This High-Protein Stuffed Crust Pizza started with the same tortilla trick I used for my Stuffed Crust Italian Omelet High-Protein Breakfast, but this time I turned the whole thing into an actual pepperoni pizza.
I wrap a Mission Carb Balance burrito tortilla around three light mozzarella sticks to make the stuffed crust, then fill the center with pizza sauce, fat-free cottage cheese, and turkey pepperoni.
A light spray of oil over the tortilla helps it brown in the air fryer, while Italian seasoning on top gives the whole thing more of that pizza flavor.
The entire personal pizza comes in around 450 calories with roughly 45g of protein.
Try These Next
This uses the same stuffed-tortilla technique as my Stuffed Crust Italian Omelet High-Protein Breakfast, so make that one next if you want to turn the crust back into breakfast.
For more savory high-protein breakfasts, try The Best Cheese Egg Casserole High Protein And Low Carb or Buffalo Chicken Cornbread Waffles High Protein. Both are already part of the BakedLean breakfast archive.
Why You'll Love This Stuffed Crust Pizza
About 45g protein: The mozzarella sticks, fat-free cottage cheese, turkey pepperoni, and tortilla all contribute protein.
Actual stuffed crust: There are three mozzarella sticks wrapped directly inside the tortilla edge.
One personal pizza: No dividing a full pizza into tiny servings to make the macros work.
Air fryer friendly: The tortilla crisps quickly while the cheese inside melts.
No shredded cheese needed: I use Daisy fat-free cottage cheese as the cheese in the center.
Fast: Once everything is assembled, it only needs around 6–8 minutes in the air fryer.
The Stuffed Crust Trick
This is the part that makes the recipe fun.
Instead of putting string cheese on top, I arrange three mozzarella sticks around the outside of the tortilla in a triangle.
Then I fold the tortilla over each cheese stick and secure the folded edges with toothpicks.
You end up with a raised cheese-filled border around an open center.
That center becomes the pizza.
It is basically the exact technique I used for the stuffed crust omelet, except instead of cracking eggs into the middle, I add pizza sauce, cottage cheese, and pepperoni.
The toothpicks really matter here. Without them, the tortilla can unfold as the mozzarella starts melting.
Ingredients
- 1 Mission Carb Balance burrito-size tortilla
- 3 Trader Joe's light mozzarella string cheese sticks
- ¼ cup pizza sauce
- ½ cup Daisy fat-free cottage cheese
- ½ serving Oscar Mayer turkey pepperoni
- Italian seasoning, to taste
- Light oil spray
Ingredient Notes
Mission Carb Balance Burrito Tortilla
You want the large burrito-size tortilla because you need enough tortilla around the outside to fold over all three mozzarella sticks while still leaving room for the pizza filling in the center.
A small taco tortilla would be much harder to work with.
The tortilla also needs to be flexible enough to fold without cracking.
Light Mozzarella String Cheese
I used three Trader Joe's light mozzarella sticks.
String cheese works especially well because it already has the long, narrow shape you need to build the stuffed crust.
Arrange them like a triangle, then fold the tortilla around them.
Daisy Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
Instead of covering the center with a bunch of shredded mozzarella, I use ½ cup fat-free cottage cheese.
That keeps the pizza really high in protein while still giving you plenty of cheese in the middle.
Spread it over the pizza sauce instead of piling it all in one spot.
Turkey Pepperoni
I used ½ serving Oscar Mayer turkey pepperoni.
Turkey pepperoni gives you the pepperoni flavor without adding as much fat as a large serving of regular pepperoni.
Pizza Sauce
You only need around ¼ cup.
I would not go crazy with the sauce because the tortilla is thin. Too much liquid in the center can make it harder for the bottom to crisp.
Italian Seasoning
Add this over the top of the cottage cheese and pepperoni before air frying.
You can use whatever Italian seasoning blend you normally keep around.
Light Oil Spray
I give the exposed tortilla a light spray before it goes into the air fryer.
This helps the stuffed crust brown instead of staying pale while the center cooks.
Tools I Use for This Recipe
Mission Carb Balance Burrito-Size Tortillas
The tested large, flexible tortilla has enough surface area to wrap all three cheese sticks and leave an open center.
Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart Air Fryer
A roomy basket helps the triangular stuffed-crust pizza sit flat while the tortilla crisps.
HOPELF Bamboo Toothpicks
Toothpicks secure the folded tortilla edges so the stuffed crust stays wrapped as the mozzarella melts.
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How to Make High-Protein Stuffed Crust Pizza
1. Build the Cheese Border
Lay the Mission Carb Balance tortilla flat.
Arrange the three mozzarella sticks around the edges in a triangle.
Leave an open section in the center for your pizza toppings.
2. Fold the Stuffed Crust
Fold the tortilla tightly over each mozzarella stick.
Secure the tortilla with toothpicks so it stays wrapped around the cheese.
Make sure the mozzarella is enclosed as much as possible.
3. Move It to the Air Fryer
Carefully transfer the tortilla to your air fryer basket.
It is easier to do this before adding the sauce and toppings.
Make sure it sits relatively flat.
4. Add the Pizza Sauce
Spread ¼ cup pizza sauce across the open center.
Keep most of the sauce away from the folded tortilla edge.
5. Add the Cottage Cheese and Pepperoni
Add ½ cup Daisy fat-free cottage cheese over the sauce.
Spread it around the center, then top with ½ serving turkey pepperoni.
Sprinkle Italian seasoning over everything.
6. Spray the Crust
Give the exposed tortilla and stuffed crust edge a light coating of oil spray.
You do not need to soak it.
Just enough to help it brown.
7. Air Fry
Air fry at 350°F for 6–8 minutes.
The tortilla should look crisp and browned, the center should be hot, and the mozzarella sticks inside the crust should be melted.
Air fryers vary, so start checking around 6 minutes.
8. Remove the Toothpicks
This sounds obvious, but seriously: remove every toothpick before eating it.
Then slice through the stuffed crust and serve immediately.
How to Keep the Tortilla Crispy
There are two things I would pay attention to.
First, don't overload the center with sauce.
You want enough for pizza flavor, but this is still a thin tortilla sitting underneath a wet filling.
Second, use the light oil spray.
The stuffed edge is thicker because you have folded the tortilla over itself. A little oil helps that folded section brown while the mozzarella melts inside.
I also think this pizza is much better right out of the air fryer. That is when you get the best contrast between the crisp tortilla and melted stuffed crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without toothpicks?
I wouldn't recommend it.
The folded tortilla wants to open back up, especially once the mozzarella sticks start melting. Toothpicks hold everything together while it cooks.
Can I use regular pepperoni?
Yes, but the nutrition will change.
I used Oscar Mayer turkey pepperoni because it works better with the macros I wanted for this pizza.
Can I use shredded mozzarella instead of cottage cheese?
You could make a version with shredded cheese, but that isn't the recipe I made.
I specifically used Daisy fat-free cottage cheese in the center.
Does cottage cheese actually work on pizza?
Yes.
You don't need to blend it for this recipe. Spread it over the pizza sauce, add your pepperoni and seasoning, then let it heat in the air fryer.
It gives you a really cheesy center while adding a lot of protein.
Why isn't my stuffed crust browning?
Give the exposed tortilla a light spray of oil before air frying.
If it still looks pale after 6 minutes, let it continue for another minute or two while watching the center.
Can I make this in the oven?
The version I made was cooked in the air fryer, so that is the method I recommend here.
What size tortilla should I use?
Use a large burrito-size tortilla.
You need the extra diameter to wrap around the mozzarella sticks and still have enough open space in the middle for the pizza.
Nutrition
The nutrition will vary slightly depending on the exact pizza sauce and current product labels, but my working estimate for the entire pizza is:
Approximately 450 calories
Approximately 45g protein
Approximately 40g carbohydrates
Approximately 16g fat
That is for the entire personal stuffed crust pizza, not one small slice.
Storage
This is one I would make and eat right away.
The best part is the crispy tortilla wrapped around melted mozzarella, and that texture is at its best straight from the air fryer.
If you do have leftovers, refrigerate them in a covered container and reheat them in the air fryer rather than the microwave if you want to bring some of that crispness back.
You Might Also Like
Try Gluten Free High Protein Bagels for another savory high-protein breakfast option.
You can also make The Best Cheese Egg Casserole High Protein And Low Carb or Buffalo Chicken Cornbread Waffles High Protein when you want something completely different.
Final Thoughts
This is basically what happened when I took my stuffed crust omelet idea and asked what would happen if I just made the center pizza instead.
And I think I like this version even more.
You still get that ridiculous mozzarella-stuffed tortilla crust, but now the middle is loaded with pizza sauce, cottage cheese, pepperoni, and Italian seasoning.
For around 450 calories and 45 grams of protein, this is a pretty massive personal pizza.
BAKE THIS NEXT
High-Protein Stuffed Crust Pizza (Quick and Easy)
Ingredients
- 1 Mission Carb Balance burrito-size tortilla
- 3 Trader Joe's light mozzarella string cheese sticks
- 1/4 cup pizza sauce
- 1/2 cup Daisy fat-free cottage cheese
- 1/2 serving Oscar Mayer turkey pepperoni
- Italian seasoning to taste
- light oil spray for browning the crust
Equipment
- Toothpicks
Method
- Lay the tortilla flat and arrange the three mozzarella sticks around the outside edge in a triangle.
- Fold the tortilla tightly over the mozzarella sticks to create a stuffed crust and secure the folded edges with toothpicks.
- Carefully transfer the secured tortilla to the air fryer basket.
- Spread the pizza sauce across the open center of the tortilla.
- Spread the fat-free cottage cheese over the pizza sauce, then add the turkey pepperoni.
- Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the pizza and lightly spray the exposed tortilla crust with oil spray.
- Air fry at 350°F for 6–8 minutes, or until the tortilla is browned and crisp and the mozzarella inside the stuffed crust has melted.
- Carefully remove every toothpick before slicing and serving.
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