You are either a fan of the taste of cottage cheese or you are not. I’m a huge fan and absolutely love it, and a cottage cheese bowl is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it.
I’m not sure when I started eating cottage cheese, but it wasn’t something that I ate growing up or in college. I honestly think when I started to be more diligent about how much protein I was consuming and realized how it was such an easy and great source of it, I started to add it into my diet more and more.
It is a staple for me now. I love it mixed in overnight oats, blended into smoothies, mixed with scrambled eggs, and topped on rice cakes. But these bowls are my favorite. They take about 5 mins to make, are packed with flavor (especially when produce is in season), and are an easy and filling breakfast, brunch, or snack.
What is cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese is a dairy product made from cheese curds. It has a mild flavor and creamy texture, along with some chunkiness from the curds. It comes in different fat percentages (nonfat, reduced fat, or whole milk) and also different curd sizes (usually small or large).
Cottage cheese is known for being a high protein food while still being relatively low in calories. It is also full of vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and selenium. If you are trying to add more protein to your diet, cottage cheese can be a great addition.
Why we love these cottage cheese bowls
- easy to make with minimum prep time – simply add ingredients to a bowl and enjoy!
- sweet or savory depending on how you are feeling
- customizable – easily change up the toppings to keep it interesting, or add more or less carbohydrates or fat according to your goals
- protein-packed – each bowl has at least 30 grams of protein, or more, depending on your toppings
Ingredients
Sweet cottage cheese bowl:
- cottage cheese – I like good culture 2% cottage cheese
- fresh berries – I used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries
- peanut butter
- granola
- honey
- cinnamon
Savory cottage cheese bowl:
- cottage cheese
- fresh veggies – I used diced tomatoes and cucumbers
- avocado
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- bagel seasoning
- chives
How to make a cottage cheese bowl
- Make your cottage cheese breakfast bowl. Add the cottage cheese to a bowl. If making the sweet version, add your fruit, granola, nut butter, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. If making the savory version add tomato, cucumber, avocado, olive oil, balsamic, everything but the bagel seasoning, and chives.
- Enjoy!
Is cottage cheese for breakfast healthy?
Cottage cheese is a great option for a healthy and high protein breakfast. 1 cup of 2% fat has 180 calories with 24-28 grams of protein (depending on the brand), 11 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of fat. It is also a decent amount of vitamin B2, vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus, and selenium. With an ample amount of protein and some healthy fats, it makes a satisfying and filling option.
Meal prep
These cottage cheese breakfast bowls can be made for meal prep with a few simple steps. Prep all your ingredients and then store them in separate containers or a meal prep container with dividers. When you are ready to eat, simply add your toppings and enjoy. I wouldn’t top the bowls before eating as the toppings will get soggy.
Substitutions or additions
- cottage cheese – use whatever percentage of fat you like. I used low fat cottage cheese (2%) for this recipe as I like the consistency and texture, but you can also use fat-free or full-fat. Full fat will be super creamy. If you don’t like cottage cheese, greek yogurt would be a good substitute.
- fresh fruit – any fruit will work. I love strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, bananas, and apples to name a few. You can use fresh or frozen fruit.
- peanut butter – any kind of nut or seed butter will work.
- honey – maple syrup or agave will work instead of honey.
- veggies – add whatever veggies you like. Bell peppers, roasted beets, or carrots would be good substitutions or additions.
Here are some additions to add as well:
- sweet cottage cheese bowl – nuts (almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts), seeds (sunflower, hemp seeds), cacao nibs or chocolate chips, chia seeds, or coconut flakes.
- savory cottage cheese bowl – nuts, seeds, fresh herbs, honey, or black pepper.
More high-protein breakfast recipes
- yogurt bowl
- cauliflower oatmeal
- homemade protein pancakes
- smoked salmon breakfast bowl
- coffee protein smoothie
- mango overnight oats
If you love quick and easy healthy recipes, check out our free 30-Minute Meals Recipe Book!
Cottage Cheese Bowl
ingredients
Sweet Cottage Cheese Bowl
Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl
- 1 cup cottage cheese (I used 2% fat)
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced (75 grams)
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber (60 grams)
- 1/3 cup diced avocado (35 grams)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- sprinkle of bagel seasoning
- sprinkle of freshly chopped chives
instructions
- Make your cottage cheese breakfast bowl. Add the cottage cheese to a bowl. If making the sweet version, add your fruit, granola, nut butter, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. If making the savory version add tomato, cucumber, avocado, olive oil, balsamic, everything but the bagel seasoning, and chives.
- Enjoy!
Austin says
Love the savory cottage cheese bowls! You can quickly chop up whatever veggies you have around the house on hand – protein fills you up and the balsamic vinegar and everything bagel seasoning give it a really satisfying flavor profile I would have never thought of on my own.
Kelly says
Yes, they really are so versatile! Glad you are enjoying it so much Austin, thanks for trying it!