Cottage cheese is one of those foods that people tend to love or hate. I have been a huge fan since first discovering its healthy diet food status back in the 1970s.
Because of its mild flavor it is a very versatile ingredient. And the health benefits of cottage cheese surpass many other cheeses.
Cottage cheese has about 14 grams of protein in a 4 ounce (½ cup) serving, is a good source of essential nutrients such as calcium, and is low in calories provided you choose a low fat or nonfat variety. Those following the Weight Watchers program will be happy to know that nonfat cottage cheese is on their Zero Points Foods List.
Can I Eat Cottage Cheese on a Low Carb Diet?
Not just for those following the WeightWatchers program, cottage cheese can be included in a low-carb diet. While it does contain some carbohydrates, it's relatively low in carbs, with around 3-6 grams of carbs per ½ cup serving. So it can be a convenient and nutritious option for low carb eaters.
50+ Favorite Easy + Healthy Ways To Enjoy Cottage Cheese
The benefits of cottage cheese go way beyond weight loss. One of the more versatile dairy products around, this healthy ingredient can be enjoyed in so many ways - on its own, with fresh fruit or salad, on toast, as a vintage Weight Watchers "Danish" and in a wide variety of both sweet and savory dishes.
Here are 50+ of my favorite ways to enjoy this classic diet food staple and one of my favorite foods...
Cottage Cheese with Fruit
A favorite way to eat cottage cheese is with fruit. It's a match made it heaven.
I love it for a high-protein breakfast and/or lunch during the summer. Just about any fruit will work - fresh, canned in fruit juice, or frozen. Delicious options include:
- Sliced bananas
- Crushed pineapple or pineapple chunks
- Fresh berries—blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or a combination
- Melon chunks or balls
- Fresh or canned peach slices
- Chunks of apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon
- Applesauce or apple butter
- Fill a halved peach or melon with cottage cheese for the ultimate "dieter's delight." It's a classic for good reason.
- Or get fancy and make this cottage cheese banana split
Check out these delicious cottage cheese breakfast bowls from Beth at Budget Bytes. Five creative ways are pictured in the following video: Apple Cinnamon, Savory Bowl, Blueberry Almond, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Tropical Bowl
Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl Video
Savory Cottage Cheese Bowls
Indulge in a Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl, comprised of:
- a scoop of cottage cheese topped with a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning (affiliate link)
- a scoop of protein-packed tuna salad
- hard-boiled egg quarters
- crunchy cucumber chunks
- grape tomatoes
- chopped pickled beets
Here are three more savory cottage cheese bowl ideas:
- Mediterranean: Start with a base of creamy cottage cheese. Top with diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (affiliate link) and a squeeze of lemon juice for a refreshing finish.
- Southwestern: Begin with cottage cheese seasoned with a little chili powder and cumin. Add black beans, corn kernels, diced avocado, and sliced jalapeños for a spicy kick. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a dollop of salsa or hot sauce.
- Caprese-Inspired: Create a classic Caprese-inspired bowl by layering cottage cheese with sliced fresh mozzarella, ripe cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil (affiliate link) for a savory-sweet finish. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper for added flavor.
More savory toppings or stir-ins for cottage cheese
These toppings and stir-ins can add flavor, texture, and variety to your cottage cheese, making it a satisfying and savory snack or meal option. Feel free to mix and match ingredients based on your preferences and dietary needs. Enjoy experimenting with different combinations!
- Chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, chives, or cilantro
- Diced tomatoes
- Sliced avocado
- Crumbled bacon or turkey bacon
- Smoked salmon
- Sautéed spinach or kale
- Diced bell peppers (red, green, yellow, or orange)
- Sliced olives (black or green)
- Grilled or roasted vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, etc.)
- Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- Thinly sliced red onion or green onions
- Cooked and crumbled sausage (pork, turkey, or chicken)
- Pickled jalapeños or banana peppers
- Grated Parmesan or crumbled feta cheese
- Capers
- Hot sauce or sriracha for a spicy kick
Cottage Cheese Smoothies
If you are not a fan of the taste of cottage cheese, you may want to try blending it into it into your favorite fruit smoothie or green smoothie recipe for a high protein breakfast in a glass. This Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie is one of my personal favorites. Here are more great easy healthy cottage cheese smoothies and shakes to consider:
- Low Fat Carrot Cake Cottage Cheese Smoothie (Simple Nourished Living)
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Protein Shake (Simple Nourished Living)
- Blueberry Peach Protein Shake (Simple Nourished Living)
- Easy Sugar Free High Protein Chocolate Smoothie (Sugar Free Mom)
- Cottage Cheese Protein Shake (Sweet as Honey)
- Mango Passionfruit Cottage Cheese Smoothie (WeightWatchers)
- Pineapple Cheesecake Protein Shake (Hungry Girl)
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Make Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Adding cottage cheese to pancake batter is a great way to boost the protein content of your breakfast without sacrificing flavor.
Cottage Cheese Muffins & Breads
Stir into muffin batter. Here are a few more recipes for cottage cheese muffins both sweet and savory:
- Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins (Love and Zest)
- Cottage Cheese Breakfast Muffins with Ham & Cheddar (Kalyn's Kitchen)
- Strawberry Cottage Cheese Muffins (WeightWatchers)
- Cottage Cheese Omelet Muffins (Slender Kitchen)
- Cottage Cheese Dill Bread without Yeast (Cookie Madness)
- CrockPot Cottage Cheese Spinach Spoon Bread (Simple Nourished Living)
- Plain & Simple Cottage Cheese Muffins (Andianne)
- Cottage Cheese Biscuits (Taste of Homemade)
Cottage Cheese Pasta
Stir cottage cheese into hot pasta. It gets warm and creamy and is especially good with lots of freshly ground pepper and maybe a little grated Parmesan. Reserve a little of your pasta water before draining it and add a splash or two if the mixture seem too thick. If the chunkiness of cottage cheese is a concern, give it a whirl in your blender (affiliate link) or food processor (affiliate link) to make it smooth before using.
Here's another delicious Simple Pasta Recipe Featuring Cottage Cheese...
Orzo with Cottage Cheese and Peas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups low fat cottage cheese, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup minced scallions or chives
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- Black pepper to taste
- ½ pound orzo (rice shaped pasta)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the orzo in plenty of boiling salted water until tender. While the orzo is cooking, place the peas in a colander (affiliate link) in a the sink.
- While the water boils and orzo cooks, in a medium-sized bowl, combine the cottage cheese, salt, scallions, lemon zest, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
- When the orzo is done, drain into the colander (affiliate link) right onto the peas.
- Shake off the excess water and dump into the bowl with the cottage cheese mixture.
- Stir gently and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Substitute for Ricotta Cheese
Use cottage cheese in place of ricotta cheese in your favorite recipe. Here are a few delicious examples:
- Lasagna recipes
- Baked Pasta with Zucchini and Cottage Cheese in Casserole Dish
- Mom's Easy Baked Ziti
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Substitute for Sour Cream
Use cottage cheese as a substitute for sour cream in all your favorite recipes. First buzz it in a blender (affiliate link) or food processor (affiliate link), You may want to add the tiniest bit of boiling water to make it make it extra creamy. Use it to make lighter healthier dips, as a topping for a potato or any place you would normally use sour cream.
Top a Baked Potato
Indulge in a comforting and nutritious treat with a cottage cheese topped potato. A fluffy baked potato generously topped with creamy cottage cheese, creates a satisfying and wholesome meal or snack. This simple yet delicious dish is perfect for a quick and easy lunch or dinner option. Here's all there is to it.
- Use a knife to cut a slit lengthwise across the top of the cooked potato, being careful not to cut all the way through.
- Use a fork to fluff the inside of the potato, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the cottage cheese generously over the top of the potato, allowing it to melt slightly from the heat of the potato.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings such as chopped chives, diced tomatoes, or crispy bacon bits.
This will work with sweet potatoes too.
You can also add a dollop of salsa like I did in this baked potato with salsa or make double stuffed baked potatoes. For an incredible quick, easy and healthy lunch or dinner, one of my favorite ways to eat cottage cheese I learned years ago from Weight Watchers.
Cottage Cheese Toast
Use cottage cheese for a vintage Weigh Watchers "danish." I love cottage cheese toast made with raisin bread, then sprinkled with cinnamon and chopped walnuts. Or make this vintage "WW Danish".
Spread it on thin slices of apple
For a low carb option skip the toast and spread your cottage cheese directly on thinly sliced apples. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or finely chopped nuts for protein packed breakfast or a healthy after school snack.
Add Cottage Cheese To Eggs
Stir in a spoonful or two to make cottage cheese scrambled eggs. It'll give you the cheesy flavor you crave with an extra dose of protein while making the eggs extra creamy. More ways to combine cottage cheese with eggs:
- Spinach and Feta Crustless Quiche
- Hearty Breakfast Casserole (Pointed Kitchen)
- Denver Omelet Bake (Skinnyish Dish)
- Three Cheese Broccoli Brunch Bake (Emily Bites)
- Skinny Sausage & Egg Breakfast Casserole (Cookin Cannuck)
- Lightened Up Copycat Starbucks Egg Bites (The Pound Dropper)
Cottage Cheese Dips and Spreads
Create a creamy cottage cheese dip by combining your favorite seasonings with it in the blender (affiliate link) or food processor (affiliate link). Lemon pepper, Mrs. Dash, Old Bay and Herbamare all work well, as do any of your favorite dried and/or fresh herbs and spices.
It's a great high protein, low fat, low carb alternative to dips made with cream cheese or sour cream. If you are not bothered by the texture of cottage cheese you can just stir your seasonings together. Here are some easy healthy cottage cheese dip recipes to inspire you:
- Everything Cottage Cheese Dip (WeightWatchers)
- Cottage Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato Dip (WeightWatchers)
- Cottage Cheese Pizza Dip (Hungry Girl)
- 2-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Ranch Dip (Recipe Diaries)
- 5-minute Cottage Cheese French Onion Dip (Lindsay Pleskot RD)
- Skinny Mexican Cottage Cheese Dip (Kim's Cravings)
- Honey Cottage Cheese Fruit Dip (Budget Bytes)
Super Simple Cottage Cheese Olive Oil Spread
Food doesn't get much faster than this. This is best with large-curd cottage cheese, those small curd cottage cheese will also work. Put some on a plate, season with sea salt and coarse freshly ground black pepper, then drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil (affiliate link) over the top. Enjoy the finished product with whole grain bread or crackers.
Cottage Cheese Salads
Cottage cheese can be used in all kinds of salad recipes. Sub it for mayo when you make tuna salad, egg salad, chicken salad, etc. Add a bunch of vegetables to create a refreshing summertime side dish. Or use it with sweeter options. Here are several light and delicious recipes for you to consider:
- Grandma's Cottage Cheese Salad (Sweet Little Bluebird)
- Easy Orange Delight Salad (Simple Nourished Living)
- Healthy Cottage Egg Cheese Salad (Goodness Avenue)
- Cottage Cheese Tuna Salad (Simply Recipes)
More Favorite Toppings and/or Stir-Ins for Cottage Cheese - Sweet & Savory
- Chopped roasted peppers, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper
- A sprinkle of za'atar or everything but the bagel seasoning blend and grated cucumber or sliced scallion
- Chopped tomatoes and cucumber, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper
- Combine cottage cheese with chopped scallions, a splash of hot sauce and salt and pepper
- Add a drizzle of honey, maple syrup, golden syrup, date syrup, agave or your favorite flavored syrup
- Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or sweetener and cocoa powder/espresso powder
- A dollop of jam and sprinkle of toasted nuts is a simple way to satisfy your sweet tooth
- Nut Butter
Cottage Cheese Ice Cream & Other Desserts
Do you love ice cream but not all the added sugar and fat found in most store-bought varieties? Have you tried easy homemade cottage cheese ice cream? It's gone viral across the internet and on TikTok. Here are some recipes for cottage cheese ice cream and other desserts:
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (Simple Nourished Living)
- 5-minute Cottage Cheesecake Cups (Simple Nourished Living)
- Whipped Cottage Cheese Dessert Cups (The Dinner Mom)
- Easiest Chocolate Pudding (WeightWatchers)
- Crustless Vanilla Cottage Cheese Cheesecake (WeightWatchers)
FAQS
Are you put off by the lumpy texture of cottage cheese?
To give your cottage cheese a creamy texture, give it a whirl in a food processor (affiliate link) or blender (affiliate link). Then it becomes a healthier alternative to sour cream with fewer calories in your favorite dip recipe or as a tasty topping for baked potatoes. This was a popular low fat alternative back in the "old days" before Greek yogurt came into vogue.
This smooth whipped cottage cheese is also delicious slathered on a bagel, or pancakes, with jam.
Wondering How Long Cottage Cheese Will Last?
Here's a helpful article outlining all kinds of facts about this fresh cheese, including how long it will last in the fridge after opening.
How Do You Make Homemade Cottage Cheese?
As a lazy cook, I've never considered making cottage cheese myself. You can find it at most any grocery story. I'm sure the fresh homemade version tastes amazing.
So if you're curious here's a Quick Cottage Cheese Recipe from Alton Brown at the Food Network.
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
More Healthy Delicious Cottage Cheese Recipes
- Cottage Cheese Waffles (SnackGirl)
- Healthy Sour Cream Substitute (TheYummyLife)
- Tuna, Cottage Cheese & Avocado Salad (RecipeDiaries)
- 25 Uses of Cottage Cheese (Devour the Blog)
- Cheesy Guacamole (The National Dairy Council)
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
Originally posted 9/17; Updated with new content, photos and videos 1/23; Updates with new content photos 2/24
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sangeeta
Cottage cheese is so healthy n it is a staple in Indian households . I make it at home n use it in many ways . Though i never tried it with sea food .
Maher Abu Zer
When you fry eggs you can put some of it, i found this the best way to eat.
Martha McKinnon
Great idea, Maher Abu Zer! Cottage cheese added to fried scrambled eggs.
Ashley
I buy Red Delicious apples and red grapes and cut them up into cottage cheese. It's so addicting
Martha McKinnon
Hi Ashley, I love this idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂
sasha
I did this at first I wasn't sold...but now for a light night time snack I can't get enouge...grape and cott age cheese is addicting 🙂
John
Try sprinkling couple tablespoons of cocoa powder and liquid honey on top of ~ 500 grams of cottage cheese and mix it up. I would have never believed something could taste so good without having much carbs and/or fats in it.
Martha McKinnon
Thanks, John. I'll definitely give it a try.
Julian
Cottage cheese and strawberries are the best, it tastes good and a great alternative for casien protien.?
Sandra
As berries are better fresh, most of the time I cut up a juicy pear on my cottage cheese. It's delicious.
Kennon Heard
Combine
5 table spoons of Cottage Cheese
3 table spoons of Heavy Whipping Cream
1 whole Banana, Cut into pieces
1 cup of your favorite cereal
Mix and enjoy
Use your imagination
Martha McKinnon
Thanks Kennon, I look forward to trying this!
Lisa Brenman
What are the freestyle smart points for the Orzo and Pea recipe? I cannot use the WW calculator because some of the nutritional information is missing. Thank you.
kathy
1 cubed apple
1 stalk celery cubed
4 TB raw almonds
1 c lofat cottage cheese
Combine for a tasty winter salad.
Martha McKinnon
Thanks for sharing this yummy winter salad with cottage cheese recipe Kathy!
Cheeznut
Mix with tomatoes or pickled beets
Cheeznut
Or chocolate protein powder and frozen raspberries
Deborah M.
Hello my name is Deborah
Try keeping a can of cold no sugar added fruit cocktail in the refrig. When you want a low fat cold dessert mix fruit cocktail with some cottage very addictive and yummy.
Cottage Cheeze
Yes! That’s my favorite
Inara
I make a Peach Parfait with Cottage cheese!
1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese
1TBSP of ground Flaxseed
1/2 Cup of chopped canned peaches in water.
Mix and then travel to heaven on the end of a spoon!
You can even make it the night before and leave it in the fridge. Just mix when ready to eat. Absolutely to die for.
Nettles
Thanks guys ! I've tried cottage cheese a few times, especially with eggs and it's yummy but I was looking for other alternatives. This will keep me eating some healthy snacks for a while longer.
RB
I know it sounds weird to some folks (and to be honest it did me to start with) but a friend was eating cottage cheese with canned tuna mixed in with salt and pepper. I said I thought it was gross and they said if you haven't tried it then don't complain. I tried it and loved it! Although I've always loved tuna and melted cheese, I never thought of cottage cheese as really being a "cheese" but it taste really good and it a great high protein lunch.
Peggy
I eat it with olives...one half cup cottage cheese, top with six olives.
Christine
I made a traditional salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, apple slices, and sliced turkey but substituted the cottage cheese for normal cheese, then drizzled olive oil and a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar. The dressings give it moisture while keeping the flavor (and calories!) light. You can add olives to give it a Mediterranean twist.
Paula H Gingrich
My 94 year old mother-in-law is on a "minced/moist" diet. I made this for her and she liked it!
Kate
May I simply say what a comfort to discover someone who actually understands what they
are discussing over the internet. You definitely
understand how to bring a problem to light and make it important.
More people must read this and understand this side of the story.
It's surprising you are not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
Jan
I believe that the Orzo with Cottage Cheese and Peas Recipe is Mollie Katzen's not Martha Stewart's
Samual Yoder
drained chunk pineapple added to cottage cheese