Description
These Low-Calorie Cottage Cheese Pizza Bowls are warm, cheesy, crustless pizza bowls made with creamy cottage cheese, no-added-sugar tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella, and savory turkey or chicken pepperoni. Ready in under 20 minutes, this easy high-protein, low-carb meal delivers classic pizza flavor without the crust. Customize it with your favorite vegetables, herbs, and toppings for a satisfying lunch, dinner, or protein-rich snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup no-added-sugar tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 6 slices turkey pepperoni or lean chicken pepperoni
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- Olive oil spray
- Fresh basil, optional
Optional Toppings:
- Chopped bell peppers
- Sliced mushrooms
- Chopped red onion
- Sliced black olives
- Red pepper flakes
- Cooked lean ground chicken or turkey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Lightly coat a 10- to 12-ounce oven-safe bowl or ramekin with olive oil spray. Place it on a small baking tray.
- Spoon the cottage cheese into the bottom of the prepared bowl.
- Spread the no-added-sugar tomato sauce evenly over the cottage cheese.
- Sprinkle the oregano and garlic powder over the sauce.
- Top evenly with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Arrange the turkey or chicken pepperoni over the mozzarella. Add Parmesan cheese if using.
- Add any optional vegetables or other toppings.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- For a more golden cheese topping, broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Carefully remove from the oven and let the pizza bowl cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil or red pepper flakes, if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- Use full-fat or low-fat cottage cheese rather than very watery cottage cheese for a creamier texture.
- Choose no-added-sugar tomato sauce to keep the recipe lower in carbohydrates.
- Do not overfill the bowl; leave room for the cheese and sauce to bubble during baking.
- Always place the oven-safe bowl on a baking tray for easier handling and to catch any spills.
- Add chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, red onion, or olives for extra vegetables.
- Cooked lean ground chicken or turkey can be added for a heartier meal.
- Add red pepper flakes for extra heat or fresh basil for a fresh Italian-style finish.
- The assembled bowls can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking.
- Store baked leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat until hot.
- The unbaked bowls can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
- Nutrition is approximate and will vary depending on the brands and types of cottage cheese, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and pepperoni used.
- Let the bowl cool for 2 to 3 minutes before eating because the sauce, cheese, and bowl will be very hot.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pizza bowl
- Calories: 250–300
- Fat: 12–18g
- Carbohydrates: 8–12g
- Fiber: 2–3g
- Protein: 20–25g
Keywords: Low-Calorie Cottage Cheese Pizza Bowls