High Protein Cottage Cheese Recipes

Cottage cheese has been all the rage this year, and as a personal trainer striving to get more protein in my own diet, I can get behind this trend. I love how versatile cottage cheese is — you can eat it plain, mix it into eggs for breakfast, or add it to pasta sauce for a protein-packed dinner. So I’ve rounded up my favorite high protein cottage cheese recipes.

I do my best to keep nutrition simple by striving for protein and produce at every meal, and cottage cheese has been a great addition for an extra protein boost.

Half a cup of cottage cheese packs 14 grams of protein, and you can add it to just about anything. If you’re not a fan of the flavor, you can easily mask it, and if the texture isn’t your thing, just blend it in a blender or food processor to smooth it out.

**Whether you’re looking to lose weight or build muscle, you’ll see the best results if you pair a high protein meal plan with a workout plan.* (consult link below)**

To reach my goals, I typically follow a high protein meal plan that divides my protein across three meals. For example, if my goal is 130 grams of protein per day, I aim for at least 30 grams of protein per meal. And I highly suggest front-loading your day with a high protein breakfast.

Personally, I don’t count calories, but I do aim for at least 2,000 calories per day. Your needs may vary; for personalized guidance, contact me for a consult or nutrition session.* (consult link below)

Is Cottage Cheese Healthy?

Yes, cottage cheese is a great source of protein, calcium, vitamin B, and other essential nutrients. It’s also relatively low in calories and carbs—a half cup of 4% whole milk cottage cheese contains about 14 grams of protein, 100 calories, and 3 grams of carbs.

Unless you have a significant dairy intolerance, cottage cheese is a great source of protein.

What Is the Best Type Of Cottage Cheese To Use?

I prefer organic dairy products that are free from antibiotics and hormones. Some examples include Good Culture 4% fat cottage cheese. Some other great organic brands include Organic Valley and Nancy’s.

Can You Freeze Cottage Cheese?

Yes, you can freeze cottage cheese, but it’s not always the best option. Freezing causes the water to separate from the curds, creating a grainy texture once thawed—though the flavor remains intact. If you plan to eat it fresh, freezing isn’t ideal. However, frozen cottage cheese works well in cooked dishes like egg bites, lasagna or cottage cheese pancakes. For the best taste and texture, try to use it fresh within a few days.

Egg Bites Recipe

[12 grams protein]

These egg bites make a high-protein addition to your mornings. They’re great for meal prep breakfasts, pack and reheat easily, and are super quick to make a whole batch!

Servings: 12 egg bites

Ingredients

Cooking spray

8 eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

¼ teaspoon fine salt

Pinch of black pepper

Fresh chives, roughly chopped

Instructions

Mist the cups of a silicone muffin pan lightly with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
In a blender, blend together the eggs, cottage cheese, cheddar, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Divide the egg mixture into the cups of the muffin pan filling each about half full. Sprinkle with the chopped chives. You can also add any other mix-ins, such as veggies or bacon, to the cups at this stage.
Bake for 20-22 or until muffins are slightly firm to touch in the center. Remove the muffin pan from the oven. The egg bites will be puffed up but they will settle down into the cups a bit after removing from the oven. Let the egg bites cool a few minutes before removing them out of the pan to enjoy to store for later.
Store egg bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

You can eat these egg bites chilled or warm them up in the microwave for about 15 seconds.

You can use 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, sour cream, or ricotta in place of the cottage cheese.

Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats Recipe

[23 grams protein]

These blended cottage cheese overnight oats are a new way to change up your overnight oat game. Creamy, protein-packed, and perfect for a make-ahead breakfast option!

Servings: 2

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats work too

1 tablespoon chia seeds

½ cup plain Skyr yogurt (Greek yogurt works too)

1 cup cottage cheese

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients for the blended oats into a bowl. Mix to combine.
Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
The oats will be thick, eat as is or add more almond milk to make them creamier.

Option to blend all ingredients for blended overnight oats (instead of just blending the cottage cheese):

Add all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender.
Blend on high for about a minute. This will pulverize the oats and make them super creamy.
Transfer the overnight oats into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
In the morning, you can eat as-is, or add a splash of milk to thin things out a bit to your desired consistency.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes
[24 grams protein]

These cottage cheese pancakes are packed with over 20 grams of protein per serving. Plus, they're kid-approved and easy to make with only 7 simple ingredients.
Servings: 2

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup cottage cheese

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon maple syrup plus more for topping

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon almond milk optional

Instructions

Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl.
Add cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla to a blender or food processor and blend until combined and smooth. Alternatively, if you don't have a blender you can whisk your wet ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. If your batter seems too thick add in the almond milk and stir to combine again.
Heat pan or griddle to low-medium heat and spray with non-stick spray. Once hot, scoop out about a quarter cup of batter at a time and pour onto pan. You may have to use a spoon to spread the batter into a circle shape if your batter is pretty thick. You should be able to make 8 pancakes. Cook until little bubbles form and the edges of the pancakes are solid enough to put a spatula underneath, about 4-5 minutes.
Flip the pancakes and cook for 2-3 additional minutes.
For serving, place four pancakes on each plate, top with a drizzle of maple syrup and serve with fresh berries or toppings of choice.

Cottage Cheese Oatmeal

[12 grams protein]

Looking to add protein to your morning bowl of oats? Try adding cottage cheese to your oats. It makes them extra creamy and adds a huge boost of protein!

Servings: 1

Ingredients

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 banana sliced (optional)*

pinch of sea salt

1 1/4 cup water milk or a blend of both

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla optional

1/4 cup cottage cheese + more if you'd like

Instructions

Add oats, banana slices and sea salt to a pot. Add water/milk and stir to combine. Add cinnamon and vanilla, if using. Heat over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Be sure to stir the oats several times while cooking to make sure the banana slices melt into the oats. You’ll know the oatmeal is done when all the liquid is absorbed and the oats are thick and fluffy.
Remove oats from the heat and stir in cottage cheese. Start with 1/4 cup and add more if you'd like. Transfer oats to a bowl and top with your favorite oatmeal toppings. I used flaxseed, peanut butter, banana slices, almond slices and coconut flakes.

Notes

You don't have to cook the oats with a banana, but I like the sweetness it adds. Instead of the banana you could add another natural sweetener to sweeten the oats. Some options: maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar.

Cottage Cheese Scrambled Eggs

[20 grams protein]

These cottage cheese eggs are a great way to switch up your morning breakfast! They're super easy to make and result in fluffy, creamy eggs that are high in protein.

Servings: 1

Ingredients

2 large eggs

¼ cup cottage cheese

Crack of pepper to taste

Sprinkle of sea salt to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil

Fresh chives for serving

Instructions

Whisk eggs and cottage cheese together in a small mixing bowl. Add crack of pepper and sprinkle of salt.
Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, carefully pour the egg mixture into the pan.
When the edges start to set, use a rubber spatula to move the eggs towards the center of the pan, continually until the eggs have set and are no longer runny. This should take about 3-5 minutes, depending on your pan and how cooked you like your eggs.
Remove from heat and serve.

Cottage Cheese Wrap Recipe

[30 grams protein]

These cottage cheese protein wraps are the perfect vessel for all your favorite sandwich fixings.

Servings: 2

Ingredients

Cottage Cheese Wraps

2 cups 2% cottage cheese

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons dried chives

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Seasoned Greek Yogurt Spread

¼ cup 2% plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon mayo

½ tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon dried chives

¼ teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Pinch of sea salt

Wrap Fixings

4 slices deli turkey

4 slices havarti cheese

1 red bell pepper thinly sliced

1 large dill pickle cut into sticks

¼ red onion thinly sliced

1 cup arugula

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare the cottage cheese wrap by adding the cottage cheese, eggs, chives, garlic powder, and salt to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture out on the lined baking sheet and spread the mixture out evenly into a rectangular shape with a spatula. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the wrap is golden brown.
While the wrap bakes, prepare the seasoned Greek. Add all of the ingredients for the seasoned Greek to a bowl. Mix until combined and transfer it to the refrigerator to stay cold.
When the wrap is done baking, remove it from the oven, carefully transfer the parchment paper to a cutting board, and place it in the fridge to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
When the wrap is cool, cut the wrap in half widthwise and add 2 tablespoons of seasoned Greek to each half. Spread it out evenly over the wrap.
Add all of the wrap fixings to the wrap and carefully roll up each wrap.
Enjoy the wrap immediately.

Notes

Feel free to substitute the wrap fixings with your favorite deli meat, greens, and veggies.

If you are meal-prepping this recipe, we recommend waiting to assemble the wraps until you are ready to eat them.

To store the cottage cheese wraps, let them cool completely. Then, layer them flat and store with parchment paper between each wrap to ensure they don’t stick together. Store them in an airtight container.

No-Rise Protein Pizza Dough Recipe

[20 grams protein]

This no-rise protein pizza dough is the perfect base for creating delicious homemade pizzas. You can use either Skyr yogurt or blended cottage cheese which makes 20g protein / serving.

Servings: 2

Ingredients

For the Dough

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup plain Skyr yogurt Greek yogurt, or 2% blended cottage cheese

Pizza Toppings

⅓ cup pizza sauce

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

1 oz. sliced nitrate free, organic pepperoni (optional)

optional favorite veggies

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425℉. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
Place the flour, baking powder, salt, and yogurt (or blended cottage cheese) in a bowl. Using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, stir until combined. Then, using your hands, press together until a ball is formed.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Knead dough until smooth. You want the dough to feel dry, not sticky.
Add more flour to the surface and the dough ball and roll to form a thin crust. About 10 inches round or ⅛ inch thick.
Transfer the crust to the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove the parbaked crust from the oven and top with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and pepperoni.
Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the crust begins to brown on the bottom of the pizza.
Top with crushed red pepper and serve.

Notes

Nutrition information is for the pizza dough ONLY, and not the pizza toppings.

Cottage cheese vs. Greek yogurt: both are delicious! Greek yogurt comes out like classic, thin pizza dough that has crispy edges. The cottage cheese variation is chewier and puffs up a tad.

The key to perfect crust is to roll it as thin as possible. This may involve adding more flour so it doesn’t stick to the work surface or the rolling pin.

Easy One-Skillet Zucchini Lasagna

[32 grams protein]

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon fine salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil

2 medium zucchini, cut into ¼-inch round slices, then halved or quartered⁠ (4 cups)

2 cups diced mushrooms

1 cup diced yellow onion (1/2 medium onion)

4 garlic cloves, minced⁠

2 cups packed fresh spinach

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped⁠

1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce⁠

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 cup cottage cheese (full fat or 2%)

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese⁠

Fine salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnishes: Crushed red pepper flakes, additional Parmesan, and/or roughly chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions

In a deep skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until beef is no longer pink. Remove beef from skillet to a plate lined with a paper towel.⁠
Wipe out the same skillet with a paper towel and add a little olive oil. Once hot, add the zucchini, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and a dash of salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are translucent and zucchini is tender; 7-9 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and basil; sauté for another 2 minutes.
Stir in the marinara sauce, balsamic vinegar, cooked ground beef, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.
Next, dollop the cottage cheese evenly over top. Let cook on a low simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan; cover skillet and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Alternatively, you can place the skillet under the oven broiler until the cheese is melted and slightly browned; about 2 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and let set for about 10 minutes, uncovered, before serving.
Garnish with basil, additional Parmesan, and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Notes

There will be some liquid at the bottom of the skillet, depending on how much water was released from the vegetables and the thickness of the marinara sauce you used. This is normal and fine. For this reason, serve scoops of the lasagna with a slotted spoon. Or, you could remove some of the liquid with a spoon or turkey baster, if you’d like. The water does not diminish the flavor or thickness of the dish.

No Lettuce Salad

[24 grams protein]

Enjoy a refreshing No Lettuce Salad bursting with garbanzo beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and zesty seasonings. Topped with creamy cottage cheese, it's a delightful twist on traditional salads, perfect for a quick and healthy meal.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

15 oz. garbanzo beans drained and rinsed

10 oz. cherry tomatoes halved

½ small red onion minced

5-6 mini cucumbers sliced into half moons (1 large cucumber will work, too)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ teaspoon everything bagel seasoning + more to taste

2 cups 2% cottage cheese for serving

Instructions

Add the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, onion, and cucumbers to a bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle the ingredients with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice. Toss again.
Season with salt, pepper, and everything bagel seasoning and toss.
Serve the salad over ⅓ cup of cottage cheese. Season with more everything bagel seasoning, to taste.

Notes

Chopped larger tomatoes will also work for this recipe.

English or regular cucumbers will work, too.

The balsamic vinegar offers a bit of sweetness to the salad. If you use a different type of vinegar, you may need to whisk it with a few teaspoons of honey or sugar before adding it to the salad.

Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta

[38 grams protein]

This high-protein cottage cheese pasta combines ground turkey and pasta with a creamy cottage cheese marinara sauce. It comes together in less than 30 minutes for a quick weeknight meal.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

8 oz dry pasta

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion chopped

3 large garlic cloves minced

1 lb ground turkey

1 24 oz jar marinara sauce I used Rao's marinara sauce

½ cup whole milk cottage cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh basil for serving

Fresh parmesan for serving

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
While pasta is cooking add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and saute for 5-6 minutes until fragrant and a bit translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and saute 1-2 more minutes.
Add ground turkey to the skillet and cook, breaking apart meat with a spatula or wooden spoon until evenly brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
While ground turkey is cooking, add marinara sauce and cottage cheese to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Once turkey is cooked, pour the sauce over the turkey mixture, add cooked pasta and stir to combine.
Add a scoop of pasta to a bowl or plate. Top with fresh parmesan and fresh basil, for serving.

Notes

Pasta Choice: While I used rigatoni for this recipe, feel free to use any pasta shape you prefer. High-protein pasta options like chickpea or lentil pasta work well too.
Cottage Cheese: If you’re not a fan of cottage cheese, ricotta is a great alternative that will still give you that creamy texture. However, the cottage cheese adds a nice boost of protein and blends well with the marinara sauce.
Adding Veggies: Don’t hesitate to add more vegetables! Sautéed spinach, bell peppers, or mushrooms can easily be added in with the onion and garlic.
Fresh Herbs: Fresh basil is a great choice for this recipe, but other herbs like parsley, oregano, or thyme can also be used. Feel free to experiment with your favorites.