What is Upside Down Pizza?

4.34 from 3 votes

A guaranteed party-pleaser, this recipe ranks high in our books!

Our Upside Down Pizza Pie is made with classic ingredients that provide you with the flavors you love.

What is upside down pizza? Well, if you’re a big fan of pizza, you’ll go wild over this version of the popular comfort food. Unlike traditional pizza, where the crust is layered with tomato sauce and topped with a coat of melty cheese, our upside down pizza pie does a flip! That’s right: instead of a bread crust on the bottom making the foundation for sauce and toppings, a buttery, cheesy crust rests comfortably on top, somewhat like a pot pie. 

This upside down pizza pie recipe calls for a bunch of mouthwatering, pizza-themed ingredients like tomato paste, mozzarella cheese, garlic, and onion. Ground turkey packs a low-fat protein punch and makes this meal even more substantial and filling.

Note that because we make it in a pie pan, this is more of a deep-dish style pizza than the extra thin-crust version you might be used to. But don’t knock it before you try it; the flavors will more than make up for the lack of a bread-based crust, we promise! So what is upside down pizza? A guaranteed party-pleaser, that’s what! 

Quick Cook and Assembly

This pizza pie cooks way faster than you'd think!

As you’ll see from reading through the ingredients and cooking steps, this is a pizza that will come together quickly. Whether you use turkey as specified in the recipe or choose to go with another protein like sausage, you need to cook these ingredients first. Same with the onion and garlic. Once they are cooked, you’ll drain them and mix them with your other aromatics, like the tomato paste. 

The crust ingredients get put together separately. Your “filling” will go into a pie pan, then you’ll pour your “crust” batter on top of the filling. As the pie bakes, the crust will puff a bit and get golden brown. If you’re worried the top will get too brown, you can cover it with a piece of aluminum foil while the pie finishes baking.

A warning: similar to the pot pie example we gave earlier when this pie comes out of the oven, you’ll want to let it cool a bit before serving. Those ingredients are molten hot under their cover, so don’t ruin the flavor experience by scorching your tastebuds on the first bite!

Variety IS the Spice of Life

Enjoy a slice of this cheesy and delicious recipe on your next pizza night!

Don’t feel limited to the ingredients listed, either. You can easily put your own spin on it by adding your favorite ingredients to this pizza mixture. Some suggested “under-ings” (can we call them “toppings” if they are under the crust?) are:

  • Italian sausage (in addition to, or instead of, the turkey as you prefer)
  • Sliced Kalamata olives
  • Sautéed mushrooms (cook first, so the pizza doesn’t become watery)
  • Sun-dried tomatoes (drain well if using the oil-packed variety)
  • Julienned pepperoni slices– a little goes a long way toward adding flavor without adding too much fat
  • Diced and cooked green bell pepper bits

Literally, anything you can imagine for a regular pizza can be used in this one. Just remember, fresh vegetables and meats should be cooked first so that their juices are reduced; things that are canned or packed in oil need to be drained first. You don’t want a gloppy, soupy mess under that cheesy crust. After all, nobody likes a soggy pizza under any circumstances!

What is Upside Down Pizza? One Word:Delicious! 

4.34 from 3 votes

Upside Down Pizza Pie

Pizza pie that's super delicious and easy to make.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Yield 5 people
Serving Size 1 slice
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground turkey breast
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 6 ounces tomato paste can
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese low-fat, shredded
  • 1/2 cup whole-wheat all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon butter cold
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  • Add ground turkey and onion to a large skillet. Turn to medium-high heat and cook until there's no longer any pink, being sure to break up the turkey while cooking. Add garlic and cook for one additional minute. Drain any fat from the turkey and combine with oregano, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste.
  • Spread turkey mixture in a 9-inch pie dish. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over turkey. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Whisk together milk, eggs, and 2 tablespoons parmesan. Stir wet ingredients into the flour mix. Pour mixture over turkey filling.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, then loosely cover with foil to prevent the crust from browning too quickly. Continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is set and golden. Allow the pie to cool slightly before serving, about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 391IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 280mg | Iron: 1mg |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 6
Keywords Quick and Easy

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Next time your friends ask you “What is upside down pizza?” you’ll be able to tell them “Delicious! That’s what!” We guarantee if you make this pizza once, you’ll have people requesting it for every party. 

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Gale Compton

Gale co-founded SkinnyMs. with a goal to provide women with delicious recipes, fitness routines, and ways to reach their ideal weight. Gale has been featured on the Today Show in which she won a cook off for the best Lasagna. Be sure to search for her winning recipe, Skinny Lasagna Rolls.

Guided by her firm belief in healthy eating and the power of exercise, Gale has written two cookbooks and several fitness ebooks. She earned her Fitness Training Certification from, National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association. Gale loves to run with her dog Maggie and has completed numerous half-marathons.

More by Gale

7 Comments

  1. the recipe directions say to add baking powder but this is none in the ingredients list? how much if any?

  2. In reading the recipe ingredients it calls for tomato “sauce”. In the directions it says add tomato “paste”. Which one is it? Thanks!

  3. It shows in the pictures mozzarella cheese on top but doesn’t say in recipe. How much do you put on top? I did make this once and it was delicious

    1. Traci, Follow these instructions:

      Spread turkey mixture in a 9-inch pie dish. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over turkey. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
      In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Whisk together milk, eggs, and 2 tablespoons parmesan. Stir wet ingredients into flour mix. Pour mixture over turkey filling.

  4. The recipe was delicious but I wish it was updated to include the correct amount of baking powder in the ingredient list. Also, the cook time and thus total time were way off. Everyone was very hungry by time it was ready to eat! I really like the taste and my mother wanted the recipe after trying it. Will make again.4 stars

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