk together the tomatoes, vinegar, pepper, and oregano.
2. Place the crust on a pizza paddle or large cutting board. Spread sauce on pizza crust, then top with the arugula, mozzarella, and Asiago.
3. Carefully slide pizza directly onto the middle oven rack and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 8 minutes.
4. Remove the pizza carefully and keep it on the paddle or place it on a cutting board. Sprinkle with basil leaves. Let the pizza rest 2 to 3 minutes before cutting.
Makes 6 slices.
Nutrition information per slice: 150 calories, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 16 g carbs, 2 g sugars (0 g added), 3 g fiber, 7 g protein, 80 mg sodium
Brussels Sprouts Pizza With Goat Cheese
2 teaspoons honey, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1 12-inch prebaked 100% whole-wheat thin crust
2 ½ cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 oz. crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped unsalted pistachio nuts
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425° F. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the honey on the crust.
2. In a large bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil and salt.
3. Place the crust on a pizza paddle or large cutting board. Top the crust evenly with the Brussels sprouts, onion, goat cheese, Parmesan, and pistachios.
4. Carefully slide pizza directly onto middle oven rack and bake until the cheese is melted and the pizza is hot, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the pizza carefully and keep it on the paddle or place it on a cutting board. Drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon honey and serve.
Makes 6 slices.
Nutrition information per slice: 170 calories, 8 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 20 g carbs, 4 g sugars (2 g added), 4 g fiber, 7 g protein, 150 mg sodium
Roasted Vegetable Pizza With Ricotta Cheese
1 cup sliced zucchini
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 shallots, sliced
1 medium yellow pepper, sliced
1 medium red pepper, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 12-inch prebaked 100% whole-wheat thin crust
½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
½ cup part skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425° F. Place the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with the salt and olive oil.
2. Spread out the vegetables on large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until they are softened and brown in spots, about 13 minutes. Remove from oven.
3. Place the crust on a pizza paddle or large cutting board. Sprinkle the crust with mozzarella and top with vegetables. Place dollops of ricotta cheese around the crust and sprinkle with Parmesan.
4. Carefully slide the pizza directly onto middle oven rack and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the pizza carefully and keep it on the paddle or place it on a cutting board. Drizzle with pesto and serve.
Makes 6 slices.
Nutrition information per slice: 190 calories, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 20 g carbs, 3 g sugars (0 g added), 3 g fiber, 9 g protein, 220 mg sodium
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