Name: GAPS Pizza Bake Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 10 eggs; 1 c. homemade sour cream (cultured at least 24 hours; divided between the linked fermented chia component and the blender); 12 ounces natural aged white cheddar (divide one-third into cubes and grate the remaining two-thirds); 8 ounces natural aged Brie or Port Salut (cut into cubes); 1 large tomato(es) (diced); 1 c. additive-free olives (sliced); 5 ounces qualifying traditionally fermented pepperoni; 1 batch(es) fermented chia flour (make one linked component per casserole batch using its measured recipe); 1 tbsp dried basil; 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp pure onion powder (nothing added); butter, ghee, or another tolerated cooking fat (as needed to grease the dish); fresh basil or parsley (optional garnish)

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This GAPS pizza bake gives you the pepperoni, melted cheese, tomato, olives, and Italian herbs of pizza night in a family-size casserole. There is no crust to roll, no grain flour, and no separate sauce. The base is a savory egg custard that bakes firm enough to cut into six generous squares.

The recipe is easy to assemble once one small component is ready. Make the fermented chia flour the day before, then the Ninja blender and oven do most of the work.

Crustless GAPS pizza bake casserole with aged cheese pepperoni tomato and olives

Pizza Night Without a Crust

Pizza is usually a project: make the crust, make the sauce, add the toppings, and keep track of several dishes at once. This version keeps the familiar pizza flavors but turns them into one substantial casserole.

That works well for a full table because ten eggs, twenty ounces of cheese, and five ounces of pepperoni make six filling servings. The casserole can go into the oven while you clear the prep dishes, and the leftovers are sturdy enough to pack or eat cold.

The finished texture sits between a deep-dish omelet and a crustless pizza. It should cut cleanly while it is warm, with melted cheddar on top and a soft, set center rather than a wet custard.

Where This Pizza Bake Fits on GAPS

This is a Later Full GAPS recipe after chia, homemade cultured sour cream, natural aged cheeses, tomato, olives, and qualifying pepperoni have each been introduced and tolerated. Chia belongs on Full GAPS after diarrhoea has cleared completely.

Use homemade sour cream cultured for at least 24 hours. Use the linked small-batch fermented chia flour, made the day before from two tablespoons whole chia seeds and one teaspoon taken from this recipe’s measured cup of sour cream.

This dairy-rich casserole is not an Introduction Diet recipe and it is not the place for an unmeasured dairy-free swap. If your family has not reached cultured cream and aged cheese, save it for later.

Choose the Cheese and Pepperoni Carefully

For the twelve ounces of main cheese, use natural aged white cheddar with a simple ingredient list. Cut four ounces into small cubes for the blender and grate the remaining eight ounces for the final topping.

The second cheese is eight ounces of natural aged Brie or Port Salut, cut into cubes. Its softer texture blends into the eggs and gives the casserole a creamy interior. Check both cheeses for starches, gums, colorants, flavorings, and other additions that do not belong in the recipe.

The pepperoni needs the same attention. Use traditionally fermented, additive-free pepperoni or a homemade version made from meat, fat, salt, pepper, garlic, and compatible herbs and spices. Avoid sugar, starch, preservatives, commercial seasoning mixes, and flavor enhancers. Slice the five ounces into half-circles, then cut half of those pieces into short slivers for the custard.

Prepare the Fermented Chia the Day Before

The chia component needs a full 24-hour ferment, so start it the day before the casserole. It is a small batch: two tablespoons chia seeds ground into coarse flour, mixed with one teaspoon homemade sour cream, then loosely covered at room temperature.

When you measure the sour cream for the casserole, remember that the teaspoon in the chia component comes from the same one-cup total. The remainder goes into the blender later. This keeps the original dairy ratio intact instead of quietly adding an extra spoonful.

At the end of the ferment, the chia mixture is a thick, cohesive paste with a gentle cultured aroma. Use all of it in the custard.

Divide the Cheese and Pepperoni Before Blending

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom, corners, and sides of a 9-by-13-inch Le Creuset Heritage rectangular baking dish in Artichaut with butter, homemade ghee, or another tolerated cooking fat.

Set out the four ounces cubed cheddar, eight ounces grated cheddar, and eight ounces cubed Brie or Port Salut in separate bowls. Keep the grated cheddar aside for the second bake.

Halve the pepperoni slices. Cut two and one-half ounces into short slivers. Leave the remaining two and one-half ounces as half-circles for the top. Toss the slivers with the diced tomato and sliced additive-free olives.

Blend the Custard in Two Stages

Put the ten eggs, cubed soft cheese, four ounces cubed cheddar, entire fermented chia component, sea salt, and pure onion powder in the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System BN801. Blend on low for 15 seconds, only until the cheese is chopped and the mixture is combined.

Add the remaining homemade sour cream, dried basil, and oregano. Pulse eight to ten times. Let the pitcher stand for about two minutes so the chia can hydrate evenly, then pulse again.

The finished custard should look pale gold and smooth, with small herb flecks suspended throughout. Large cheese cubes should be gone. Stop before prolonged blending whips a cap of foam onto the surface.

Herb-flecked egg and cultured dairy custard in a Ninja BN801 pitcher

Assemble the First Layer of Pizza Toppings

Give the blender one final pulse, then pour the custard into the greased baking dish. Move the pitcher along the length of the dish so the custard begins in an even layer.

Scatter the tomato, olives, and pepperoni-sliver mixture over the entire surface. Some pieces will float while others begin to sink. That is the right stage. Do not add the grated cheddar or the pepperoni half-circles yet.

Before baking, the custard should still look fluid and glossy. The tomato pieces remain red, the olive rings remain distinct, and there should be no browned edges or melted topping.

Unbaked pizza bake custard with tomato olives and pepperoni slivers in an Artichaut dish

Bake the Casserole in Two Stages

Bake uncovered at 350°F for 40 minutes. During this first bake, the custard sets around the tomato, olives, and pepperoni slivers.

Using oven mitts, move the hot dish to a heat-safe wood trivet. Scatter the reserved eight ounces grated aged cheddar over the top, reaching the corners. Arrange the reserved pepperoni half-circles across the cheese.

Raise the oven to 375°F. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 10 minutes more. The cheese should be melted and bubbly across the surface with a few lightly browned spots.

Know When the Center Is Set

The outer edge will firm first, so do not use browned corners as the only doneness cue. Gently nudge the supported dish. The center should move as one set casserole, without a liquid ripple.

A clean knife inserted near the center should come out without wet egg. The cheese on top will stretch while hot, and the custard underneath should look moist but fully set.

Let the casserole settle briefly while you prepare plates. Cut it into six squares with a sharp stainless knife and lift each piece with a wide stainless spatula.

What It Should Taste and Smell Like

The first aroma is melted aged cheese and dried Italian herbs, followed by the savory pepperoni. Tomato brings small bright, juicy pockets, while the olives add a salty contrast.

The center is creamy from the cultured sour cream and soft cheese. The fermented chia does not make the casserole taste like pudding or seeds; it quietly supports the custard so a warm square holds together.

The casserole should not smell sharply sour. The cultured ingredients add tang, but the finished flavor stays in the familiar pizza range.

Serving Ideas

Serve the casserole as the main dish with a crisp Full GAPS salad, softly cooked vegetables, or fermented vegetables that already fit your family’s current foods. The Japanese cucumber salad with honey-ginger dressing makes a cool, crunchy contrast.

Fresh basil or parsley may be scattered over the top after baking if desired. Keep the garnish light so it does not hide the cheese, tomato, olives, and pepperoni.

The cold leftovers have the same appeal as cold pizza, with a firmer cheese layer and a slice that travels well.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly, cut them into serving-size squares, and store them covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.

For the freezer, separate the squares with unbleached parchment in a covered glass or stainless container. Freeze for up to three months so individual portions lift out without prying apart the whole casserole.

To reheat, put one square in an oven-safe dish and warm it in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes, until hot through at the center. You can also serve a properly chilled square cold.

Recommended Equipment

Use the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System BN801, the 9-by-13-inch Le Creuset Heritage rectangular baking dish in Artichaut, a wood trivet, stainless measuring cups and spoons, a stable wood cutting board, a sharp stainless knife, small glass or ceramic prep bowls, oven mitts, and a wide stainless serving spatula.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is This Pizza Bake Full GAPS?

Yes, on Later Full GAPS after diarrhoea has cleared and chia, homemade 24-hour sour cream, natural aged cheeses, tomato, olives, and qualifying pepperoni are tolerated.

Why Is the Chia Fermented First?

Chia is allowed on Full GAPS, but seed flour used in baking needs preparation. The linked component ferments the measured flour with a teaspoon from the casserole’s sour cream.

Can I Use Mozzarella?

Use natural aged white cheddar for the measured twelve-ounce cheese in this GAPS version. Ordinary fresh mozzarella does not provide the aged cheese specified here.

Can I Use Store-Bought Pepperoni?

Use it only when the ingredient list fits the qualifying traditionally fermented meat route: no sugar, starch, preservatives, commercial seasoning mix, or flavor enhancer.

Can I Leave Out the Olives?

The cup of sliced olives is part of the measured pizza topping. For the cleanest first batch, keep it. A later olive-free variation would need its own measured balance rather than a silent omission.

Can I Make It Dairy-Free?

Not with an unmeasured substitution. This casserole depends on cultured sour cream and twenty ounces of specified cheese. Choose a fully measured dairy-free pizza recipe when dairy is not tolerated.