10 Cottage Cheese Recipes for Protein-Rich Meals

If you’ve spent any time searching for how to increase your protein intake lately, odds are some (many) cottage cheese recipes have popped up. A single serving can boast around 12 grams of protein (that’s equivalent to two eggs). But this ingredient is more than a high-protein snack or Greek yogurt alternative. The fresh, soft cheese is rich and tangy and is just as enjoyable alongside fresh fruit and honey as it is folded into sauce for a bubbling baked pasta.

I’ll be honest: It took me a while to get into cottage cheese. For years I associated it with those sad “health plates” at diners and an unpleasantly lumpy texture. But there are lots of ways to be creative with this ingredient and I’ve officially become a convert. Especially now that there are so many high-quality full-fat options available. (Low-fat cottage cheese is inherently less flavorful.)

In recipes for dips, pastas, and fritters, cottage cheese acts quite similarly to other fresh cheeses like ricotta. And if the curds hold you back, you’ve got to start blending cottage cheese, which totally transforms its texture. Start there (with a cottage cheese-thickened smoothie), then keep going by adding a scoop to other dishes. You might just find the next day you’re eating it straight from the container.

Berry Protein Smoothie

Fresh from my Good for You column. When cottage cheese is blended into a smoothie, you get all the easy-to-love rich creaminess and subtle tang (and of course the protein and fat!), but none of the lumpy texture. Who could ask for a better start to the morning? No protein powder needed here.

Cottage Cheese Lasagna

A cottage cheese pasta we can get behind. Fontina and cottage cheese work wonders in this riff on the beloved baked pasta. Lovers of classic lasagna might raise their eyebrows that ricotta and mozzarella are missing from the ingredients list, but after a bite, you’ll get it.

For the Love of Cottage Cheese Salad

We’ve all seen some version of a “health plate” at diners, with cottage cheese and raw vegetables, right? This is the well-seasoned, full-fat version. To make it an easy-breezy summer meal, add a can of chickpeas or serve alongside some rotisserie chicken.

Cottage Cheese and Blueberry Pierogies

Traditionally, sweet pierogi filling is made with farmer’s cheese, a slightly dense and lumpy fresh cheese. Cottage cheese offers a creamier and more easily supermarket-shopped option.

Cottage Cheese Caramelized Onion Dip

When my colleague Hana Asbrink first mentioned she’d be riffing on everyone’s favorite sour cream and onion dip with whipped cottage cheese, some people in the Test Kitchen were nervous. But cottage cheese is, in fact, an ideal alternative. Serve with potato chips or tortilla chips and crunchy veg (like cucumber or bell pepper) and call it dinner.

Homemade Cottage Cheese

These days, sometimes cottage cheese is so in demand that grocery stores can’t keep it in stock. For moments like that, it’s good to have a DIY option. Keep it mind it’ll take several hours to actually make cottage cheese, start to finish. Use this to make a cottage cheese breakfast bowl with some fresh fruit and maple syrup on top; or a boiled egg, sliced veggies, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Roasted Honeynut Squash With Cottage Cheese and Chili Crisp

Cottage cheese and chili crisp may not be the most obvious flavor pairing (it’s no chocolate and peanut butter, if you get what I mean), but it’s a match made in heaven. I’d dollop the creamy dairy and drizzle the spicy condiment to wake up any roasted veg, from beets to Brussels sprouts to carrots.

Cheesy Green Pea Fritters

In these savory cottage cheese pancakes, full-fat cottage cheese dissolves into the batter, making an ultra-rich and tender bite that’s still delightfully crisp. (Too much moisture and they can go unpleasantly dense or gummy.)

Easy Noodle Kugel

When it comes to kugel, are you on Team Sweet or Team Savory? Regardless of preferred flavors (or mix-ins or toppings), one thing is for sure: Cottage cheese belongs in noodle kugel. Paired with sour cream, the casserole bakes off with a delightfully bouncy texture, and hits just the right balance of tangy and rich.

Dilly Beans and Peas on Ricotta Toast

This ricotta toast can seamlessly turn into cottage cheese toast—a wonderful lunch or light dinner. Feel free to use whatever canned beans you have around.