This protein-packed cottage cheese pizza crust is a fun alternative that tastes like the real deal! Instead of waiting for pizza dough to rise, this version uses baking powder for an ultra-fast dough you can throw together way faster than pizza delivery. It’s the ultimate way to serve extra protein while enjoying your favorite flavors!
Table of Contents
Pizza Dough with Cottage Cheese
I’ve been making Greek yogurt dough for years. It’s one of those recipes I keep up my sleeve for busy nights when we need something quick, easy, and family-friendly. But, this extra special high-protein pizza crust has changed the game.
Cottage cheese has even more protein than Greek yogurt, so you can really work on reaching your daily protein goal faster. Kids love it too, so it’s an ideal way to add extra protein for those picky eaters!
For more similar options using cottage cottage, you’ll also want to check out this High Protein Cottage Cheese Flatbread, these Cottage Cheese Pizza Bowls and Cottage Cheese Protein Bagels!
Why We Love This Cottage Cheese Pizza Dough
- No resting required – bake and serve right away
- Naturally higher in protein thanks to the cottage cheese
- Made with super simple ingredients already in your pantry
- Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time for the easiest meal prepping ever
- Customizable with different types of flour, toppings, and seasonings to make it your own
- Easy way to serve more protein to picky eaters and kids
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use either all purpose, white whole wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry flour.
- Baking powder: This is absolutely essential. Since this dough doesn’t rely on yeast like traditional crusts, you need baking powder to help the dough rise up in the oven.
- Salt: For flavor.
- Garlic powder: I like to add a little garlic powder to add a savory note.
- Small curd cottage cheese: There are lots of different types of cottage cheese, but I usually like to use small curd with either 2 or 4% milk fat.
- Olive oil: To help soften the dough and make it tender and pliable.
- For making the pizza: You’ll need your favorite pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese and your favorite pizza toppings such as turkey pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, bell pepper, etc.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder.
- With an immersion blender or high speed blender, blend together the cottage cheese and 1 tablespoon olive oil until smooth.
- Pour cottage cheese mixture over the flour and mix with a spoon or spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Knead lightly with your hands until it comes together into a smooth dough ball. If the dough is too dry, add a teaspoon or two of warm water. If the mixture seems too sticky and wet, add a bit more flour. Set aside to let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
Step 2: Roll Out Dough & Bake Crust
- Roll dough out to a circle that is between 14”-16” in diameter, using flour as needed to prevent sticking. It should be thin, about the thickness of a pie crust. Place on the parchment lined sheet pan and dock all over with a fork and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Step 3: Add Desired Toppings & Bake!
- Top with your choice of sauce, cheese and toppings leaving a 1” border. Brush the crust edge lightly with olive oil. Put the pizza back into the oven and cook until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, about 10-15 minutes more.
- Remove pizza to a cutting board and rest for 3 minutes before slicing and serving.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- Leftovers can be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. For best texture, reheat in the oven, toaster oven or in a covered pan on the stove set to low.
- I used 4% milkfat cottage cheese for this recipe. You could use 2% or reduced fat with no issues. The fuller fat option gives a richer crust. I like to use small curd cottage cheese and my favorite brand is pretty dry. If your cottage cheese is more soupy, you will want to strain off some of the liquid before measuring and blending.
- As with most doughs, if you find the dough is too sticky add a bit more flour a tablespoon at a time until it is no longer sticking to your hands or the surface of your counter. If your dough is too dry, add in a bit of warm water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough becomes smooth. This recipe is very forgiving.
- Letting the dough rest for just 5-10 minutes before rolling it out helps to allow the flour to absorb the water and the gluten to relax a bit so it’s easier to roll out thin. Do not skip the resting.
- You can easily flavor this crust by adding spices, aromatics or replacing the olive oil with a flavored oil and adding it to the blender with the cottage cheese. Some great flavor choices are Italian herbs, sun dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, chili oil or truffle oil.
- You want to roll the crust out pretty thin, as it will puff up slightly from the baking powder. A thicker crust will act more like a tough biscuit than a thin crust pizza.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This cottage cheese pizza crust is basically a blank slate. This version contains garlic powder for a savory flavor, but you can adjust it as much as you’d like. Play with different seasonings, like Italian seasoning or everything bagel seasoning, add some grated parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese, etc. It’s easy to customize and is very forgiving.
Technically, yes! Be sure to use a gluten-free flour that can be used as a 1:1 all purpose flour alternative for the best results.
No, you can use yogurt instead. However, it’s best to follow a pizza dough recipe made with yogurt to make sure your proportions are right.
Storage & Reheating Guidelines
To store: To store the uncooked pizza dough, wrap it well with plastic wrap or a piece of parchment paper and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the dough ball for up to 3 months.
Once cooked, the crust or pizza can last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat: For best texture, reheat in the oven, toaster oven or in a covered pan on the stove set to low.
Serving Suggestions
Just like traditional pizza dough, this simple high-protein pizza crust can be used to make pizzas, calzones, stromboli, breadsticks, homemade pizza rolls and more!
We like to keep it simple and add tomato sauce or homemade pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and all of our favorite toppings.
To make it a more balanced meal, pair it with a hearty salad with lots of veggies, like my Tossed Green Salad or Greek Lentil Salad.
Of course, the options for toppings are pretty much endless. Keep it classic with turkey pepperoni and olives, slather on some BBQ sauce (try this healthy homemade BBQ sauce) with shredded chicken and red onions, top with this shredded pesto chicken, tomatoes and basil, or come up with your own unique flavor combination!
This dough is also a great alternative to pita bread in my pita pizzas, like this Chicken Spinach Pizza. So versatile!
Recipe Variations
- Make it whole wheat: I love adding extra fiber whenever possible and white whole wheat is the easiest swap. You won’t even know since it looks like all purpose flour!
- Use self-rising flour: If you have any on hand, you can use self-rising flour and skip the baking powder and salt.
- Adjust the shape or size: Instead of rolling out a large round like traditional pizza crust, you can make mini pizzas, cut out the dough with cookie cutters, or form it into any shape you’d like. Just be sure to roll it as thin as you can get it for the best texture.
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Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
High-Protein Cottage Cheese Pizza Crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour (all purpose, white whole wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry), plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + extra for brushing
- Warm water as needed
For making the pizza:
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce, 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese and up to ½ cup of your favorite pizza toppings such as turkey pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, bell pepper, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder.
- With an immersion blender or high speed blender, blend together the cottage cheese and 1 tablespoon olive oil until smooth.
- Pour cottage cheese mixture over the flour and mix with a spoon or spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Knead lightly with your hands until it comes together into a smooth dough ball. If the dough is too dry, add a teaspoon or two of warm water. If the mixture seems too sticky and wet, add a bit more flour. Set aside to let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Roll dough out to a circle that is between 14”-16” in diameter, using flour as needed to prevent sticking. It should be thin, about the thickness of a pie crust. Place on the parchment lined sheet pan and dock all over with a fork and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with your choice of sauce, cheese and toppings leaving a 1” border. Brush the crust edge lightly with olive oil. Put the pizza back into the oven and cook until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, about 10-15 minutes more.
- Remove pizza to a cutting board and rest for 3 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- The nutritional information is based on 1/4 of the pizza dough or about 2 slices. It does not include the toppings as those will vary.
- I used 4% milkfat cottage cheese for this recipe. You could use 2% or reduced fat with no issues. The fuller fat option gives a richer crust. I like to use small curd cottage cheese and my favorite brand is pretty dry. If your cottage cheese is more soupy, you will want to strain off some of the liquid before measuring and blending.
- If you find the dough is too sticky add a bit more flour a tablespoon at a time until it is no longer sticking to your hands or the surface of your counter. If your dough is too dry, add in a bit of warm water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough becomes smooth. This recipe is very forgiving.
- Letting the dough rest for just 5-10 minutes before rolling it out helps to allow the flour to absorb the water and the gluten to relax a bit so it’s easier to roll out thin. Do not skip the resting.
- You can easily flavor this crust by adding spices, aromatics or replacing the olive oil with a flavored oil and adding it to the blender with the cottage cheese. Some great flavor choices are Italian herbs, sun dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, chili oil or truffle oil.
- You want to roll the crust out pretty thin, as it will puff up slightly from the baking powder. A thicker crust will act more like a tough biscuit than a thin crust pizza.
Nutrition
Elysia’s Recipe Recap
Texture: Nice bite on the edges and chewy in the middle, just like you’d expect
Taste: Classic doughy flavor you expect from pizza dough with a slight tanginess from the cottage cheese
Ease: You’ve got to do a little work blending the cottage cheese and bringing the dough together, but it’s pretty simple to assemble
Recommended: This is a game-changer anytime you have pizza cravings or need a lightning quick dinner everyone will enjoy
Would I make these again? This is a mainstay in our meal prep rotation and always turns out great!
This turned out perfectly! It was so easy to follow the directions & was done quickly. It’s definitely one I’ll be making regularly.
So glad the crust worked out well for you Donna! I’m happy you found a new crust recipe to use in the future :) I appreciate the 5-star rating and review too!