Cottage Cheese Pizza Recipe; aka Paneer Pizza

The cottage cheese pizza is a tempting snack! It’s a perfect vegetarian alternative to tandoori chicken pizza. With cottage cheese cubes replacing the chicken pieces. Marinated in a spiced yogurt mixture, the cottage cheese gets a creamy coating. And not to mention a savory taste.

The dense marinara sauce layer brightens the palate. It adds a chunky and tomatoey zing. Moreover the colorful toppings allure the senses. Red & green sweet peppers, black olives, and mushrooms. All sitting on a bed of melted mozzarella. You can also top the cottage cheese pizza with corn kernels and sliced onions!

History of cottage cheese

It’s said that preparing cheese by curdling it with yogurt or berries originates from the Indus Valley Civilization. This is the earliest known Indian culture. The Indian term for cottage cheese is “paneer.” It is derived from the Persian/Turkish word “peynir.” This translates to “cheese.”

Curdling milk using acidic ingredients was developed later. It is a Portuguese process that originated in the 17th century. This is the process that we use today.

Ingredients

Cottage cheese pizza is prepared with a host of ingredients. Let’s take a look at them in detail.  

• Flour
• Cottage cheese
• Green yogurt
• Spices
• Garam masala powder
• Dried fenugreek leaves
• Sweet mini peppers
• Olives
• Mushrooms

Caputo flour is also known as Italian pizza flour. This finely milled flour is prepared from a unique mix of soft white wheat. They hold long fermentation well and produce easily workable doughs. The crust turns out crisp with airy holes inside. This offers a yummy chewy texture.

Cottage cheese has a soft milky mild taste. It requires gentle handling as it crumbles easily. The creamy yogurt and spice marination helps the subtle cheese absorb flavors. During the baking process, it gets a slightly charred exterior. While retaining a moist softness on the inside.

The spice powers add a flavorful aromantic warmth. ‘Garam masala’ literally translates to ‘hot spice.’ It combines various spices. This includes black peppercorns, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, star anise, mace, cardamom, nutmeg, & cloves. They dry roast them on a hot iron skillet. Then allowed to cool before grinding into powder.

The sweet pepper, olives, & mushroom toppings offer great texture. Plus a ton of flavor in every bite. The peppers add fruity and sweet element. The black olives fill the mouth with a delicate fleshy tang. Plus, the mushrooms infuse an earthy tone.   

Cottage Cheese Pizza Notes

At times we end up adding too much flour. And the dough turns firmer than usual. A quick fix would be adding a few teaspoons of water or milk. Then, pulse the food processor a few times. Just until you achieve the proper soft, sticky pizza dough consistency.

Besides using store-bought marinara sauce, you can easily prepare a pizza sauce at home. In a food processor, pulse 1/2 can of peeled tomatoes. Add in 1/4 of an onion and 1 garlic clove. Pulse until finely chopped. Then toss in 1/4 teaspoon each of oregano, basil, and salt. Plus a pinch of black pepper. Pulse to combine. For a vibrant and tart sauce, use it as is. To add more depth to the flavors, you could simmer the sauce for 5-10 minutes.

Substitutions 

You may substitute cottage cheese with semi-firm cheese varieties. Mexican queso Blanco, halloumi cheese, and panela cheese are good options. 

Other than homemade pizza dough, you can opt to buy premium quality pre-made pizza dough. Furthermore, the cottage cheese pizza also tastes delicious with a naan crust. Check out our butter chicken pizza recipe. This will help you prepare the naan dough from scratch. 

Many prefer a slightly sweeter crust but are wary of adding extra sugar to the dough. Chuck the sugar entirely! Substitute it with half a tablespoon of honey. This adds a natural sweet flavor to the pizza dough. You can also make this pizza on a cauliflower crust.

If you’re following a vegan diet, just switch up 3 ingredients! In place of cottage cheese use water-drained firm tofu cubes. Then replace the yogurt with cashew curd. And find a good vegan mozzarella cheese.

How to make Paneer pizza

1. Prep the dough – Start by adding the water, yeast, and 1 cup of flour to a food processor. Pulse a few times. Add in your oil salt and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Mix for 15-20 seconds. Add more flour if necessary. Once a sticky dough ball forms, knead the dough in the processor for 3-5 minutes. Remove and fold gently into a ball. Set in a greased bowl and proof for 40-45 minutes, covered.
2. Marinate the toppings – Combine the yogurt, oil, lemon juice and spices in a bowl. Whisk well. Next, cut the cottage cheese into cubes. Gently mix in with your marinade and coat well. Be very gentle.
3. Assemble your pizza – Punch and remove the pizza dough to a board. Stretch the dough to form two 10-12” crusts. Place the dough on a parchment lined pizza peel. Make sure to dust some cornmeal on the paper to create easy movement. Then spread some marinara sauce followed by some shredded cheese. Top the pizza with your marinated cottage cheese, aka Paneer. Spread out the veggies between the cottage cheese. Bake on a pizza stone in an oven preheated to 500 degrees F. Remove from the oven when the crust is golden brown.

Cottage Cheese Pizza Recipe

Recipe by Pizza Poster

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: Main, AppetizersCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

12

minutes

Calories

362

kcal

Proofing time

45

minutes

Yields

2

Pizzas

Total time

1

hour 

12

minutes

Cottage cheese pizza is also known as Paneer pizza. The crust is topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, marinated cottage cheese and veggies.

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Ingredients

• For the dough

• 3 cups Caputo blue flour

• 1 cup warm water (110° F)

• 1 tsp instant yeast

• 2 tsp granulated sugar

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• For the cottage cheese

• 1 1/4 cup cottage cheese

• 4 Tbsp Greek Yogurt

• A pinch of turmeric powder

• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red Chili powder

• 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder

• 1/2 tsp coriander powder

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp garam masala powder

• 1 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves

• 1 tsp vegetable oil

• toppings

• 1/2 cup Marinara sauce

• 1 cup Mozarella cheese (shredded)

• 1/2 cup red & green sweet mini peppers (sliced)

• 10 black olives (sliced)

• 6-7 cup mushrooms (sliced)

Directions

• To make the dough
• Pour the lukewarm water into the food processor. Add a cup of flour, followed by the sugar & instant yeast. Close the lid and pulse a few times for 5 seconds till the ingredients are nicely incorporated.
• Add the oil, salt, & 1 1/2 cup of flour. Pulse for 15-20 seconds till the mix starts forming a sticky dough-like shape.
• Check the consistency, and add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Pulse again to knead for 3-4 minutes.
• Transfer the dough onto a wooden board. Fold gently and shape into a smooth ball.
• Place the dough into an oil-greased large bowl. Apply oil all over the dough ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Let it sit for 40-45 minutes at room temperature.
• To marinate the cottage cheese
• In a mixing bowl, add the greek yogurt, followed by the rest of the spices & seasonings (turmeric, cumin, coriander, garlic, garam masala, salt, & dried fenugreek leaves), lemon juice, and oil. Whisk well until combined.
• Cut the cottage cheese into cubes. Add it to the yogurt mixture. Toss gently to coat evenly.
• Cover the bowl & set aside for 30 minutes.
• To assemble the pizza
• Preheat your oven to 500° F with the pizza stone placed on the middle rack.
• Punch the pizza dough, and transfer it to a flour-dusted kitchen top. Fold gently and divide it into 2 balls. Stretch the dough to form a circular shape (about 10-12 inches).
• Line a pizza peel with parchment paper, and sprinkle some corn meal. Place the raw pizza crust on it.
• Spread 3-4 tablespoons of the marinara sauce, distribute 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese, and top with half of the marinated cottage cheese cubes leaving space between each piece. In the gaps, arrange the red and green peppers, the olive slices, and some mushrooms. Leaving plenty for the next pizza.
• Cautiously transfer the pizza from the pizza peel to the stone in the preheated oven. Bake for 8-12 minutes at 500° F.
• Prepare the second pizza similarly while the first is cooking.
• Finally, remove the cottage cheese pizza from the oven. Sprinkle some Italian dried herb seasoning mix and red pepper flakes on top. Enjoy!

Equipment

• Ninja pro food processorBuy now!
• Ooni 12” pizza stoneBuy now!
• Ooni bamboo pizza peelBuy now!

Recipe Video

Nutrition

• Serving = 2 slices
  Calories: 362 | Protein: 21.64g | Fat: 8.67g | Carbs: 54.21g | Fiber: 9.3g | Sugar: 5.29g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 1769mg | Potassium: 533mg

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