Pizza night gets a high-protein and low-carb makeover with this simple and delicious keto cottage cheese pizza crust recipe! The crust requires just five ingredients and a food processor, and bakes into a beautiful, bread-like texture. Customize it with your favorite toppings and enjoy a low-carb, high-protein pizza with incredible flavor.
This simple crust takes just minutes to make, and it bakes up sturdy enough to hold your favorite pizza toppings while keeping the carb count low.
The cottage cheese adds protein and moisture, helping create a crust that's tender on the inside with lightly crisp edges.
It's a satisfying alternative to traditional pizza dough and a great option when you're craving pizza without the extra carbs.
Since it requires less prep time than my Grain-Free Pizza Crust Recipe, which uses yeast for a deliciously dough-y, flavorful crust, it's perfect for busy nights.
Whether you're following a keto lifestyle, looking for a protein-packed dinner, or eating for blood sugar balance, this cottage cheese pizza crust delivers traditional pizza-night flavors with minimal effort.
In my experience, delicious pizza that's low-carb diet-friendly can be tricky to achieve, which is why the simplicity of this recipe is extra exciting!
why you'll love this recipe
Cottage cheese can be a good number of delicious things, proven by several recipes here on the blog (and any time spent on social media!).
I've developed recipes for keto cottage cheese ice cream, cottage cheese pancakes, and cottage cheese quiche, among others, but this keto cottage cheese pizza crust is certainly at the top of our favorites list.
Unlike traditional pizza dough made with flour and yeast, cottage cheese pizza crust relies on cottage cheese, egg, and low-carb flours as its foundation.
When baked, the proteins in the cheese and eggs set into a sturdy, but soft and tender base that can support toppings.
The ingredient list is short and simple, and the process couldn't be any easier. But it's also a pizza crust with 14 grams of protein per serving, and that's without adding any pizza toppings.
Here's why it could very easily become a pizza night go-to:
- It's high in protein, low in carbohydrates, keto diet friendly and naturally gluten-free
- Requires just a handful of simple ingredients and comes together in the food processor making it an easy weeknight dinner win
- It's easy to customize with your favorite pizza and flatbread toppings
- A healthier alternative to traditional dough that will still satisfy your pizza cravings!
keto cottage cheese pizza crust ingredients
Here's a look at the main ingredients you'll need (see the recipe card for the full list of ingredients):
- Cottage cheese: Choose a high-quality cottage cheese with a higher fat content (like a whole milk cottage cheese) for the best flavor and texture. Fat-free cottage cheese is usually a tad more watery, which will also affect the end result. I like Good Culture whole milk cottage cheese since it's a small curd cottage cheese made with milk from pasture-raised cows.
- Almond flour: A low-carb and gluten-free flour that gives the crust sturdiness.
- Lupin flour or coconut flour: I love the nutritional profile of lupin flour, a high-fiber and high-protein flour made from lupin beans. It will add a little extra protein and fiber to the crust and create a more bread-like texture while still keeping it low-carb. If you don't have lupin flour, you can also use coconut flour with great results.
- Baking powder: This gives the low-carb cottage cheese pizza crust a little bit of lift. Choose an aluminum-free baking powder.
- Egg: You'll need one large egg, which acts as a binder for this low-carb pizza crust.
the process
Here's a summary of how to make this keto and low-carb cottage cheese pizza crust, but be sure to check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all of the details and ingredient amounts.
Add the crust ingredients to a food processor (except for the olive oil).
Process on low speed until the ingredients are combined. Scrape the sides and process again. The consistency should be sticky, similar to cookie dough.
Transfer the pizza crust to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use wet hands to flatten out the dough into a round crust that's about 12 inches in diameter and ¼-inch thick. Spread the olive oil on top.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 450°F. Remove it, then top with pizza sauce (or a tomato sauce/ marinara sauce), cheese like parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese, and other pizza toppings like pepperoni slices, red onions, bell peppers, etc.
Return the pizza to the oven and continue baking for 5 minutes.
Switch the oven to Broil and cook for the pizza for another 3-4 minutes or until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
tips for the best results
- Make sure your sheet of parchment paper is cut to fit into your baking pan or pizza pan. You will not want any paper overhang on the sides of the pan, especially since it will be sitting right under the broiler.
- Wet hands are crucial otherwise your hands will stick to the dough! I usually have to get my hands wet a couple of times and have no problem with the dough sticking.
- The creamy texture and flavor of full-fat cottage cheese will give you the best results for your low-carb crust.
storage
If you have leftovers, store the slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Reheat in the oven or air fryer set to 300°F for a couple of minutes or until warm and the cheese has melted.
This keto cottage cheese pizza crust is great for meal prep, too!
You can make the crust dough up to three days ahead of time. Wrap it in plastic wrap or store it in a storage container, and when needed, simply press it out and bake.
variations
This keto pizza crust is endlessly customizable! Dream up all of your favorite keto-friendly pizza toppings for this base recipe, and create variation after variation.
You can even add seasonings like garlic powder or Italian seasoning to the crust for a slightly savory flavor.
A few of my favorites are:
- Margherita pizza: Tomato sauce, tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil drizzle.
- Meat lover's: Mozzarella, Italian sausage, pepperoni, bacon, and ham. High protein pizza at its best!
- Greek pizza: Olive oil base, feta cheese, kalamata olives, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and fresh oregano.
- BBQ chicken and peach pizza: A combination of sugar-free BBQ sauce, chicken, red onion, bell pepper, mozzarella, peach slices, and cilantro. (I shared the full recipe for this one in my Substack newsletter.)
you might also love
- Pizza Salad Recipe (with Italian Vinaigrette)
- High Protein Pasta Salad
- Low-carb Tomato Sauce Recipe
- Easy Keto Chicken Parmesan
Keto Cottage Cheese Pizza Crust (High-Protein, Low Carb)
This keto cottage cheese pizza crust has a soft, doughy texture yet is sturdy enough to load with all your favorite pizza toppings. It's a high-protein, low-carb crust— each serving offers 14 grams of protein in the crust alone!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese (not low-fat)
- 1-½ cups blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup lupin flour OR 3 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1-½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- pizza sauce and toppings of choice
Instructions
- Set your oven rack to the highest position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper. (Make sure there is no paper overhang, since the pizza will sit under the broiler at the very end.)
- Add all of the crust ingredients, except for the olive oil, to a food processor. Process on low speed until the ingredients are well-combined, about 30 seconds.
- Scrape down the sides of the food processor and process again to mix well. The dough will have a similar consistency to sticky cookie dough.
- Transfer the dough to the lined baking sheet and use wet hands to flatten it out into a circle that’s ¼-inch thick and 12 inches in diameter. Wet hands are crucial otherwise your hands will stick to the dough. Drizzle the top of the crust with 1 tablespoon of olive or avocado oil.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then remove. Add your pizza sauce and any of your favorite toppings. Return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
- Switch the oven to Broil and broil for 2-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown (watch it closely as the time will depend on how hot your broiler is).
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Lupin flour is a high-fiber, high-protein flour made from lupini/lupin beans. It helps boost the protein content in the crust, which is already high thanks to the cottage cheese base. I prefer lupin flour over coconut flour but either will work.
- Wet hands are crucial otherwise your hands will stick to the dough! I usually have to get my hands wet a couple of times and have no problem with the dough sticking.
- The creamy texture and flavor of full-fat cottage cheese will give you the best results for your low-carb crust.
storing
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer set to 300°F for a couple of minutes or until warm and the cheese has melted.
- This keto cottage cheese pizza crust is great for meal prep, too! You can make the crust dough up to three days ahead of time. Wrap it in plastic wrap or store it in a storage container, and when needed, simply press it out and bake.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 247Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 38mgCarbohydrates 9gNet Carbohydrates 4gFiber 5gSugar 2gProtein 14g
This nutritional information is approximate and is provided for convenience as a courtesy.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!