Low-carb pepper pizza halves

Low-carb pepper pizza halves with passata, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, olives and basil – an easy oven dish with lots of veg and a well-seasoned topping.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 20 min
• Total time: 30 min
• Calories: 250 kcal per serving
• Protein: 15 g
• Fat: 16 g
• Carbs: 10 g

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp passata
• 2 peppers
• 1 handful of cherry tomatoes
• 125g mozzarella
• A few black olives or pieces of beef salami
• Basil

Method

You’ll need: oven · baking tray · chopping board · knife · sieve

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Wash the peppers, halve them lengthways and remove the seeds and white membranes.
2. Place the pepper halves cut side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Season the passata with salt, pepper and oregano and spoon it into the halves.
3. Drain the mozzarella and cut it into small pieces or tear it. Halve the cherry tomatoes and scatter them over the peppers with the black olives or pieces of beef salami.
4. Cover everything with mozzarella and bake at 200 °C for 15–20 min, until the cheese has melted and is lightly browned. The peppers can keep a little bite.
5. Take out of the oven briefly and scatter with fresh basil.
6. Serve straight away, while the mozzarella is still soft and the peppers are juicy.

Good to know

When it needs to be quick, these pepper halves are a really good oven idea. Juicy, full of flavour and pleasantly light, without tasting like you're missing out.

Swaps

Mozzarella → whole-milk mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella (less processed, often better flavour) Pieces of beef salami → chicken breast strips or good-quality turkey breast (less heavily processed, usually less salt and fewer questionable additives) Passata → unsweetened chopped tomatoes (more texture, often a little less processed) Tinned black olives → natural olives in brine (usually fewer additives)

Allergens

Contains milk (mozzarella). With olives it's usually child-friendly, with beef salami it's more strongly seasoned. In pregnancy, use only pasteurised mozzarella and beef salami that has been heated until piping hot.

Frequently asked questions

What's in peppers nutritionally?

Peppers mainly provide vitamin C, plus carotenoids and smaller amounts of folate. The riper and redder they are, the higher their content of certain carotenoids usually is.

Does the lycopene from tomatoes matter in this recipe?

Yes, passata and cherry tomatoes contain lycopene.

What nutrients does mozzarella bring?

Mozzarella provides protein, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B12. Fat content and texture vary from product to product.

Are black olives interesting nutritionally?

Olives mainly contain monounsaturated fats and some vitamin E. They're often quite salty too, so it's worth a quick look at the ingredients list.

Is basil more than just a garnish?

Basil provides small amounts of vitamin K and various aromatic plant compounds. In the usual amounts, its nutritional contribution is fairly small, but you can really taste it.