Nobody puts baby in a corner…and if you ask us, the same goes for cottage cheese. Sure, you may know it as a boring Mad Men–era weight loss food, but it’s actually a versatile and—dare we say it?—delicious ingredient in its own right. (Maybe that explains why it’s currently taking over our TikTok feed.) We’re not just trying sell you on cottage cheese “ice cream” (you do you); we want you to think of the side in a whole new light with these 16 cottage cheese recipes.
16 Cottage Cheese Recipes That Will Change Your Mind About the Divisive Ingredient
Published Jul 6, 2023
What Is Cottage Cheese, Exactly?
Cottage cheese, aka “curds and whey,” may seem nothing like the cheddar and Parm you keep in your fridge, but yes, it is a type of cheese. It’s made from skim milk, which is heated along with active cultures to form solid curds. The curds are pressed and drained, then mixed with cream to form its soft, soupy texture. (TBH, it’s a lot like ricotta but with larger curds.) You can buy cottage cheese as “large curd,” “medium curd” or “small curd” and with varying amounts of milkfat. They’ll all taste similar; which you choose just depends on your preferences.
Is Cottage Cheese Healthy?
As far as fromages go, cottage cheese is one of the healthiest. According to nutritionist Kim Bowman, M.S., C.N.P., “cottage cheese is an optimal protein source for boosting satiety” precisely because “it’s high in protein yet low in calories.” True, a ½-cup serving of low-fat cottage cheese clocks in at about 90 calories and has a whopping 12 grams of protein. But with a mild, milky flavor and creamy texture, we’d like to defend it as a snack food for the masses and not just a diet food.
1. Sourdough with Whipped Cottage Cheese and Raspberry Chia Jam
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, <500 calories
If you’re a cottage cheese skeptic, this fancy toast is a terrific introduction. A quick whirl in the food processor transforms the texture from curd-like to fluffy, and the creamy flavor pairs just as well with berry jam as it does with salt and pepper.
2. Protein-Packed Rainbow Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, no cook, <10 ingredients
Greek yogurt is fine and all, but cottage cheese adds a salty edge to our breakfast bowls that we just can’t resist. Top it with fresh fruit and chia seeds and you’ve got fiber and protein.
3. Scrambled Eggs with Cottage Cheese
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, <10 ingredients
Eggs are already high in protein, but adding cottage cheese to the mix enhances their fluffy texture and adds a touch of indulgent creaminess. (And yeah, there’s extra protein too.)
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Sure, you can use cottage cheese as a protein booster, but it’s also good for fun stuff…like party dips. Whipping it in a blender or food processor makes it smooth and fluffy, aka ideal for serving with crudités.
5. The Cheesiest Spinach and Cheese Lasagna
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Would you believe us if we told you this baked pasta contains eight different cheeses? It’s true, and it’s delightful.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion–worthy
For the richest results, we recommend using a full-fat cottage cheese in these spuds. The extra fat will add flavor and creamy texture that you just can’t get with the reduced fat kind.
7. Sweet and Savory Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
It’s all about the toppings with these bowls, which further prove this cheesy ingredient’s versatility. If you want to go savory, don’t be shy about the salt and pepper; for sweet, we like to add a drizzle of honey.
- Time Commitment: 4 hours, 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
The viral TikTok “hack” calls for replacing the cream in homemade ice cream with blended cottage cheese. You’ll definitely want to use full-fat here—anything less and the results will be icy.
9. Creamy Tomato Cottage Cheese Pasta
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
It’s kinda like vodka sauce, but with a nutritious edge. The dish comes together in no time because you’ll use the hot pasta to warm the sauce through instead of cooking it in a separate pot.
10. Cottage Cheese Banana Oatmeal Protein Pancakes
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, gluten free, <10 ingredients
Remember how it was a “thing” to make a short stack of protein pancakes with just bananas, eggs and nut butter? This cottage cheese recipe is like the modern upgrade—it’s a lot closer to the real thing, thanks to the addition of oats in the batter.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
It gets its name because it’s ideal for on-the-go mornings. With the help of your muffin tin, the eggs bake up fluffy and the ham gets a bit crispy at the edges.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, make ahead
Each serving of these freezer-friendly waffles contains a whopping 20 grams of protein. We’re pretty sure you can’t get that with the ones that rhyme with “leggo.” (Just sayin’.)
13. Asparagus Frittata with Goat Cheese
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
The tangy goat cheese is optional, but the cottage cheese is not. It’s essential to lightening the texture of the eggs and making this frittata more of a soufflé situation.
14. Noodle Kugel
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
This classic Jewish recipe wouldn’t be complete without cottage cheese, which creates a custardy texture and holds the casserole together.
15. Berry Mini Cheesecake Smoothies
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, vegetarian, <15 minutes, no cook
We like our breakfasts filling and wholesome, but they’re even better if they can be that way on the sly. (Read: They should taste like dessert.) Blending cottage cheese into a smoothie will make it ultra-creamy and high in protein without tasting like diet food.
16. Creamy Tomato Lasagna Florentine
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, vegetarian
Cottage cheese and lasagna go hand in hand. It’s just like using ricotta, but with extra protein to make you feel really good about your pasta dinner.
Katherine Gillen is PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she’s an avid home cook and fanatic baker.
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