I’m not against bread or carbs in the slightest, mainly because I just love them too much to give them up, but I do realize that not everyone is in the same boat as I am. Whether you’re watching your carb intake or you have to eat gluten-free or you’re just looking for a healthier take on your favorite guilty pleasure, then these Supreme Pizza Lettuce Wraps are made just for you in mind. It’s like pizza but without crust, which I know might sound crazy since the crust is the best part but hear me out. These lettuce wraps are filled with all of the classic supreme pizza toppings complete with sauce and lots of cheese. A moderate amount of cheese. As much cheese as you’d like, really. They’re the perfect appetizer, snack, or light lunch/dinner. Give them a try because they’re delicious.
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Once hot, add in the sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until crispy and no longer pink, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the pepperoni slices and cook a minute or two longer. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and pepperoni from the skillet.
**Note: If the sausage and pepperoni have released too much grease, you want to drain off all but 1 tablespoon of it. You don’t want the filling to be too greasy.**
Add in the red onion and garlic and cook until softened about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper and cook for another minute or two longer. Again, we’re just trying to soften the veggies a bit, but still want a bit of bite to them.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they’ve just begun to brown, about 5 minutes. Then add the olives, Italian seasoning, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Return the sausage and pepperoni to the skillet and cook until warmed through. Remove from the heat, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed.
To serve, spoon the filling into butter lettuce leaves and top with pizza sauce, a sprinkling of mozzarella, parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
**Note: You can use either store-bought or homemade pizza sauce. Either serve it room temperature or warm it up slightly before serving. If you want a homemade pizza sauce, this one from the no-knead deep-dish pizza is a great sauce I make all the time!**
I love butter lettuce whenever I make lettuce wraps, but honestly any type of lettuce leaf will work for this. Iceberg, romaine or red/green leaf lettuce would all work perfectly for this as well. I want this to be as easy as possible.
If you’re watching what you’re eating or trying not to eat as many carbs, or have to eat gluten-free, then these lettuce wraps are for you. Especially if you’re craving pizza. They’re great as an appetizer, snack or a delicious dinner on the lighter side. Let me know your thoughts below. Stay safe, my friends.
Supreme Pizza Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 hot Italian sausage links casings removed
- 10 ounces sliced pepperoni
- 1/2 medium red onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium bell pepper diced
- 8 ounces sliced mushroom
- 4 ounces sliced black olives drained
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 1 head butter lettuce leaves separated
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 8 ounces homemade or store-bought pizza sauce
Instructions
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Once hot, add in the sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until crispy and no longer pink, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the pepperoni slices and cook a minute or two longer. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and pepperoni from the skillet.
- Add in the onion and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in the bell pepper and mushrooms and cook until they've just begun to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the olives, Italian seasoning, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Return the sausage and pepperoni to the skillet and cook until warmed through.
- To serve, spoon the filling into lettuce leaves and top with a sprinkling of mozzarella and parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Top with pizza sauce and serve immediately and enjoy!
Mmmmm…great idea, Jonathan! We all know that one of the best parts of a pizza are the melty cheesy bits with the little touches of browning on top, though. How about briefly grilling a helping of the filling to achieve this then transferring it to the lettuce? Just my “tinkering thinking”.
This is yummy! Made this three times in the past three weeks. Followed recipe except, increase the crushed red pepper a little. Yum!