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Cheesy Pepper & Mushroom Pizza

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Submitted by nghilotti

A homemade pepper and mushroom pizza on a from-scratch yeast crust, spread with a creamy blended cottage cheese and Parmesan sauce instead of red sauce, then loaded with mozzarella. A lighter, veggie-packed pie.

YIELD

8 servings

PREP

30 hrs

COOK

20 min

READY

1 hrs

This veggie pizza skips the usual tomato sauce for something a little different: a creamy, blended cottage cheese base that’s high in protein and lighter than it tastes.

It starts with a real from-scratch yeast crust. The dough rises, then gets rolled into a 14-inch round on a cornmeal-dusted pan, the cornmeal giving the bottom that signature pizzeria crunch.

A quick pre-bake firms the crust so it doesn’t go soggy under the toppings.

The ‘sauce’ is the clever part: cottage cheese blended smooth with egg, Parmesan, basil, and garlic, spread over the hot crust like a creamy ricotta layer.

Then come the mushrooms and rings of sweet pepper, topped with shredded mozzarella, and back into the hot oven until everything is melted and bubbling.

It’s a satisfying, vegetable-forward pizza that proves you don’t always need red sauce.

Pro Tips

  • Pre-bake the crust about 10 minutes, as the recipe directs, so it stays crisp under the creamy topping.
  • Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth for a sauce-like layer with no curds.
  • Slice the mushrooms thin so they cook through and shed their moisture during the short final bake.

Variations

  • Add red sauce under the cottage cheese layer for a classic red-and-white pizza.
  • Pile on more vegetables: onion, olives, spinach, or artichoke.
  • Use a red bell pepper instead of green, as the recipe allows, for a sweeter bite.

Ingredients

1 ½ 355
½ 2.5
TEASPOON ML SUGAR
¾ 177
1 1
LARGE EACH EGG
1 5
TEASPOON ML BASIL
dried, crushed *
1 1
MEDIUM MEDIUM SWEET RED BELL PEPPER
green, or sweet red *
1 237
CUP ML MOZZARELLA CHEESE
part skim, shredded *
1 1
EACH EACH YEAST, ACTIVE DRY
packaged *
1 5
TEASPOON ML VEGETABLE OIL
1 15
TABLESPOON ML CORNMEAL
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML PARMESAN CHEESE
grated
1 1
CLOVES EACH GARLIC
minced
1 237
CUP ML MUSHROOMS
fresh, sliced

Directions

For crust, mix ¾ cup of the flour, the yeast, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

Add oil and ½ cup warm water (120-130 deg).

Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping the bowl.

Beat on high speed 3 minutes.

Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Then, knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (5 minutes total).

Shape into a ball.

Place in a greased bowl; turn once.

Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 30 minutes).

Punch down.

Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

On a floured surface roll dough into a 14 inch circle.

Place on a pizza pan sprayed with non stick cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal.

Build up edges slightly.

Bake crust in 425℉ (220℃) F oven about 10 minutes or lightly browned.

In a blender combine cottage cheese, egg, parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.

Cover; blend until smooth.

Spread over hot crust.

Cut green pepper into rings.

Place atop pizza with mushrooms.

Sprinkle with Mozzarella.

Bake in 425℉ (220℃) oven until hot.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 63g (2.2 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 270 17% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 55mg 18%
Sodium 105mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 14%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Sugars g
Protein 30g
Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 13% Iron 15%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, Low Sodium
 

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