What's So Great About Cottage Cheese?

August 22, 2024

You’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover or a leopard by its spots—but you can absolutely judge cottage cheese by its curds. That’s what I’ve always done, wrinkling my nose in disgust at the mere idea of digging into that lumpy stuff. I never once tried it; I didn’t need to. The curds spoke for themselves.

Recently, however, I started focusing on increasing my protein intake—I don't eat meat, which slightly narrows the field of options. Around the same time, I was hit with a deluge of TikTok videos touting cottage cheese as a protein-packed superfood that could be eaten as-is or turned into something I actually like, such as ice cream or a flatbread. The hype extended into real life, too: Multiple people suggested I try cottage cheese, and seemed appalled that I had written it off based on little more than an instinctive feeling.

That’s how I ended up, one recent morning, with my fork paralyzed inches above a cup of cottage cheese mixed with pineapple, repeating to myself: “There’s cheese in its name. There’s cheese in its name.” Maybe it would remind me of my beloved mozzarella balls or cheddar cubes. After steeling myself enough to take a bite, I was surprised to discover a rather neutral taste. I’m still working on getting past the texture, but I can recognize promise when I see it.

I asked a few cottage cheese connoisseurs what makes the curdled milk product so special and for some non-intuitive ways to prepare it.

Why cottage cheese made a comeback

Abbey Sharp, a Toronto-based registered dietitian, considers herself an OG cottage cheese fan: She loved it long before it came back in vogue, elevated to TikTok-famous status. “If you think back to 90s diet culture, it was such a staple,” she says. “Then it was taken over by the explosion of the yogurt aisle—Greek yogurt became the big protein source and healthy snack.” When she noticed chatter around cottage cheese beginning to rise again, “I was like, ‘Guys, I've been saying this for so long.’ Nobody was listening to me, and finally everyone was like, ‘We can do so much with this.’”

The way Sharp talks, she should be on Big Cottage Cheese’s payroll. “It’s like Greek yogurt and buffalo mozzarella had a baby,” she says. Expect a slightly salty, mostly neutral taste, without yogurt’s tanginess. Plus, it’s really healthy. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains 180 calories, 24 grams of protein (which is 48% of your daily allotment), and 23% of your daily calcium. (A container of Greek yogurt, meanwhile, has 16 grams of protein, while one scrambled egg contains 6 grams.)

Cottage cheese starts off as a fermented milk product, and the whey protein in it is removed during processing, Sharp explains, so the final dish consists mostly of casein protein. That’s a slowly digested type of protein that provides you with all the essential amino acids you need (a hard box to tick without meat), reduces muscle breakdown and soreness, and promotes muscle growth when consumed after a workout. “It's like every bodybuilder's bedtime snack, because it keeps you full overnight and rebuilds muscle tissue,” she says.

Still not convinced? Research suggests adding more protein to your diet benefits bone health, boosts metabolism, lowers blood pressure, reduces the desire to snack, and helps people maintain weight loss. Plus, the calcium in it helps build and maintain healthy bones and teeth, and cottage cheese contains significant amounts of other micronutrients as well.

How to select your cottage cheese

Curds form when you coagulate milk, which means adding acid to it. Doing so triggers milk protein to clump together, forming solid masses. Even Sharp acknowledges their lack of appeal. “They’re a little off-putting to look at,” she says.

So, large curd or small curd? The former tends to be creamier and sweeter than other types and is easy to spoon on top of a baked potato. Small curds, meanwhile, are tangier and saltier, making them a great choice for dipping or using in place of sour cream or yogurt. You can also buy whipped cottage cheese—or whip it yourself in a food processor—which is ideal for my fellow hold-outs who are finicky about texture. The whipped version is smooth and creamy, no curds detected. “It’s like ricotta at that point,” Sharp says, perfect for spreading on a piece of toast topped with a drizzle of olive oil.

It’s a good idea to pay attention to fat content when you’re selecting cottage cheese, too. It usually comes in a variety of milkfat concentrations, including 0%, 1%, 2%, and 4%, says Cassandra Burke, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Catalyst Performance Lab in Finksburg, Md. “Full-fat cottage cheese—typically 4% milkfat—has a creamier texture and pairs well with fresh fruits and granola for a mid-afternoon parfait snack,” Burke says. Low-fat or non-fat options, meanwhile, “can be used in place of ricotta cheese in lasagnas and casseroles.” If you’re concerned about calories, opt for types that are low in fat; it’s also best to skip products with added sugars and to keep an eye on sodium content, which can be high.

The most delicious ways to prepare cottage cheese

By now, you might have realized that cottage cheese is celebrated for its convenience and versatility. It works well in sweet and savory recipes, and everything in between. Here’s a look at some of the most exciting ways to prepare it.

Cottage cheese ice cream

Your skepticism is warranted: Ice cream? Out of that? Yet all you need is two ingredients to make this protein-packed treat, says Yumna Jawad, who’s been behind many viral TikTok cottage cheese trends and wrote The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook. “You can blend together cottage cheese and any kind of fruit you want, and then freeze it for a few hours, and you basically have a creamy sorbet,” she says. “It’s cold and satisfying and looks like ice cream, and it has this way of satisfying the cravings on so many levels.” I took mine out of the freezer to stir at the 30-minute mark, as instructed—but took a bite and accidentally polished off the majority of it. It’s not Ben & Jerry’s, but Jawad isn’t kidding about its cool (and healthy) appeal.

Cottage cheese pancakes

Level up your morning pancakes by adding cottage cheese to the batter—it makes for a rich, “really fluffy” treat, Jawad says. She recommends using small curds, which help create a smoother texture and more pleasant feeling as you chew, and prefers whole milk over low-fat for this recipe. The pancakes are a tasty way to squeeze in an early protein fix and make sure you’re energized all morning, she says—and her kids have yet to discover there’s cottage cheese in their breakfast.

Egg bites

Burke loves coffeeshop egg bites, so she decided to replicate them at home—no sous vide machine necessary. Blend eight eggs and one cup of cottage cheese together as the base, she advises, and then pour it into a muffin tin and add your favorite veggies (or even bacon). Bake it in a pan of hot water—also known as “a water bath”—at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, and then dig in. You can store your bites in the fridge for up to a week, Burke says.

Overnight oats

Overnight oats tend to be a carb-heavy dish—but adding cottage cheese turns them into a protein punch. Toss in some chia seeds, peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon, and you’ll have at least 20 grams of protein. “It makes it so creamy,” Jawad says. “You feel like you’re having regular overnight oats, but with so much more added protein.”

Dips galore

You can recreate any of your favorite dips with cottage cheese, according to Sharp—instantly cutting calories and adding a protein boost. “It could be a French onion dip with puréed cottage cheese, or a sweet dip with some melted chocolate or honey,” she says. She also enjoys adding cottage cheese to hummus and guacamole. “It doesn't really have much flavor,” Sharp points out, “so you can add it to anything.”

Cottage cheese flatbread

One of Jawad’s viral recipes involves blending together cottage cheese, raw eggs, and spices, and then baking the mixture in the oven to create a high-protein flatbread. “It forms this really sturdy structure, because the eggs bind it together,” she says. “You can put whatever you want in it, and all of a sudden it’s this incredibly delicious, high-protein wrap.” Jawad likes adding garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano, or perhaps a little paprika, and then filling it with smoked salmon, cream cheese, lettuce, everything seasoning, and lemon slices. It makes a tasty, easy lunch or snack.

High-protein creamy tomato pasta

Instead of adding heavy cream to your pasta, sub in its healthier cousin, cottage cheese. Blend it with marinara sauce, butter, crushed red pepper, and freshly grated parmesan cheese, Jawad advises, and then pour it over your cooked pasta. “Nobody will know it’s cottage cheese,” she says. “It tastes like really creamy, buttery pasta sauce, but you’re making something that has 14 grams of protein per serving and that's pretty low in calories.” As a pasta lover, I’m sold.

Cottage cheese smoothie

Really? Drinking cottage cheese? “It sounds gross if you think about it,” Jawad acknowledges, “because you’re just thinking of, like, a cheese smoothie.” Tell yourself you’re simply adding cream, she advises. (This is, indeed, a helpful reframe.) Toss in all your favorite accoutrements, like strawberries, bananas, and mango chunks, plus some water, and then get blending. “It’s such a good snack,” she says.

Jawad is now experimenting with a cottage cheese cookie recipe, and she hopes to soon perfect cottage cheese bread. Who knows what other creations might follow? “I’m so happy that cottage cheese is having a moment,” she says. “You can literally do anything with it. The sky's the limit.”

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