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These cottage cheese recipes are the best ways to eat this healthy ingredient! Try it in pancakes, dips, pasta and more.
Cottage cheese is a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition, packed with protein with relatively low calories. Believe it or not, it’s also an incredible versatile ingredient in the kitchen! You can use it in baked goods, dips, pasta, and even pancakes!
This high protein ingredient is certainly having its moment. We’ve always been fans, but as two cookbook authors and recipe experts we never expected there to be so much interest! What to eat with cottage cheese? Here are all the best cottage cheese recipes for using this healthy ingredient!
Our top cottage cheese recipes
Cottage cheese pancakes? Yes, this cottage cheese recipe is the best kept secret on the internet! This protein-packed pancake uses half the flour as a regular pancake recipe, relying on eggs and cottage cheese instead. It’s tender, fluffy, and vanilla-scented: in fact, it tastes like French toast! This is our go-to pancake recipe (really!).
Ready for the best trick for your mornings? Try Scrambled Eggs with Cottage Cheese! This healthy cheese adds an irresistibly savory flavor and fluffy texture to the eggs. Even better, it adds a pop of protein and helps to stretch the serving size without adding extra eggs. By adding the cheese, you can get away with 1 egg per serving!
There's nothing we love more than a recipe that's ultra simple and delivers on flavor. Meet this 5-ingredient Cottage Cheese Dip! It tastes like that good old ranch dip (you know, sour cream and a seasoning packet?). But it's made with this healthy low-calorie, high protein cheese! All you need are a few seasonings from your pantry to make this into a stellar party dip.
You can make high protein mac and cheese with cottage cheese! The curds whip up into a deliciously creamy sauce that’s protein-packed and makes a silky coating for noodles. It’s so simple to whiz up the sauce in a blender.
Looking for a cottage cheese recipe for brunch? Try this crustless quiche! This concept is our favorite for entertaining: it’s deliciously savory and hearty, with lots of protein to keep bellies full all morning. Even better: it’s so easy to whip up! No need to bother with a quiche crust: just whisk together the filling and pop it in the oven.
Here’s a healthy breakfast idea that’s a bit unexpected, but surprisingly satisfying…Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls! Sure, cottage cheese and pineapple or melon seems a little retro. So let’s dust off the concept and make a modern way to start the day. Top this high protein cheese with fresh berries or apple, cinnamon and drizzle of honey. One bite, and you’ll be a believer (we promise).
These cottage cheese brownies are rich and chocolaty, using the trendy ingredient to stand in for butter or oil! This tasty treat is simple to make and comes out intensely fudgy.
Need lunch in 5 minutes? Try Cottage Cheese Toast! This simple way to make a tasty lunch is not rocket science, but it’s incredibly satisfying every time. Spread this high-protein cheese onto a piece of toast, top with savory toppings, and enjoy! Here are a few of our favorite ideas for toppings: we like them all, but the smoked salmon toast is out of this world good.
Cottage cheese is a low-calorie cheese that’s very high in protein: so it’s a great healthy cheese to add to your diet. Here’s a fun way to eat it: as Whipped Cottage Cheese! It makes this ingredient even more versatile, and it’s especially fun if the lumpy texture is undesirable to you. Whip it up and it’s a tasty spread for toast or dip for entertaining! It has a fluffy texture and turns into an entirely different substance.
This breakfast egg muffins recipe makes the ideal healthy meal or snack, and they're packed with cottage cheese and colorful vegetables! Bake eggs in muffin cups, then refrigerate for quick meals.
Turn cottage cheese into dinner with lasagna! This is one of the easiest ways to convince people to eat cottage cheese (and kale, for that matter). Cottage cheese is a twist on the classic ricotta filling. The earthy flavor of the kale is complemented by tangy, garlicky tomato sauce, making this dish hard to resist.
Here’s an impressive cottage cheese recipe that no one can resist: these Cinnamon Streusel Muffins! It’s light, fluffy and moist, sparkling with a glittery streusel topping. The secret? Cottage cheese brings just the right texture to these little cakes! It adds little more protein and stands in for a bit of the oil.
Here's a cottage cheese recipe that's an absolute triumph: Vegetarian Meatloaf! Somehow, the ingredients meld into an appearance and texture just like a meatloaf: and it tastes AMAZING. That is: better than the meat version! It’s perfect for dinner parties when you want to impress.
Try adding cottage cheese to your oats. It makes them extra creamy and adds a huge boost of protein! We know what you're thinking: cottage cheese in oatmeal? It does slightly change the flavor, but it also makes the oatmeal extra creamy. via Eating Bird Food
This cottage cheese salad combines fresh veggies and herbs with cottage cheese for a simple, yet flavorful salad that’s low in calories, but packed with 29 grams of protein. This salad has a base of protein-packed cottage cheese and is topped with fresh veggies and herbs. via Eating Bird Food
You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this viral cottage cheese ice cream! It’s super creamy, thick and packed with over 20 grams of protein! The base is just 2 simple ingredients: cottage cheese and honey. You can add peanut butter, chocolate, or whatever you choose! via Eating Bird Food
Is cottage cheese healthy?
Like any fad food, it’s important to look at the facts. According to Healthline, cottage cheese is a good option if you’re looking to eat diary. Here are some of the nutritional benefits of cottage cheese:
- It’s a low calorie cheese. A 1-cup serving has 163 calories.
- It’s very high in protein. A 1-cup serving of cottage cheese has 28 grams protein, which is over half your daily need. Impressively, the protein accounts for over 70% of the calories.
- It’s also packed with nutrients like vitamin B vitamin, calcium, phosphorus, and selenium.
What to eat with cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is an endlessly versatile ingredient to incorporate in your cooking. What to eat with cottage cheese?
- Fruit: Add fresh berries, peaches, bananas, or apples and cinnamon to make a breakfast bowl.
- Vegetables: Make it into a lunch bowl with chickpeas, cucumber and tomato.
- Salad: Try a dollop in your salad for extra protein.
- Granola: Top it with granola for breakfast.
- Smoothies: Add a dollop to a smoothie recipe to add protein, like a strawberry smoothie or blueberry smoothie.
- Pasta: Use it to make a high protein mac and cheese.
- Lasagna: Use it as a substitute for ricotta in lasagna.
- Toast: Top with savory toppings to make cottage cheese toast.
- Pancakes: Use it in pancake batter.
- Muffins: Use it in muffin batter.
- Scramble eggs: Throw it into scrambled eggs to add flavor and stretch the serving size.
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
This cottage cheese pancakes recipe is the best genius trick! It makes a protein packed pancake that tastes like French toast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 4-inch pancakes 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups small curd* cottage cheese
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, cottage cheese, maple syrup and vanilla (if you see very large clumps of cottage cheese, try to break them up or smash them with a fork).
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add it to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat, then add a bit of butter to coat. Scoop out ¼ cup portions of batter and cook the pancakes until golden brown on one side, adjusting the heat so it doesn’t brown too fast. Flip and cook until cooked through and no longer gooey at the edges (the batter will ooze out a bit at the sides; just keep cooking until it is fully cooked, adjusting the heat as necessary so it doesn’t brown too fast). Place the pancakes in a stack under an overturned bowl, and cook the second batch of pancakes.
- Serve immediately, topped with pure maple syrup.
Notes
*Small curd cottage cheese is important for getting the right texture where the cheese melts into the pancake. Some brands labeled as “small curd” have fairly large curds, so the size varies based on brand. Experiment and find a brand that works for you! But don’t sweat it too much: you can make this recipe with any size curds, you just may end up with an appearance with some white flecks.
I have a great way to use cottage cheese, a real favorite! Cottage cheese, tomatoes(cut into small cubes), green onions, and a little miracle whip. Salt and pepper (optional).
cottage cheese, scallion greens, salt, pepper, horseradish
Let us know if you have any questions!