This Protein Pizza recipes has an easy cottage cheese crust and packs a nutritional punch. With over 30 grams of protein and only 6 grams of carbs, it’s a delicious and healthy way to fuel up.
I am having so much fun experimenting with cottage cheese to create high protein low carb recipes. And this Protein Pizza is my latest experiment. With fabulous results!
I am sure many of you have seen the viral cottage cheese flatbread recipes that have been making the rounds. So many food bloggers have been jumping on board and trying the trend.
I thought it seemed like a great idea, but I tend to avoid jumping on trends. I do, however, like to take great ideas and use them for other great ideas. And it occurred to me that this would also make a good low-carb, high protein pizza crust.
Turns out I was right. I love it when that happens! If you love cottage cheese, be sure to check out my Protein Bagels and Cottage Cheese Muffins too.
You need to try this
It really is ridiculously easy to make these protein pizza crusts. It’s far easier than making keto pizza crust with fathead dough, although I love that stuff too. And this crust is also less heavy and filling.
Simply blend all of the crust ingredients together in a blender or food processor and pour into round cake pans. You end up with two crusts, each about 8 inches in diameter.
Then you can have your way with them! Place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet, top with your favorite toppings, and bake until bubbly and melted. Seriously delicious.
Ingredient Notes
- Cottage cheese: I use part skim 2% cottage cheese to make this less heavy. Good Culture has 14g of protein per cup so it’s a great choice for this recipe.
- Eggs: Eggs are critical to holding the crust together!
- Protein powder: Whey protein is the best choice for this recipe. Egg white protein will likely make it rubbery. Some plant-based protein may work. Collagen may work as well but I haven’t tried. it.
- Coconut flour: This helps give the crust a little additional structure and volume.
- Pizza seasoning: This adds some flavor to the dough. You can also or Italian seasoning or dried basil.
- Pizza toppings of choice: You can make any kind of pizza with this crust. If you make the classic pepperoni and cheese pizza, you get over 30g of protein per serving.
Step by Step Directions
1. Make the dough. In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, protein powder, coconut flour, and pizza seasoning. Blend until smooth.
2. Press dough into pans. Divide the mixture evenly between two 9-inch round baking pans lined with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper then spread the dough to the pan edges. Shake the pans gently to even them out as much as possible.
3. Bake the crust. Bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crusts are firm to the touch. Remove and let cool at least 10 minutes.
4. Remove the parchment paper: Once cooled, carefully peel the crusts from the parchment paper. Lightly grease a baking sheet and place the crusts upside down on the baking sheet.
5. Add the toppings. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and return to a 350ºF oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the toppings are cooked to your liking.
Tips for Success
You need to line the baking pans with parchment paper and grease the parchment to keep the crusts from sticking. If you prefer, you can spread the crust mixture out on one large 11×15 inch baking pan.
I recommend flipping the crusts upside down before you top them, as it allows them to get nicely browned on that side as well.
If you would prefer to use almond flour in place of coconut flour, you will need about ⅓ cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
This high protein pizza recipe uses cottage cheese, eggs, and protein powder for an easy, thin pizza crust. Then you can add your favorite toppings for even more protein. With pepperoni and cheese, this low carb pizza has over 30g of protein per serving!
These pizza crusts can easily be made ahead and stored in the fridge for 5 days. They can also be frozen for several months. Be sure to wrap them up tightly to avoid freezer burn.
This protein pizza recipe has 4.5g of carbs and 1.3g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.2g net carbs per slice – and that is just for the crust. The nutritional count will change once you add the toppings.
More keto pizza recipes
Protein Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- 2 9-inch round baking pans
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup whey protein powder
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning
- Pizza toppings of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two 9-inch round baking pans with parchment paper. Grease the parchment.
- In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, protein powder, coconut flour, and pizza seasoning. Blend until smooth.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two pans, spreading to the edges. Shake the pans gently to even them out as much as possible.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crusts are firm to the touch. Remove and let cool at least 10 minutes.
- Once cooled, carefully peel the crusts from the parchment paper. Lightly grease a baking sheet and place the crusts upside down on the baking sheet.
- Add your favorite pizza toppings. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Janet Owen says
Best keto pizza crust I’ve ever made. You have what looks like a Margherita pizza pictured twice. It looks delicious, do you have a recipe for that?
Carolyn says
I just used some homemade pesto (about 1 1/2 tbsp), some sliced raw mozzarella (about 2 ounces), some sliced tomatoes, and some regular shredded mozzarella
Amy says
I don’t have any protein powder. Can I use more eggs as a substitute? What do you suggest?
Carolyn says
No, that will mess up the dry to wet ratio. You can try adding another 2 tbsp of coconut flour. But obviously it won’t be as high in protein.
Andrea Morse says
I have been trying to figure out how to send you a pic of our protein pizza I made last week. It is the best pizza crust I have made so far. My non keto husband declared it good. Thanks, I’ll send a pic if I can ever figure it out.
Carolyn says
I am so glad to hear it!
Alaine Schumann says
I didn’t have any whey protein so use collagen (as you suggested might work). The crust didn’t firm up as well at the suggested baking times. I turned up the oven to 425 and baked the second crust for another 6 minutes and left it in the oven another 5 minutes. It looks much better and seems sturdy enough. I will get some whey for next time.
Jacci says
Can you use egg white protein powder instead of the whey?
Michelle says
Can’t wait to try this recipe!! I’m carnivore now, so I will try this recipe! I have no issue with coconut & appreciate a different crust recipe! SUPER excited to peruse your other protein recipes 🤗 I always come to your site 1st when looking for a recipe or ideas! GENUINE reviews & shockingly delicious outcome!! THANKS A MILLION!!!
Eric says
You say you use 2% fat cottage cheese, but for keto I always have used 4%. Will 4% work in this recipe, or does it need to be 2%?
Thanks.
Carolyn says
Should be fine.
Gail Gordanier says
This is the best tasting and the easiest pizza crust I’ve ever tried!!!
Carolyn says
Thanks so much!
Pamela says
Would this recipe work on a large pizza pan also?
Carolyn says
If you can line it with parchment, it should work.
Linda A. says
Will your new book contain more cottage cheese recipes? Did I read somewhere that the book will focus on higher protein?
Shelley says
What a great idea to use baking pans for the crust! I actually have silicone rounds. Looking forward to trying the recipe. Thank you!
Pam says
Does it matter if it’s whey protein, or whey protein isolate?
Carolyn says
Shouldn’t make any difference.
nc says
This looks awesome and best of all easy. Has anyone mentioned if they had used unflavored Prime Protein which is a meat protein powder before?
Susana says
I would love to know the answer to this as well. I use Prime protein but never whey protein and this recipe is exactly what I’ve been looking for 🙂
Carolyn says
You will need to experiment, I think.
GB says
The nutrition information is for 1 slice- or one serving, as the recipe says it made 4 servings, but you mentioned by the slice in the blog? Thanks!
Carolyn says
Sorry, I will fix that. The nutritional info is per 1/4th of the whole recipe.
Carolyn says
Actually, the nutritional info already states 1/2 pizza. So that’s the serving size (2 pizzas, 4 servings).
Donna says
what do you think about adding some yeast for flavoring? Is that against Keto rules, just thinking, that flavor is what I miss sometimes? What about all the salt in cottage cheese, is that anything to be concerned with? Thanks, these sound promising!
nc says
I don’t see why not as a little goes a long way for flavor. Maybe even Nutritional Yeast would be good too!
Carolyn says
Please feel free to experiment. Unless you have a health issue with sodium, it shouldn’t worry you.