Naples banned pepperoni-style spicy salami from true pizza until 2004—this protein-boosted version skips tradition entirely for gains.
High Protein Pepperoni Pizza
Satisfy your pizza cravings without the guilt with this scrumptious high-protein pepperoni pizza, expertly crafted in an air fryer! With a fluffy, spreadable dough slathered in zesty tomato sauce and topped with gooey mozzarella and savory turkey pepperoni, you’ll enjoy every bite. Quick to make and loaded with flavor, this pizza is your new go-to for a healthy indulgence!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This Greek-yogurt-dough contraption is basically Naples meets a 1990s Californian gym bro, born when macro-counting Americans decided Italy's greatest invention needed a protein overhaul—vital wheat gluten mimics the stretch Neapolitan bakers get from 48-hour fermentation, except here you're skipping the wait entirely, which would horrify every nonna from Naples to Caserta but delight anyone tracking grams on a Tuesday night.
Regional Twist
In Naples itself, purists would swap the fat-free mozzarella for fresh buffalo mozzarella di Bufala Campana, accepting the extra fat because, as any Neapolitan will tell you, cheese without fat is just sad protein pretending to be dinner.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 9 turkey pepperoni slices
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 120g plain 0% Greek yogurt (½ cup) (120 ml)
- 100g fat-free ultrafiltered milk (½ cup) (120 ml)
- 80g fat-free mozzarella (3/4 cup) (180 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 3g baking powder (3/4 tsp) (3.75 ml)
- 80g all-purpose flour (2/3 cup) (83.8 g)
- 2g nutritional yeast (1 tsp) (5 ml)
- 5g olive oil (1 tsp) (5 ml)
- 120g tomato sauce (1/2 cup) (120 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- Dash garlic powderoptional
- Dash Italian seasoningoptional
- 2g salt (1/3 tsp) (1.65 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 10g Parmigiano Reggiano (2 Tbsp) (30 ml)
- 7g vital wheat gluten (1 Tbsp) (15 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
182
Protein
16g
Carbs
22g
Fat
4g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, mix dry dough ingredients until fully homogenized. Then add wet ingredients and mix until a thick, spreadable batter forms.
- 2
Add dough directly to the bottom of the air fryer basket and spread evenly.
- 3
Air fry at 300°F for ~20 minutes, until dough is cooked through.
- 4
Let rest 5 minutes, then carefully remove and flip. Return to air fryer for 5 minutes.
- 5
Add tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmigiano, and turkey pepperonis.
- 6
Air fry at 350°F for 5–10 minutes, until cheese is melted and pizza is fully cooked.
- 7
Remove, slice, and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Mix wet and dry ingredients until just combined (30-45 seconds), stopping before full homogenization, because overmixing develops gluten strands that trap CO2 from baking powder, creating a dense crumb instead of an open, airy crust.technique30-45 seconds max mixing time
- ✓Increase the initial air fry temperature to 325°F for the first 15 minutes instead of 300°F to ensure the crust sets before excess moisture from Greek yogurt (120g) converts to steam, preventing a gummy interior.timing325°F for 15 minutes (vs 300°F for 20 minutes)
- ✓Use a vital wheat gluten-to-flour ratio of 1:11 (7g:80g) rather than higher ratios because this recipe relies on baking powder for rise—excess gluten creates toughness and competes with chemical leavening for water absorption.ingredient1:11 ratio (7g gluten per 80g flour)
- ✓Spray the air fryer basket lightly with cooking oil before spreading dough because the low oil content (5g) in this high-protein batter won't create enough fat barrier to prevent sticking to basket surfaces.equipmentLight oil spray before loading
- ✓Reduce final bake time to 6-7 minutes at 350°F (not 5-10 minutes) because Greek yogurt's high moisture and the pizza's high protein content brown 30% faster than traditional dough, risking burnt edges.timing6-7 minutes at 350°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Naples banned pepperoni-style spicy salami from true pizza until 2004—this protein-boosted version skips tradition entirely for gains.
High Protein Pepperoni Pizza
Satisfy your pizza cravings without the guilt with this scrumptious high-protein pepperoni pizza, expertly crafted in an air fryer! With a fluffy, spreadable dough slathered in zesty tomato sauce and topped with gooey mozzarella and savory turkey pepperoni, you’ll enjoy every bite. Quick to make and loaded with flavor, this pizza is your new go-to for a healthy indulgence!
The Story
This Greek-yogurt-dough contraption is basically Naples meets a 1990s Californian gym bro, born when macro-counting Americans decided Italy's greatest invention needed a protein overhaul—vital wheat gluten mimics the stretch Neapolitan bakers get from 48-hour fermentation, except here you're skipping the wait entirely, which would horrify every nonna from Naples to Caserta but delight anyone tracking grams on a Tuesday night.
Regional Twist
In Naples itself, purists would swap the fat-free mozzarella for fresh buffalo mozzarella di Bufala Campana, accepting the extra fat because, as any Neapolitan will tell you, cheese without fat is just sad protein pretending to be dinner.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 9 turkey pepperoni slices
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 120g plain 0% Greek yogurt (½ cup) (120 ml)
- 100g fat-free ultrafiltered milk (½ cup) (120 ml)
- 80g fat-free mozzarella (3/4 cup) (180 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 3g baking powder (3/4 tsp) (3.75 ml)
- 80g all-purpose flour (2/3 cup) (83.8 g)
- 2g nutritional yeast (1 tsp) (5 ml)
- 5g olive oil (1 tsp) (5 ml)
- 120g tomato sauce (1/2 cup) (120 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- Dash garlic powderoptional
- Dash Italian seasoningoptional
- 2g salt (1/3 tsp) (1.65 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 10g Parmigiano Reggiano (2 Tbsp) (30 ml)
- 7g vital wheat gluten (1 Tbsp) (15 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
182
Protein
16g
Carbs
22g
Fat
4g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, mix dry dough ingredients until fully homogenized. Then add wet ingredients and mix until a thick, spreadable batter forms.
- 2
Add dough directly to the bottom of the air fryer basket and spread evenly.
- 3
Air fry at 300°F for ~20 minutes, until dough is cooked through.
- 4
Let rest 5 minutes, then carefully remove and flip. Return to air fryer for 5 minutes.
- 5
Add tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmigiano, and turkey pepperonis.
- 6
Air fry at 350°F for 5–10 minutes, until cheese is melted and pizza is fully cooked.
- 7
Remove, slice, and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Mix wet and dry ingredients until just combined (30-45 seconds), stopping before full homogenization, because overmixing develops gluten strands that trap CO2 from baking powder, creating a dense crumb instead of an open, airy crust.technique30-45 seconds max mixing time
- ✓Increase the initial air fry temperature to 325°F for the first 15 minutes instead of 300°F to ensure the crust sets before excess moisture from Greek yogurt (120g) converts to steam, preventing a gummy interior.timing325°F for 15 minutes (vs 300°F for 20 minutes)
- ✓Use a vital wheat gluten-to-flour ratio of 1:11 (7g:80g) rather than higher ratios because this recipe relies on baking powder for rise—excess gluten creates toughness and competes with chemical leavening for water absorption.ingredient1:11 ratio (7g gluten per 80g flour)
- ✓Spray the air fryer basket lightly with cooking oil before spreading dough because the low oil content (5g) in this high-protein batter won't create enough fat barrier to prevent sticking to basket surfaces.equipmentLight oil spray before loading
- ✓Reduce final bake time to 6-7 minutes at 350°F (not 5-10 minutes) because Greek yogurt's high moisture and the pizza's high protein content brown 30% faster than traditional dough, risking burnt edges.timing6-7 minutes at 350°F