Okay, confession time: I’m officially on a cottage cheese frenzy. It started with TikTok bombarding me with all things cottage cheese, and now I can’t escape it! But you know what? I’m not even mad about it. As a personal trainer and nutrition coach, I’m always saving anything I see that has to do with clean protein; this cottage cheese queso trend has me doing a happy dance in my kitchen. I love it when a recipe is tasty, healthy, and easy to make. That’s 3 ticks for me.
Remember when we used to dread cottage cheese cause we just didn’t know what to do with it to actually make it enjoyable? I don’t know about you, but I think cottage cheese is okay, but it’s quite bland, really. Now, I realize that’s the beauty of it; it’s so basic that it can be an amazing healthy base for just about anything. It’s a bit like tofu, I guess.
Why This Cottage Cheese Queso is Going to be your new BFF
Let’s be real – we all love a good cheesy dip. But as someone who’s always trying to balance taste with nutrition, traditional queso often leaves me feeling a bit guilty. Can you relate?
Here’s what I love about this cottage cheese queso recipe, and I think you wil,l too:
- It’s very easy to make and can be made in the microwave or on the stovetop (only a couple of minutes)
- It’s loaded with protein that can be great for vegetarians; cottage cheese contains between 11-14 grams of protein per 100 grams
- It’s low in calories and carbs, fantastic if you are watching your diet or want keto or low-carb snack
- It’s very versatile, you can add just about anything to it, ground turkey, crispy turkey bacon bits, jalapenos, cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, and various herbs and spices.
- It’s an easily accessible and relatively affordable source of protein. It really is a very simple ingredient.
Easy High-Protein Snack or a Whole Meal
This isn’t just any dip, it can be converted to a complete meal by adding something hearty and more filling like ground turkey or beef and even chopped bell peppers and tomatoes. So you can bulk it up and make it a creamy meal in a bowl.
I have re-created a whole bunch of popular cottage cheese-based recipes that are savory and sweet. I’ll list them all below if you want to check them out. But for now, let’s dip into this queso. 😋
Three Ways to Rock Your Cottage Cheese Queso World
I’ve got not one, not two, but three delicious ways to make this cottage cheese queso. Whether you’re a purist, a meat lover, or a spice fiend, there’s a version here that’ll make your taste buds do a little jig.
Recipe 1: The Basic 3 ingredient Virgal TikTok Cottage Cheese Queso
This is the one that started it all – simple, quick, and oh-so-cheesy.
Serves 2 people.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
Instructions:
- Blend cottage cheese until smooth in a food processor.
- Mix in shredded cheese and taco seasoning.
- Microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melty and perfect.
Recipe 2: Cottage Cheese Queso with Ground Turkey
For when you want your queso to double as a mini meal.
Serves 4 people.
Ingredients:
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
3 teaspoons taco seasoning
1/2 pound ground turkey (you can also use lean ground beef)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cook ground turkey in olive oil with salt and pepper until it’s nicely browned and cooked through.
- Blend cottage cheese until smooth, then mix with shredded cheese and taco seasoning.
- Stir in the cooked turkey.
- Microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until hot and bubbly.
Recipe 3: Spicy Cottage Cheese Queso with Jalapenos and Cilantro
For those who like their queso with a kick.
Serves 2 people.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
1-2 jalapeños, finely chopped (adjust to your spice tolerance). You can also use pickled jalapenos.
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Optional: 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
Instructions:
- Blend cottage cheese until smooth, then mix with shredded cheese and taco seasoning.
- Stir in chopped jalapeños and cilantro.
- Microwave for 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds until cheese is melted.
- Top with diced tomatoes if you’re feeling fancy.
Why This Queso is Your New Healthy Bestie
All these versions are gluten-free, have no added sugar, and are low in fat but high in protein. It’s like the holy grail of dips for the health-conscious snacker. Plus, it’s keto-friendly, so you can indulge without the carb guilt.
So, give this cottage cheese queso a whirl next time you crave something cheesy and delicious.
Don’t forget to comment below and let me know which option you will try first.
And here is the promised list of other delicious cottage cheese recipes I discovered recently and got a little creative.
Cottage Cheese Pizza Bowl – a delicious way to enjoy cottage cheese as a base with pizza-style toppings.
Cottage Cheese Wrap – a low-carb cottage cheese flatbread.
Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough – easy high protein, low carb cookie dough that you can just whip up and eat straight away.
Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse – this is when your sweet tooth is calling, but you can’t be bothered spending more than 5 minutes in the kitchen.
Cottage Cheese Cheesecake – a little more effort, but totally worth it. Gluten-free, surprise your guests with this delight, but don’t tell them it’s healthy. They won’t even know.
