Looking for cottage cheese recipes for every day? Did you know that cottage cheese is a surprisingly excellent source of protein. Check out the recipes below and let me know if you try any. I have many that I’d love to try.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- What exactly is cottage cheese?
- How much protein is in cottage cheese?
- Other health benefits of cottage cheese
- Recipes
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Conclusion
I have to admit, cottage cheese isn’t the most appealing looking or sounding ingredient out there. It’s quite tasteless as well. It’s what you can do with it that is surprisingly good. I’d love to share just hot good cottage cheese is for you plus exactly what it can be made into that is both healthy and delicious.
What exactly is cottage cheese?
Before I explain just how good cottage cheese is, I want you to know exactly what it is.
You’ve heard of Little Miss Muffet right? Who sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey? Cottage cheese is another name for curds and whey? You may have seen a lot of protein powders on the market that contain whey or casein protein?
When acid (eg lactic acid, vinegar, lemon juice etc) is added to milk and heated, it curdles and the milk solids (curd) separate from the liquid (whey). This is then strained and you’re left with a cheese like product called cottage cheese. The curds are dressed in a cream like product and packaged for our use.
Although relatively low in fat, cottage cheese is usually sold in normal and low fat options. Some companies are even producing a high protein option even though there is a good amount of protein in a 100gm serve.
It is also similar to:
- Faisselle, a French cheese, similar to cottage cheese
- Fromage blanc, a soft French cheese
- Mascarpone, an Italian cheese made from cream, coagulated with citric acid or acetic acid
- Chhena, an Indian cheese, similar to cottage cheese
- Paneer, another Indian cheese similar to Chhena
- Quark, a curd and cheese
- Queso fresco, a Spanish and Latin American soft cheese
- Ricotta, an Italian whey cheese
So if you see recipes that call for any of the above, cottage cheese can be a good substitute.
How much protein is in cottage cheese?
Depending on the type of cottage cheese you buy, will depend on how much protein is in cottage cheese. With new high protein versions of cottage cheese being produced, it’s easy to get confused on just how much is in a 100gm serve.
Here’s a breakdown of the nutrients in a 100gm serve of cottage cheese.
| Nutrients (100g) | Full Fat | Low Fat | High Protein |
| Calories | 98 | 81 | 85 |
| Protein | 11g | 12g | 12.4g |
| Fat | 4.3g | 1.2g | 2.2g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.7g | 0.7g | 1.5g |
| Cholesterol | 17mg | 4.5mg | |
| Sodium | 364mg | 459mg | 300mg |
| Potassium | 104mg | 97mg | |
| Carbohydrates | 3.4g | 3.1g | 6.1g |
As you can see from the information above, it really does pay to read labels. Although all three products are relatively low in calories, the low fat version is much higher in sodium and the high protein product is high in carbohydrates (sugars).
You’ll find a lot of varieties at the supermarket including 4%, 2%, lactose free, sodium free, fat free etc etc.
Other health benefits of cottage cheese
Besides the high protein content in cottage cheese, it also contains many other nutrients for your health such as B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and selenium..
Besides being high in protein, which will help keep you feeling full for longer, it is low in fat so a great ingredient to eat as is or used in the recipes I’ll share in this post. That makes it an excellent ingredient for anyone who’d like to lose a few pounds or build muscle.
It has been linked to increase bone health and it has high quantities of the mineral selenium which has been known to increase antioxidant protection in the blood.
You can easily make cottage cheese at home too. Check out this simple recipe.
Recipes
I’ve chosen recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts and other. I hope there’s something in this round up that you try and grow to like. You can interchange any of these recipes so where I’ve showed it under Lunch, it could quite easily be served for Breakfast or Dinner.
Don’t forget to substitute cottage cheese in any recipe where it calls for cream cheese, ricotta, mascarpone (refer to the other terms above) to create healthier, higher protein, lower fat dishes.
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snacks, Desserts & Other
Conclusion
For a healthy, high protein, low fat option, you can’t afford not to give cottage cheese a try. Yes, it may be bland on a cracker with tomato but even adding chopped herbs and seasonings will give it a kick. Don’t forget to substitute cottage cheese in your recipes that call for ricotta, cream cheese, mascarpone etc. Your old favourite recipes might just become your new healthier versions.
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