Cottage cheese is something of an acquired taste. Some people love the soft, wet cheese for its super healthy profile (fairly low in calories, high in protein and other nutrients). Others dislike what they perceive as a soppy, lumpy texture and tangy taste that’s not quite cheese and not quite yogurt. To say it’s a polarizing ingredient is not an understatement.
But if you have it, you should use it, right? So we are going to share a number of ways to use cottage cheese that deviate from the usual scooping with a spoon (assuming that’s not your jam). Cottage cheese happens to be incredibly versatile and a great substitute for various other dairy products. These are just a few of the many things you can do with it.
Use It in Place of Cream Cheese
This might seem like a surprising swap, given that one dairy product is soft and wet, more like yogurt, and the other is firm and creamy, more like butter. But it is possible—and delicious.
Drain the cottage cheese to get rid of the excess moisture (also known as whey). Put it in a sieve and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, if you're using it in a dip, sauce, frosting, or other non-baked recipe, give it a whirl in the blender, food processor, or immersion blender to make it smooth and creamy. Add whatever flavorful ingredients the recipe calls for, and enjoy.
If you use cottage cheese to replace cream cheese in baking, you will have to increase its fat content. Drain as described above, blend briefly, then put it in cheesecloth or a clean dish towel to squeeze out even more moisture. After that, add an equal amount of heavy cream to the drained and blended cottage cheese. That added fat will help your finished cheesecake or other baked item to taste rich and creamy, rather than crumbly.
Use It to Fluff Up Pancakes
Adding cottage cheese to pancake batter may sound counterintuitive, but it turns out beautifully. The batter needs less flour and relies more on eggs and cottage cheese to fill it out. The result is a protein-rich pancake that will keep you full for longer than just a flour-based one.
Look for small curd cottage cheese to avoid any large lumps while eating (they won’t taste bad, just might feel out of place). If you can’t find it, mash up regular cottage cheese with a fork. Once cooked, add jam, maple syrup, Nutella, or other sweet toppings.
Add It to Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are delicious with grated cheese, but cottage cheese? It happens to work beautifully, with the cottage cheese adding a tangy, savory flavor to the eggs. Cottage cheese will melt somewhat when heated, though not entirely, and the curds will become incorporated into the eggs, adding a rich and creamy consistency.
Cottage cheese boosts the protein content and lets you stretch the number of servings without having to use more eggs. Commenters approve of this method, saying, “The recipe made the best scrambled ever. Fluffy, no dryness. Amazing way to add some calcium to our diets as well.”
One of the most common ways to eat cottage cheese is by topping it with fresh fruit, like strawberries, blueberries, or kiwi. Topped with salt and pepper. If you're a cottage cheese purist, a bit of salt and pepper is all you need to add a savory touch. Mixed with honey.
One of the most common ways to eat cottage cheese is by topping it with fresh fruit, like strawberries, blueberries, or kiwi. Topped with salt and pepper. If you're a cottage cheese purist, a bit of salt and pepper is all you need to add a savory touch. Mixed with honey.
For a sweet blended cottage cheese dessert, and in your favorite fruit and a drizzle of honey. Peaches, strawberries, and blueberries are a family favorite. You can even add in protein powder and chocolate chips for a high protein dessert. Add in some chia seeds or hemp seeds for even more nutrients.
Enjoy it by itself. Simply spoon some cottage cheese into a bowl and dig in. If you find the flavor lacking, season it lightly with a dash of sea salt and cracked black pepper. It's also common for people to enjoy their cottage cheese with crackers or other crispy items, which can add extra dimension to the texture.
The cheese's texture lends itself well to simple toppings, like a drizzle of olive oil, but textural pops like crunchy chips and juicy tomatoes work well as a fun change if you feel like you're stuck in a CC rut. Other mix-in ideas from our readers included crumbled bacon, Kalamata olives, and salsa.
Give cottage cheese a drizzle of your best olive oil, flaky sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Caprese: Dice fresh tomatoes and chop basil, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic reduction, and add a dash of salt and pepper to make a "caprese" cottage cheese salad.
Spread cottage cheese onto crackers. For a sweet tartine, top with plums or figs and a drizzle of honey. For a savory tartine, top with sprouts or radishes and lemon zest; finish with salt, pepper, and oil.
If you have a tub in the fridge, there are many ways to enjoy it beyond plain or with fruit (though we like it that way, too). So whether you're in the mood for pancakes, veggies with dip, or even lasagna, there's a cottage cheese recipe for you.
So far, these two high-protein snacks are neck in neck when considering protein, calcium and calories. But one clear distinction steers the choice: Cottage cheese can be loaded with sodium. Just 1 cup of cottage cheese can deliver 8 to 9 times the sodium found in Greek yogurt.
Fruit always seems to come to mind whenever I'm thinking of what to eat with cottage cheese. Another way to get that sweet, fruity tang into a scoop of cottage cheese is to stir in a little bit of jam.
He said that while most cheese, including cottage cheese, contains nutrients such as vitamins and calcium, it can also have high levels of sodium and fat, so he recommends eating it in moderation.
It turns out consuming 30 grams of protein 30 minutes before bed—the amount in a little more than a cup of cottage cheese—was linked to stronger muscles, a quicker metabolism and better overall health in a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
The calcium in cottage cheese can help strengthen your bones
Reading the label of a well known cottage cheese brand, a half-cup serving yields 10% of your calcium needs for the day. Double that to a full cup, and you're doing your bones some good.
Cottage cheese is low in calories while providing protein and vital nutrients, Zumpano says, making it one of the healthiest cheeses you can eat. It's made by curdling pasteurized (sterilized) cow's milk — when milk turns acidic, the milk protein separates and forms curds (clumps).
To make up for this fat deficit, mix one cup of heavy cream with one cup of strained cottage cheese to replicate the richness of one cup of cream cheese. Half and half will also work in a pinch, but heavy cream should be your go-to.
Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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