There are moments in the kitchen where a cottage cheese substitute is necessary, and fortunately, there are plenty of options to choose from that won’t mess up your meal.
Cottage Cheese Substitute
The best cottage cheese substitutes are plain unsweetened yogurt, part-skim ricotta cheese, egg whites, mashed tofu, lean meat, and reduced-fat hard cheese, among others.
Yogurt
There are quite a few substances that deliver the sour, fermented taste of cottage cheese, such as yogurt, sour cream or fromage blanc. In some cases, you can even use mayonnaise to replace cottage cheese. Be sure to eliminate any vinegar or lemon from the recipe when using sour cream or yogurt, since they will already be more astringent than cottage cheese. [1]
Part-skim Ricotta Cheese
In terms of texture and nutrient content, ricotta cheese does have a higher fat content, but it can easily pass for cottage cheese in most recipes. That being said, if you are trying to maintain a healthy diet or cut down on fat intake, ricotta cheese shouldn’t be used. [2]
Make your dish scrumptious with cottage cheese. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Egg Whites
When it comes to protein, egg whites are quite similar to cottage cheese, making an ideal substitute, if you are eating cottage cheese purely for its nutritional value. Many of the uses of cottage cheese in breakfast recipes can easily be replaced with egg whites. [3]
Mashed Tofu
Due to their similar protein content, some people use tofu squares in place of cottage cheese. If you mash up tofu, it will also take on a similar consistency to cottage cheese, depending on how you plan to use it. You may want mild-flavored, semi-firm tofu cakes for this. [4]
Reduced-fat Hard Cheese
There are far fewer calories in hard cheese than in cottage cheese, albeit a lower concentration of protein. As a topping for breakfast sandwiches or toast, using reduced-fat cheese is certainly the healthier option as a cottage cheese substitute.
Whenever you run out of cottage cheese, fish and chicken breast are two things you could use as substitutes. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Poultry
Many people seek out cottage cheese for its protein content, but basic chicken breasts are also a simple and easy way to boost your protein levels throughout the day and are more versatile in your meals.
Lean Meat
A turkey sandwich will deliver as much protein as a cottage cheese and fruit bowl, so if you don’t have any cottage cheese handy, lean meats like turkey make for a great replacement. [5]
Fish
Tuna, salmon, or other easy-to-eat fish can provide plenty of protein in any meal of the day. Making a tuna salad sandwich or having a salmon filet is a great option if you’ve run out of protein-dense cottage cheese.
