4-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Crust Pizza

This 4-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Crust Pizza is about to become your new go-to for pizza night. The crust comes together with just cottage cheese, flour, baking powder, and olive oil. That’s IT! No yeast, no waiting for it to rise, and you’re getting that extra dose or protein! It bakes up thin, crispy, and sturdy enough to hold all of your favorite toppings, and it’s packed with protein thanks to the cottage cheese base. Once you try this version, takeout pizza is going to have some serious competition.

A hand takes a slice of pepperoni pizza topped with basil leaves. The pizza sits on a wooden board surrounded by cheese, olive oil, basil, red pepper flakes, and a checkered napkin.

Friends, cottage cheese has quickly become one of my favorite ingredients to bake with, and this crust is proof of why. It blends up completely smooth, so there’s no weird texture or cottage cheese flavor hiding in there, just a crispy, chewy crust that holds up exactly like the real thing. No yeast, no rise time, and no waiting around. You mix it, roll it, and bake it, which makes this one of the easiest homemade pizza crusts I’ve ever made.

What I love most is how sturdy this crust turns out. A lot of “healthier” pizza crusts end up soggy or fall apart the second you add sauce and toppings, but this one holds its shape and gets crispy on the bottom. Once you try it, I have a feeling it’s going to become a regular in your dinner rotation too.

Pizza ingredients on a countertop, including flour, shredded cheese, grated parmesan, cottage cheese, pepperoni, basil leaves, tomato sauce, olive oil, and red pepper flakes, arranged in bowls and plates. — *To make this, you’ll need cottage cheese, GF flour, baking powder, olive oil, and toppings of choice!*

A blender of milk surrounded by cottage cheese, tomato sauce, shredded cheese, flour, fresh basil, olive oil, and a red checkered towel on a kitchen counter. — *To make this, you’ll need cottage cheese, GF flour, baking powder, olive oil, and toppings of choice!*

What You Need to Make This 4-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Crust Pizza

Cottage Cheese: This is the base of the entire crust, so you’ll want to blend it until it’s completely smooth with no lumps. I use a low-fat cottage cheese , but full-fat works well too if that’s what you have on hand.
Gluten-Free Flour: You can use either a gluten-free flour blend or regular all-purpose flour depending on what you need. Both give the crust the same sturdy, pizza-like texture.
Baking Powder: This helps the crust hold its structure while it bakes, giving it just enough lift so it isn’t dense or flat. You only need a small amount to do the job.
Olive Oil: A light brushing of olive oil over the crust before the first bake helps it crisp up and turn golden, especially around the edges. Don’t skip this step or the edges will bake up soft instead of crunchy.
Pizza Sauce: Use your favorite jarred or homemade pizza sauce here. I keep it classic, but this is an easy spot to swap in whatever sauce you already love.
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella is what gives this pizza that classic melty, stretchy topping. Shred it yourself if you can, since pre-shredded bags often contain anti-caking agents that keep the cheese from melting as smoothly.
Grated Parmesan Cheese: A layer of parmesan under or over the mozzarella adds a sharper, saltier flavor that balances out the rest of the toppings. It also helps the top of the pizza get that golden, slightly crisp finish under the broiler.
Pepperoni: Classic pepperoni slices are the topping of choice here, but this pizza is easy to customize with whatever toppings you’re craving.
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: A sprinkle of red pepper flakes at the end adds a little heat and a finishing touch of flavor. Leave it off if you’re serving this to little ones who don’t love spice.

A bowl of flour and yogurt sits on a table surrounded by bowls of tomato sauce, cottage cheese, fresh basil, shredded cheese, and a red kitchen towel. — *Transfer the blended cottage cheese to a medium mixing bowl, then add in the flour and baking powder.*

How to Make This 4-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Crust Pizza

Start by preheating your oven to 450°F. While it heats, add the cottage cheese to a blender and blend until it’s completely smooth, with no lumps remaining. Transfer the blended cottage cheese to a medium mixing bowl, then add in the flour and baking powder. Stir everything together with a spoon until it starts to come together. It will look crumbly at first, but once it does, set the spoon aside and use your hands to work the dough into a ball.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly flour the surface. Place the dough ball in the center, then top it with a second sheet of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a thin, even 14-inch round, then remove the top layer of parchment.

Brush the crust lightly with olive oil, making sure to get the edges, since this is what helps them crisp up in the oven. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the crust for 10 minutes.

Once the crust has had its first bake, remove it from the oven and add your toppings: the pizza sauce first, followed by the mozzarella and parmesan, then the pepperoni. Return the pizza to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. For the last 2 minutes, switch the oven to broil to get the cheese golden and slightly crisp on top, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. Once it’s done, remove the pizza from the oven, sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes if using, slice, and enjoy.

Hands knead a ball of pizza dough in a floured bowl, surrounded by plates of basil, grated cheese, a wedge of parmesan, tomato sauce, and a red checkered cloth. — *Stir everything together with a spoon until it starts to come together. It will look crumbly at first, but once it does, set the spoon aside and use your hands to work the dough into a ball.*

A hand sprinkles grated cheese onto a homemade pepperoni pizza with tomato sauce and shredded cheese, surrounded by bowls of cheese, sauce, and kitchen utensils. — *Stir everything together with a spoon until it starts to come together. It will look crumbly at first, but once it does, set the spoon aside and use your hands to work the dough into a ball.*

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze the crust?

Yes. Par-bake the crust, let it cool fully, then wrap it tightly and freeze for up to a month. When you’re ready to use it, add your toppings straight from frozen and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes as needed.

Do I have to use gluten-free flour?

No, regular all-purpose flour works just as well if you don’t need this recipe to be gluten-free.

Is this recipe vegetarian?

Not as written, since it includes pepperoni, but it’s easy to make vegetarian by swapping in your favorite plant-based pepperoni or leaving the meat off entirely.

Can I make this dairy-free?

This recipe relies on cottage cheese for the crust, so it isn’t easily made dairy-free. You could easily swap out the mozzarella and parmesan though.

How do I store leftovers?

Store any leftover slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to help the crust crisp back up.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!