Description
Pizza Style Cottage Cheese Bake – A cheesy and savory dish combining cottage cheese, pizza sauce, and pepperoni for a quick and crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 24 oz (680g) cottage cheese (4% fat works best for creaminess)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup (100g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon (3g) Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon (3g) garlic powder
- 1 cup (240ml) marinara sauce (choose a high-quality variety for best flavor)
- 2 cups (226g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 oz (113g) pepperoni slices
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup (60g) sliced black olives
- 2 tablespoons (8g) fresh basil, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Oven and Baking Dish Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking. This preparation ensures your Pizza Style Cottage Cheese Bake will release easily when serving.
- Step 2: Create the Cottage Cheese Base In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, beaten eggs, half of the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir until everything is thoroughly incorporated. The eggs will help bind everything together while baking, creating a solid base that slices beautifully.
- Step 3: Assemble the First Layers Spread the cottage cheese mixture evenly into your prepared baking dish, creating a smooth surface. Then pour the marinara sauce over the cottage cheese layer, spreading it to the edges like you would on a pizza crust. The vibrant red sauce should completely cover the white cottage cheese layer beneath.
- Step 4: Add Your Toppings Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese over the sauce layer. Arrange the pepperoni slices, diced bell pepper, chopped onion, and black olives across the surface. This is where you can get creative – organize your toppings in sections if you have family members with different preferences!
- Step 5: Add the Final Cheese Layer Cover everything with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. This generous top layer will create that stretchy, pizza-like cheese pull that makes the Pizza Style Cottage Cheese Bake so satisfying.
- Step 6: Bake to Perfection Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown around the edges. If desired, broil for the final 2 minutes to create those crispy cheese spots. Let the bake rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow it to set up properly for clean slicing.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 240g)
- Calories: 320 calories per serving
- Sugar: 4 grams
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 20 grams
- Saturated Fat: 10 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 13 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 25 grams
- Cholesterol: 90 mg