Is Pizza Allowed on a Carnivore Diet? The Surprising Truth

December 2, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2021 survey published in Current Developments in Nutrition, a significant number of adults consuming a carnivore diet reported health benefits and high satisfaction. Yet, a common question remains for many adherents: 'Is pizza allowed on a carnivore diet?'. The short answer is no, but satisfying alternatives exist that adhere to the all-meat philosophy.

Quick Summary

Traditional pizza is strictly prohibited on the carnivore diet due to plant-based ingredients like flour, tomatoes, and vegetables. Modified recipes replace the crust with ground meat or cheese and egg, creating a compliant alternative known as 'meatza.'

Key Points

Strict Carnivore Rule: Traditional pizza is not permitted due to plant-based ingredients like flour crust, tomato sauce, and many common seasonings.
Carnivore Pizza Alternatives: Meat-based crusts, often called 'meatza,' use ingredients like ground meat, eggs, and cheese as a base, fully adhering to carnivore principles.
Approved Toppings: Stick to 100% animal products, such as beef, pork, chicken, fatty meats, and some low-lactose cheeses, for your pizza toppings.
Read Labels Carefully: Processed meats like pepperoni must be checked for non-carnivore additives like sugars or starches, which are present in many commercial brands.
Homemade is Best: Making your own carnivore pizza from scratch ensures every ingredient is compliant and free of hidden plant-based components.
Flavor Without Plants: Build flavor using high-quality salt, animal fats, and savory meat drippings, as plant-based spices are generally avoided on this diet.

The Carnivore Diet: A Strict Set of Rules

To understand why traditional pizza is forbidden, one must first grasp the foundational principles of the carnivore diet. This eating plan is an extremely restrictive form of a low-carb diet, prioritizing animal products exclusively while eliminating all plant-based foods. This includes not only obvious items like fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes but also less apparent ingredients like many seasonings and additives. The rationale behind this lies in the belief that eliminating all plant matter reduces inflammation and autoimmune responses, although robust scientific evidence is limited.

The diet is composed of only meat, fish, eggs, and small amounts of low-lactose dairy products like some hard cheeses and butter. High-quality, fatty cuts of meat are often encouraged, and processed options must be scrutinized for non-compliant additives.

Why Traditional Pizza is Not Carnivore-Approved

Traditional pizza violates the carnivore diet's rules in several key ways, making it an off-limits food for strict followers.

The Crust: A Grain-Based Violation

Pizza crust is typically made from flour, which is a grain-based product. Grains are a major food group that is completely excluded from the carnivore diet. Even alternative keto-friendly crusts often use almond flour or other plant-based ingredients, making them unsuitable for carnivores.

The Sauce: A Forbidden Fruit

Standard pizza sauce is made from tomatoes, which are botanically a fruit. As with all plant foods, tomatoes and tomato-based sauces are not permitted. This rule is non-negotiable for strict carnivore diets, which forbid all fruits and vegetables.

Certain Toppings and Seasonings

While meat toppings like sausage, ground beef, and pepperoni are animal-based, many commercial products contain hidden, non-compliant ingredients. For instance, many processed pepperonis include dextrose (a form of sugar) or spices that are derived from plants. Common pizza seasonings like oregano and garlic powder are also plant-based and therefore off-limits. Only basic salt and, for less strict followers, possibly pepper are allowed.

Creating Carnivore-Friendly Pizza Alternatives

Despite the restrictions, dedicated carnivores and those on 'dirty' or 'keto-carnivore' versions of the diet have created innovative, compliant pizza-like dishes, often called 'meatza'.

Carnivore Pizza Crust Options

These crusts are made entirely from animal products. Popular options include:

Ground Meat Crust: This is arguably the most common and simplest method. A crust is formed from ground beef, chicken, or turkey, and then baked until firm.
Cheese and Egg Crust: Some recipes use a blend of shredded cheese (like mozzarella and parmesan) with eggs to form a cohesive, savory crust.
Pork Rind Crust: Crushed pork rinds mixed with egg can also serve as a crunchy, bread-like base for a carnivore pizza.

Allowed Toppings and Flavor

With the plant-based sauce gone, the flavor comes entirely from the animal ingredients. Toppings can be piled high to create a filling, satisfying meal. Allowed toppings include:

Meat: Ground beef, steak strips, pre-cooked bacon, sausage, or shredded chicken.
Cheese: For those who tolerate dairy, hard cheeses like mozzarella, parmesan, and cheddar are excellent choices. Always check the label for non-carnivore additives.
Seasoning: High-quality salt is the primary seasoning. For a deeper flavor, using meat drippings, tallow, or bone broth can enhance the richness.

Comparison: Traditional Pizza vs. Carnivore "Meatza"


Feature	Traditional Pizza	Carnivore "Meatza"
Crust	Grain-based (flour)	Animal-based (ground meat, cheese/egg, pork rinds)
Sauce	Plant-based (tomato)	None, or flavor from fats and cheeses
Seasonings	Plant-based (herbs, spices)	Animal-based (salt, meat drippings, fat)
Toppings	Meat, veggies, etc.	Only animal-based ingredients (meat, cheese)
Carbohydrates	High	Near-zero
Dietary Fiber	Yes (variable)	No
Digestibility	Can cause issues for some	May be easier for some gut conditions

Conclusion: Navigating the Craving for Pizza on Carnivore

The answer to the question "Is pizza allowed on a carnivore diet?" is a definitive "no" for the traditional version. The foundational principles of the diet strictly exclude all plant-based components, which make up the crust and sauce of a conventional pizza. However, this does not mean the end of pizza night for those following a carnivore lifestyle. Creative and satisfying alternatives, such as 'meatza' using a meat or cheese crust, allow for a similar experience while remaining fully compliant with the diet's rules.

While traditional pizza is a culinary staple, adopting a carnivore diet requires a shift in perspective and a willingness to explore new, animal-based methods of preparing food. By substituting key ingredients and focusing on high-quality animal products, you can indulge in a zero-carb, high-protein version of this classic comfort food. Just be sure to meticulously check labels on all processed meats and cheeses to avoid hidden plant-based additives. For more on the diet's impact, see the NIH study on carnivore diet health status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, many carnivore diet followers use hard or low-lactose cheeses, such as mozzarella, parmesan, and cheddar, as they are animal products. Ensure you tolerate dairy well.

No, tomatoes are a fruit and therefore are not allowed on a strict carnivore diet, which excludes all plant foods.

Compliant crusts can be made from ground meat (beef, chicken), a combination of shredded cheese and eggs, or crushed pork rinds mixed with egg.

Strict carnivores avoid all plant-based seasonings and only use salt. Less strict variations might allow pepper, but most herbs and spices are off-limits.

It depends on the brand. You must read the label carefully, as many commercial pepperonis contain sugar, dextrose, or other non-carnivore additives. Opt for additive-free options.

A 'meatza' is a pizza-like dish that uses a crust made entirely of ground meat, such as beef, instead of a traditional flour-based one.

Most keto pizza crusts, which rely on low-carb flours from nuts or seeds, are not carnivore-approved. Only all-animal product crusts are suitable for a carnivore diet.