Description
Craving the flavors of pizza but want something easy, healthy, and high in protein? This Easy Pizza Cottage Cheese Bake is the ultimate dinner idea—layered with creamy cottage cheese, bubbling mozzarella, tangy pizza sauce, and all your favorite toppings. Whether you need a quick weeknight dinner, meal prep, or a crowd-pleasing family bake, this casserole delivers on taste and nutrition. It’s the perfect easy recipe for busy nights, and doubles as a hearty snack or next-day lunch. If you love food ideas that combine comfort and convenience, this one’s a must-try!
Ingredients
1 ½ cups cottage cheese
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cups pizza sauce
½ cup pepperoni slices (or other desired toppings)
1 tablespoon olive oil (for greasing the dish)
Optional: ¼ cup sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, or fresh basil for topping
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with olive oil.
2. In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, ¾ cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
3. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
4. Layer with ¾ cup pizza sauce, then sprinkle half of the pepperoni (or other toppings) on top.
5. Repeat with the remaining cottage cheese mixture, the rest of the pizza sauce, and the rest of the pepperoni or toppings.
6. Top with the remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese.
7. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and the center is set.
8. Let rest 5–10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil or extra toppings, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
For a vegetarian bake, simply swap pepperoni for your favorite veggies.
Ricotta cheese works as a substitute for cottage cheese if you want a richer flavor.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat in the microwave or oven.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Casserole, Main Course
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American, Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 225
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 730mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 74mg
Keywords: easy dinner, pizza bake, healthy snack, cottage cheese casserole, high-protein dinner, quick dinner, food ideas