How to Make a Domino's Pizza Healthier?

October 22, 2025 •

4 min read

According to nutritional data, a large slice of classic hand-tossed pepperoni pizza from Domino's can contain over 300 calories. But indulging doesn't have to derail your diet; with strategic menu choices, you can learn how to make a Domino's pizza healthier without sacrificing flavor.

Quick Summary

This guide outlines actionable strategies for reducing calories and fat when ordering from Domino's. It covers healthier crusts, lighter sauces, and better topping choices for a nutritious pizza. Find out how to customize your order to better fit your dietary needs and goals.

Key Points

Choose a thin crust: Opt for the Crunchy Thin Crust over thicker options like Handmade Pan for fewer calories and carbs per slice.
Go for lighter sauce: Stick with the Hearty Marinara sauce instead of cream-based options to save on calories and fat.
Reduce cheese: Request less or light cheese to cut down on saturated fat and calorie intake.
Load up on veggies: Pile your pizza with vegetable toppings like spinach, mushrooms, and green peppers for added nutrients and fiber.
Select lean proteins: Choose grilled chicken or ham over processed meats like pepperoni and sausage to reduce fat and sodium.
Pair with a salad: Offset your meal with a garden salad to increase fullness and reduce overall calorie consumption.
Control portion sizes: Consider ordering a medium pizza instead of a large to make controlling your portion size easier.
Skip the dip: Avoid high-calorie dipping sauces, like the garlic dipping cup, which can add hundreds of extra calories.

Your Guide to a Healthier Domino's Order

Fast food and healthy eating often seem like conflicting concepts, but with a little knowledge, you can navigate the menu to make smarter decisions. When craving Domino's, the key is customization. By making deliberate swaps in your choice of crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings, you can significantly reduce the calorie, fat, and sodium content of your meal. This guide breaks down the best ways to build a pizza that satisfies your craving while aligning with your health goals.

Choose Your Crust Wisely

The foundation of any pizza is the crust, and at Domino's, this choice has the single biggest impact on the final nutritional profile. Not all crusts are created equal, with some being far more dense and high in calories than others.

Crunchy Thin Crust: This is often the leanest option available. A slice of thin crust pizza has significantly fewer calories and less fat than a traditional hand-tossed crust, sometimes by as much as 60 calories per slice. It provides a crisp texture and a lighter feel, which helps with portion control.
Hand-Tossed: A middle-of-the-road choice. While not as heavy as pan pizza, it contains more calories and carbs than the thin crust. Opting for a medium over a large can also make a substantial difference in calorie count per slice.
Handmade Pan: This is the most calorie-dense option due to the buttery, thick crust. It's best to avoid this if you're aiming for a healthier meal.
Gluten-Free Crust: While a good option for those with a gluten sensitivity, be aware that it may still carry a similar calorie count to the hand-tossed options. Always check the nutritional information online.

Sauce and Cheese: Less is More

After the crust, the sauce and cheese are the next major contributors to a pizza's nutritional value. Fortunately, smart choices here can dramatically lower fat and sodium intake.

Sauce: Stick to the basic tomato-based sauce, like the hearty marinara, over creamier, oil-heavy alternatives like Alfredo or Garlic Parmesan. The standard pizza sauce is lower in calories and fat and is a great source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.

Cheese: A high-fat ingredient, cheese is best used in moderation. Most Domino's locations offer the option to get 'light cheese' or 'less cheese,' which can significantly lower the saturated fat and calorie content. The flavor difference is often negligible, especially with flavorful toppings.

Load Up on Healthier Toppings

Toppings can either make or break a healthy pizza. Piling on processed meats and extra cheese can quickly increase the unhealthiest components. The best strategy is to lean into vegetables and choose leaner proteins.

Best Toppings:

Vegetables: Load up on veggies like fresh spinach, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and black olives. They add fiber, vitamins, and minerals with minimal calories and fat.
Lean Protein: If you must have meat, opt for grilled chicken or ham instead of high-fat sausage, bacon, or extra pepperoni.

Avoid:

Processed Meats: Stay away from toppings like pepperoni, sausage, and bacon, which are high in saturated fat and sodium.
Double Cheese or Extra Cheese: These options drastically increase the fat and calorie count.

The Importance of Portion Control

Even a healthier pizza is only as healthy as the portion you consume. For a balanced meal, consider pairing your pizza with a side salad and water. This can help you feel full faster and reduce the total number of slices you eat. Share a larger pizza with others or save leftover slices for another meal to prevent overeating. Mindful eating, free from distractions, is also a powerful tool for recognizing when you are full.

Comparison Table: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Domino's Choices


Component	Healthier Choice	Less Healthy Alternative	Notes
Crust	Crunchy Thin Crust	Handmade Pan Crust	Thin crust has fewer calories and fat per slice.
Sauce	Hearty Marinara Sauce	Alfredo Sauce or Creamy Sauces	Creamier sauces are much higher in fat and calories.
Cheese	Light or Reduced Cheese	Extra or Double Cheese	Excess cheese significantly increases saturated fat.
Toppings	Grilled Chicken, Veggies (Spinach, Peppers)	Pepperoni, Sausage, Bacon	Processed meats are high in sodium and saturated fat.
Side	Classic Garden Salad with light dressing	Cheesy Bread or Chicken Wings	Pairing with a salad adds fiber and nutrients.
Drinks	Water	Soda or Sugary Beverages	Sugary drinks add empty calories.

Conclusion

Making healthier choices at a place like Domino's is not only possible but surprisingly simple. By paying attention to the crust, opting for a simple tomato-based sauce, going light on the cheese, and loading up on vegetables and lean proteins, you can create a delicious meal that doesn't feel like a guilty pleasure. The key takeaway is that customization and moderation are your best tools for enjoying your favorite fast-food pizza without compromising your health and wellness journey. The best approach is to eat smarter, not less, and occasionally enjoy a balanced version of your favorite pizza.

URL: https://www.dominos.com/en/pages/content/nutritional/lighter-options

Frequently Asked Questions

The healthiest crust option at Domino's is the Crunchy Thin Crust, which contains the fewest calories and carbohydrates compared to other crust styles.

You can reduce the cheese calories by asking for 'less cheese' or a 'lighter portion' when you order. This is a simple customization that significantly cuts down on saturated fat and total calories.

The best healthy toppings are vegetables like fresh spinach, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and tomatoes. For protein, opt for grilled chicken or ham over processed meats.

The Gluten-Free Crust is suitable for those with sensitivities, but it isn't inherently lower in calories. Always check the nutritional information for details, as thin crust is generally the lowest-calorie option.

Choose the Hearty Marinara sauce. It is a tomato-based sauce that is lower in calories and fat compared to the richer, creamier Alfredo or Garlic Parmesan sauces.

Yes, having a salad before or with your pizza can help you eat fewer total calories during the meal. The fiber in the vegetables helps you feel full faster.

Yes, dipping sauces like the Garlic Dipping Cup are very high in calories and fat. Skipping them is an easy way to avoid hundreds of unnecessary calories.