25 Uses of Cottage Cheese

By: Contributor
How to Use Cottage Cheese

I recently overcame my lifelong fear of cottage cheese. Let's face it: Cottage cheese has a bad reputation. It's a little chunky, a little soft and I've heard the it-looks-like-baby-food observation too many times not to take it into account. But if you can look past all of the excuses you’ve made up for why you won't like it and try the stuff, you will find that it's actually delicious. I'm sure you know it as a diet food staple because it's super high in protein and relatively low in calories, but it's so much more than that. I now always keep a tub in my fridge and use it in place of ricotta, sour cream or cream cheese.

Cottage cheese is created when you add acid (rennet, lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid) to milk (usually skim milk and cream). It's usually sold in either small- or large-curd form; for beginners I suggest sticking to the small curd. So channel your inner Little Miss Muffet and dig into these 25 cottage cheese-filled recipes and tips. In no particular order:

FN_FN Kitchens Creamy Spinach Baked Penne.tif

FN_FN Kitchens Creamy Spinach Baked Penne.tif

FN_FN Kitchens Creamy Spinach Baked Penne.tif

©2012, Television Food NEtwork, G.P. All Rights Reserved

2012, Television Food NEtwork, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Photo by: Marshall Troy ©2012,Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Marshall Troy, 2012,Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

  1. The best way to overcome your fear is to make your own with Alton Brown's Quick Cottage Cheese.
  2. Spread some on a cracker or a piece of toasted bread, sprinkle on a little bit of salt and pepper, then top with your favorite veggies (I usually throw on some tomatoes, too).
  3. Add extra protein to any meal with Cottage Cheese Biscuits.
  4. Guacamole With Cottage Cheese will make you a believer.
  5. You've probably heard of ricotta pancakes. Now try Lemon Cottage Cheese Pancakes.
  6. Make good use of fresh sweet corn this summer with Sweet Corn Blintzes With Cottage Cheese Filling.
  7. Diet snack and indulgence in one: Cottage Cheese Ice Cream is low carb and low fat, but high in satisfaction.
  8. Food Network Kitchens' Cheesy Spinach Baked Penne recipe cuts down on fat and calories by substituting cottage cheese for ricotta, but it makes no sacrifice on flavor.
  9. Add a spoonful while you're making scrambled eggs. It'll give you the cheesy flavor you crave with an extra dose of protein. Or try this fluffy quiche.
  10. The Neelys, Melissa d'Arabian, FNK and others all add cottage cheese to lasagna recipes.
  11. The Neelys' Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread makes use of pantry staples like corn muffin mix and frozen broccoli for this classic comfort food.
  12. Mix some cottage cheese into your red sauce next time you're making pasta for some extra creaminess.
  13. I don't even need to sell this one: Lemon Marble Cheesecake.
  14. Cooking Channel's Double Cheese Pita Pizza is a great, no-fuss midweek dinner.
  15. Paula sneaks some cottage cheese into her Cottage Potatoes — the perfect sidekick to meatloaf.
  16. Fun fact: Richard Nixon regularly ate cottage cheese with either pineapple or ketchup.
  17. In a crepe slump? Spice it up with Roti Crepes With Ri-Cottage Cheese, Roasted Apple Chutney and Pickled Radish.
  18. Add in some cottage cheese to your grits right as they're about to finish cooking for some extra richness.
  19. Sandra Lee stretches your dollar by adding cottage cheese to her Macaroni and Cheese recipe.
  20. If you're still not a fan of the texture of cottage cheese, whiz it up in a blender or food processor like this Cottage Cheese Pineapple Parfait.
  21. Surprise everyone at your next party with Lighter, Creamy White Bean Dip from FNK.
  22. Go Dutch (Pennsylvania Dutch) and spread some cottage cheese and apple butter on toast for breakfast.
  23. This Noodle Kugel utilizes a pint of cottage cheese to lighten up the sweet egg noodle custard.
  24. Aaron McCargo, Jr. removed cottage cheese from the diet food label with his Fried Lasagna Bites recipe.
  25. Going Greek never tasted so good as with this cottage-cheese-infused Spanakopita.

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Melissa dArabian is the host of Drop 5 Lbs with Good Housekeeping on Cooking Channel.

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