Have you hopped on the viral cottage cheese pizza trend? I was shocked by how good it tasted. A high-protein cottage cheese pizza crust that actually tastes like pizza. No sad diet substitutes allowed. This recipe passed my kids' taste test, too!
Cottage cheese is a staple in my kitchen, so you'll find lots of ways to use it on this site including my Cottage Cheese Bagels and Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough for a sweet treat.
Ingredients Notes
- Flour - I used bread flour since it has a slightly higher protein content, but all-purpose works great here, too.
- Cottage Cheese - I'm a full-fat fanatic for blood sugar balance so I stick with the 4% milkfat cottage cheese. 2% works great, too. You can use fat-free cottage cheese, but I'm not personally a fan of the taste.
- Garlic Powder - I would say this is optional, but truly garlic makes everything better.
- Pizza Sauce - Be sure to get pizza sauce and not regular marinara sauce. Pizza sauce is thicker than pasta sauces, so it won't make your pizza soggy. I love Rao's.
- Cheese - Low-moisture mozzarella cheese for a classic pizza, but feel free to try different cheeses!
- Toppings - Pepperoni, bell peppers, mushrooms, black olives, sausage, Italian seasoning, go bonkers!
Hint: I like to save money on cheese by shredding my own, but pre-shredded works great here, too!
How to Make Cottage Cheese Pizza Dough
Start out by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C) and then time to make a pizza!
- Make the Dough In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cottage cheese, egg, and garlic powder.
- Form the Crust Spread the cottage cheese dough onto a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Build up the edges slightly to create a crust, keeping the center thinner since it will puff as it bakes.
- Bake the Crust Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and firm.
- Assemble the Pizza. Spread ¾ cup pizza sauce evenly over the crust. Sprinkle 6 oz shredded mozzarella on top. Add pepperoni or your favorite toppings.
- Final Bake Bake at 375F for 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the pepperoni is crispy. For extra crispiness, broil for 10 - 20 seconds at the end. Keep an eye out, though, because it can quickly burn!
- Serve with parmesan cheese, fresh basil and red pepper flakes!
Baker's Tip For A Better Crust
When you're spreading the dough, I recommend spreading it thinner near the center and a little thicker at the edges. The center will puff up when it bakes and it's nice to have a bit of a crust to work with on you final pizza.
Cottage Cheese Pizza Makes Great Leftovers
I make two pizzas when serving this for dinner along with a salad for our family of four. Sometimes we have leftovers which the kids love to take in their lunches the next day.
I wrap up leftover individual slices in plastic wrap or an airtight container. It's great cold or reheated for a few seconds in the microwave.
Joanie's Balanced Bites: What to Eat with a High Protein Pizza
As a family, we keep an eye on our blood sugar and this pizza helps because it's packed with protein and healthy fats that keep you satisfied without spiking glucose.
To balance this meal, add in some fiber-rich sides. Fiber slows digestion and helps maintain steady energy throughout the day. Easy pairings include:
- Our secret recipe for Caesar Salad
- My favorite Mushroom Salad (yay vitamin D booster!)
- Simple green salad with Ginger Dressing
- A creamy Avocado Salad
Got leftover marinara? Check out my Spaghetti Pie for another night this week!
Cottage Cheese Pizza Crust
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
- Category: pizza
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
A blood-sugar-friendly cottage cheese pizza crust with 8 grams of protein and just 7 grams of carbs per slice. Crispy, tender, and finished with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Pizza Dough:
- ¼ cup bread or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cottage cheese (full-fat or low-fat)
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder *optional
Toppings:
- ¾ cup pizza sauce (I like Rao's)
- 1 ½ cups (6oz) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni or your favorite pizza toppings
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)
- Make the Crust. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cottage cheese, egg, and garlic powder until a smooth batter forms.
- Shape the Crust. Spread the dough onto parchment paper on a baking sheet. Build up the edges slightly to create a crust, keeping the center thinner since it will puff as it bakes.
- Bake the Crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and firm.
- Assemble the Pizza. Spread ¾ cup pizza sauce evenly over the par-baked crust. Sprinkle 6 oz shredded mozzarella on top. Add pepperoni or your favorite toppings.
- Final Bake. Bake at 375F for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the pepperoni is crispy. For a little extra crispiness, broil for 10 - 20 seconds. Keep an eye out, though, because it can quickly burn!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 156
- Sugar: 1.6 g
- Sodium: 414.6 mg
- Fat: 10.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.1 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 8.9 g
- Cholesterol: 50.1 mg
Frequently Asked Questions
One recipe makes 8 slices. For our family of four I make two pizzas.
Yes! All-purpose flour works great. Bread flour is recommended because it has slightly higher protein content, but both work well.
Full-fat (4% milkfat) cottage cheese is recommended for the best taste and blood sugar balance. However, 2% also works great. Fat-free cottage cheese can be used but may not taste as good.
Pizza sauce is thicker than marinara, which prevents your pizza from getting soggy. Always use pizza sauce for best results. Rao's brand is recommended.
Bake for 15 minutes until the crust is golden and firm to the touch. We par-bake before topping so it's not soggy when you slice it.
Ricotta has a different water content than cottage cheese, so the texture and structure of the crust will be different. I haven't tested it personally so I can't guarantee results. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Yes, and that's the part that surprises most people. The cottage cheese completely disappears into the crust as it bakes, leaving no trace of its flavor or texture. What you get is a firm, slightly chewy crust that holds toppings without getting soggy. It's not identical to traditional pizza dough, but it's close enough that my kids eat it without complaint and ask for seconds.
Tiffany says
I'm glad to have found a protein packed school lunch! This was so easy to make and kid approved 🙂 I was worried my daughter would find the texture to be different than what she is used to but she didn't say anything and asked for seconds, and even ate it cold once for school lunch and was happy with it.
Joanie Simon says
Hooray! So glad it was a hit! My kids dig it too, much to my surprise. And really so easy to make. Hugs to you!
Corinne says
Could ricotta be used instead of cottage cheese?
Joanie Simon says
I've never tried that but sounds intriguing. Though I imagine the water content might be a bit different so the results might not be the same. I'd be curious to try, though. Let me know if you do!