Mini Pepperoni Pizzas with Cottage Cheese Crust

Pizza night can be an easy family dinner when everyone gets a little pizza of their own. This recipe makes six mini pizzas with a crust of blended cottage cheese, eggs, and oat or almond flour. The batter is spooned into rounds, topped, and baked in one trip through the oven.

At a glance: Makes 6 mini pizzas · About 10 minutes prep · 15–20 minutes baking · A few minutes cooling · Stick blender or regular blender, baking sheet, parchment paper

Ingredients

For the crust

• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup oat flour or almond flour, plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the toppings

• ¼ cup tomato or pizza sauce
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella
• ½ cup shredded cheddar
• ¼ cup mini pepperoni or chopped regular pepperoni

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Blend the cottage cheese and eggs until smooth. An immersion blender works in a bowl; a regular blender works too.
3. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. The batter should be thick enough to hold a mound when spooned onto the sheet. If it spreads too freely, stir in a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
4. Divide the batter into six mounds on the sheet and flatten each into a small pizza base.
5. Divide the sauce, cheeses, and pepperoni among the bases.
6. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the crusts are set and the edges are lightly golden. Rest for a few minutes so the bases firm up before serving.

Our recipe review

Ease — 4/5. Blending, mixing, and scooping are straightforward. The batter may need a little extra flour depending on the cottage cheese.

Healthier — 3/5. Cottage cheese and eggs bring protein to the crust. The two cheeses and pepperoni also contribute saturated fat and sodium, so we would compare equal-sized pizzas and the chosen flour before calling the whole meal healthier than a conventional mini pizza.

Speed — 4/5. The creator lists about 10 minutes of prep and 15–20 minutes in the oven. Allow a few more minutes for the crusts to firm up.

Review basis: Chef Josh's written recipe; we have not made or tasted it in our kitchen yet.

Recipe inspiration: Chef Josh, The Chef Out West. See the original Reel.