Description
A delicious and easy-to-make Cottage Cheese Pizza featuring a homemade dough with cottage cheese and flour, topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, olives, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. This recipe offers a lighter alternative to traditional pizza dough and is perfect for a quick homemade meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Toppings
- 4 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced olives (green, black, or both)
- 1/4 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- 10 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, flour, salt, and garlic powder. Stir until the cottage cheese is coated with flour, then knead the mixture until it forms a dough that can be shaped into a ball.
- Shape and Pre-Bake the Crust: Using a rolling pin or your hands, roll or stretch the dough into at least a 12-inch circle. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle additional flour as needed. Place the shaped dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, folding the edges up about 1/4 inch to create a crust lip. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
- Add Sauce and Seasoning: Remove the partially baked crust from the oven. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the edges. Sprinkle the surface with Italian seasoning.
- Add Cheese and Toppings: Top the pizza with shredded mozzarella, followed by the sliced olives and cherry tomatoes. Add half of the fresh basil leaves before baking and reserve the rest for garnish after baking. Return the pizza to the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for 1-2 minutes to allow the crust to firm up slightly. Add the remaining fresh basil leaves, slice, and serve warm.
Notes
- You can add your preferred vegetables or protein toppings to customize the pizza.
- If the dough is too sticky, dust your work surface and hands with additional flour to make handling easier.
- Using fresh basil both before and after baking enhances the flavor and appearance.
- The crust is softer than traditional yeast dough but bakes to a crispy texture when pre-baked properly.
- For a slightly crisper crust, bake the dough a few extra minutes before adding toppings.
