30 Cottage Cheese Recipes Perfect For Cheese Lovers (2024)

Cottage cheese has a reputation for being “the diet cheese” or the “cheap option,” but this mild, creamy and economical ingredient is flexible in many fantastic cottage cheese recipes.

Though often served cold and paired with fruit, this dairy product is also great for cooking and baking.

In fact, this type of cheese can be just as versatile as yogurt or cream cheese.

Whether large curd or small curd or low-fat, cottage cheese lends a tangy flavor, lots of moisture, and a tender texture to dishes.

Don’t worry if you are not a fan of the stuff in its original form because you can transform it into something that you will certainly love.

To guide you, we’ve gathered 30 amazing cottage cheese recipes you can make at home.

Check out #26 if you’re craving a combination of cheese and chocolate!

And if you’ve never heard of cottage cheese before now, learn more in our FAQ!

If you are looking for a delicious breakfast that you can whip up easily, then the Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl is the recipe for you.

All you’ll need to make this filling bowl are cottage cheese, chia seeds, and flaxseed oil.

To top the whole thing off, you can add your favorite toppings like walnuts and berries.

Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl is a sweet way to start your day.

Avocado Toast with Cottage Cheese is perfect for breakfast or as a snack.

You can also add a fried egg, radishes, onions, tomato slices, and garlic for a complete meal.

This recipe is ideal for those who are always in a hurry in the morning and has no time to cook.

for breakfast or brunch.

The eggs and cottage cheese mixture combined with all tasty ingredients are baked to perfection.

This recipe is better served warm, but they are delicious cold too.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes is one of the best quick breakfasts to keep in your toolbelt.

This dish has wonderfully crisp edges and warm, soft, melt-in-your-mouth centers.

You eat it as is, or you can add strawberries and maple syrup on top.

Level up your scrambled eggs by adding cottage cheese to them.

The cheese adds an irresistibly savory flavor and fluffy texture to the eggs.

This simple, four-ingredient dish takes minutes to prepare, so you can confidently make it even in the busiest of mornings.

Cottage Cheese Alfredo is an incredibly rich and creamy pasta dish that makes a delicious dinner.

This is a fantastic twist to the traditional Italian Alfredo recipe.

Cottage Cheese Lasagna is fantastic comfort food.

It is cheesy, garlic-y, and full of classic lasagna ingredients.

The addition of cottage cheese makes the filling smoother and creamier.

Blueberry Cottage Cheese Oats is an excellent breakfast you can prepare the night before.

Made with milk, oats, and cottage cheese, this dish is placed in the fridge overnight, and you can add any toppings before eating.

From honey and blueberries to pumpkin seeds and bananas, you can jazz it up however you like.

Cottage Cheese Tacos are scrumptious and filling.

It is chock-full of crunchy vegetables, cottage cheese, corn, and flavorful green sauce.

This dish makes an incredible snack with the best of everything, from the taste, texture, and aroma.

This delicious Cottage Cheese Sandwich is great for lunch or as a snack.

A pile of cottage cheese, tomato slices, and avocado are placed between two toasted bread.

Best paired with a hot cup of coffee, this recipe may be simple, but you will certainly love the fresh, garden vegetable taste.

Although cottage cheese does not have the same smoothness as yogurt, it still works well in a parfait.

Cottage Cheese Granola Parfait is a unique recipe that makes a filling yet light breakfast.

Once you mix in the granola, you won’t notice the lumpiness of the cottage cheese, and all the sweetness from the berries such as kiwis, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries helps offset its mildness.

Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese is made with pasta, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, cottage cheese, basil, and sausage.

It is baked with a creamy sauce that you won’t get enough of.

Perfect for dinner or served during special occasions, you can make this dish by removing the meat if you’re a vegetarian.

Cottage Cheese Stuffed Shells are gooey, cheesy, and full of tomato sauce.

Ideal for cheese and pasta lovers, not only does this dish have whipped cottage cheese in the filling, but it also has mozzarella and parmesan.

The added garlic, basil, marinara, and parsley create an enticing aroma and luscious taste.

The thought of cottage cheese in a summer tomato salad may be unusual, but it is definitely worth trying.

Cottage Cheese Salad is full of different vegetables and fruits, and cottage cheese blends well with the overall taste of the other ingredients.

Toss everything together in a bowl, marinate it with vinaigrette, and you have one tasty appetizer.

Another incredible salad on our list, the Cottage Cheese Salad with Za’atar is filled with Middle Eastern flavors.

Za’atar is a herb mix made with thyme, powdered Sumac, salt, and sesame seeds.

Add the herb with cottage cheese, thinly sliced onions, cucumbers, and olives, you can serve this dish as an appetizer or snack.

What makes this recipe great is that it only requires a few ingredients.

Apple and Cottage Cheese Muffins are tender and irresistible, thanks to the cottage cheese mixed in, giving them an enjoyable, creamy taste.

You can even use this recipe as a base for other types of muffin flavors.

The Cottage Cheese and Roasted Tomato Topped Potato recipe speak for itself.

It is a baked russet potato topped with roasted cherry tomatoes, cottage cheese, and fresh chives.

This recipe makes for an easy, weeknight side dish or light dinner.

This Cinnamon Breakfast Bowl is a sweet and filling breakfast option with walnuts and paneer.

The cinnamon balances the cottage cheese’s salty taste.

You can serve this breakfast bowl with a glass of fresh juice.

Mac and Cheese is one of the most famous pasta recipes and is a favorite of many.

It is even more satisfying when you skip the boxed version and prepare it from scratch.

Perfect for a busy weeknight, the Macaroni and Cottage Cheese Casserole is an interesting twist to this recipe, and it turns it into a tasty, creamy dish.

The Cheesy Baked Spinach Casserole is for spinach lovers out there.

This is a dump-stir-and-bake dish packed with cottage cheese, spinach, cheddar cheese, and nutmeg.

You can prepare it as a side dish for just about any meal.

Nothing is more delectable than a cheesy baked pasta dish, and the Cheesy Baked Rotini only takes a couple of ingredients to make.

Ideal for vegetarians, you can bake this dish any night of the week with minimum fuss.

If you find tuna salads too bland for your taste, you can amp it up by using cottage cheese instead of mayonnaise.

Sprinkle it through the fragments of red onion, celery, pickles, and capers, and serve it on a slice of hearty, crusty bread, and you got yourself an incredible, flavorful sandwich that you can eat for lunch.

Cottage Cheese Waffles are not only filling but also very tasty on their own without any toppings.

This is thanks to its wonder and savory batter.

Cottage Cheese Waffles can be eaten plain for breakfast or as a snack, but if you want to add more flavors, you can add maple syrup, butter, whipped cream, or fruits.

Cottage Cheese Tomato Pasta is made with rich and creamy tomato sauce with a hint of cheesy flavor.

This pasta dish is anything but bland, with pops of flavor from garlic, basil, onion, balsamic vinegar, cottage cheese, and red pepper flakes.

Whether it is a cool winter’s day or a warm summer one, Cottage Cheese Tomato Pasta is a perfect comfort food meal.

Broccoli often gets a bad rap, especially among children.

But with this cheese bake recipe, everyone will certainly be a fan.

Italian Broccoli Cheese Bake is a fantastic side dish and is also ideal for vegetarians.

This version of the iconic Chocolate Mousse has the creaminess of the cottage cheese, enhanced by the richness of the almond butter, and matched with the depth of cacao powder.

This dessert is irresistible, especially if you top it with some fresh fruit and drizzle on some almond butter or chocolate syrup.

The Strawberry Parfait with Cottage Cheese is a savory parfait recipe that combines fresh fruits, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and crunch whole wheat cereal for a satisfying breakfast or snack.

You can add your twist by adding whipped cream or syrup to give it a sweet flavor.

Whipped Cottage Cheese Dessert Cups are simple, satisfying, and perfect for anyone who loves cheesecake.

Best enjoyed after dinner, you can add chia seeds on top and savor each bite.

Crepes are some of my favorite foods, for breakfast or anytime.

Cottage Cheese Crepes are fluffy and tasty and make for an incredible breakfast.

The saltiness of the cottage cheese matches the sweetness of whole milk.

You can add bananas or berries on top to complete the dish.

Cottage Cheese Cheesecake is a very creamy, velvety smooth cheesecake recipe with sweet strawberry swirls.

It sits on a crunchy crust and is topped with fruits cooled overnight.

This is great for those looking for a gluten-free and grain-free recipe.

The bottom line

The best and most interesting way to enjoy cottage cheese is by adding it to your favorite meals.

From fluffy pancakes, lasagna, and pasta, to tasty breakfast bowls, salads, and desserts, you will be surprised at some of the things you can use with this simple ingredient.

Want even more cottage cheese recipes that aren’t sweet?

Look up our Savory Cottage Cheese Recipes here.