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For a delicious new way to enjoy cottage cheese, try this cottage cheese salad recipe! With layers of herby cottage cheese and quick-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers, it’s packed with protein and flavor. It’s ready in 15 minutes and perfect for wowing a crowd!
save this recipe!In case you haven’t heard, cottage cheese is having a *moment*.
Does it have the same publicist as cauliflower? Because similar to cauliflower, protein-packed cottage cheese really flew under the radar for years until recently.
So to give you some delicious inspiration for that tub of cottage cheese in your fridge, I bring to you a quick and simple cottage cheese salad! It’s like Caprese salad but healthier (and more affordable) thanks to that tub of cottage cheese.
Reader rating
“Delicious, fast, and easy. What more could I want on a hot summers day? I added a handful of arugala because I had it in the fridge.” —Aileen
Here’s what you’ll need
This salad is all about tossing together juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumber slices, and zesty green onions. We’re adding a layer of herby cottage cheese to make it extra satisfying. Every bite is different from the next. It’s like a party on your plate, and everyone’s invited!
The main components in our veggies are:
- Cherry Tomatoes: These juicy tomatoes add a burst of sweetness and vibrant color to the salad, balancing the creamy cottage cheese. You could use any type of tomato here if needed.
- English Cucumber: The crisp and refreshing cucumber complements the other ingredients, providing a nice crunch and a touch of coolness.
- Green Onions: Green onions contribute a mild onion flavor and a hint of sharpness, enhancing the overall taste.
Those veggies will be spooned over the creamiest herby cottage cheese base!
- Cottage Cheese: The creamy cottage cheese serves as the base for the salad, providing a protein-rich and velvety texture. Look for a large curd cottage cheese – the higher the fat content the tastier it will be (but you can use a low-fat cottage cheese if that fits your dietary needs).
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice not only adds zing to the cottage cheese but also helps to lighten and enhance its flavor.
- Fresh Dill: Dill infuses the cottage cheese with a fresh and herby aroma, complementing the summer vegetables beautifully.
Why cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese isn’t just a tasty addition to your meals, it’s also a protein-packed powerhouse that can give your body a boost. Each serving of this salad has about 7 grams of protein!
Change It Up
This recipe is incredibly customizable to whatever you have in your garden or kitchen!
- Add veggies like bell pepper, beans, red onion, or olives
- Add fruit like peaches or pineapple (both of these can go well with savory ingredients!)
- Add more herbs like fresh basil, thyme, or rosemary
Sunshiney Cottage Cheese Salad (With Tomato And Cucumber)
Ingredients
Sunshiney Vegetables
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved, 340 g
- ½ English cucumber, sliced
- 4 green onions, whites and greens separated, sliced
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 15 mL
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 15 mL
- Pinch black pepper
Herby Cottage Cheese
- 1 14-oz container large curd cottage cheese, 396 g
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 15 mL
- 1 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Mix Veggies: In a large bowl gently combine halved tomatoes, sliced cucumber, just the white parts of the sliced green onions, and salt. Let sit while you prepare the rest.
- Cottage Cheese: Combine all of the Herby Cottage Cheese ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Finish Veggies: Tilt the bowl with the veggies to pour out excess juices. Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper.
- Assemble: Spoon cottage cheese mixture onto a serving platter and spread into an even layer. Spoon mixed veggies on top. Sprinkle with the green slices of the green onion. Serve fresh with crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
I actually found this recipe on your website about a month ago or so and I made it for me and my mom. WE LOVED IT.
I actually bought purple kale and served up the cottage cheese in the kale leaf and then topped it with the veggie mixture. (Looked super classy!)
I also added sunflower seeds to the top and served it with Trader Joe’s Norwegian Crispbread – which is FULL of seeds and went really well with the cottage cheese and veggie mixture.
Oh and one last thing – my mom and I thought there wasn’t near enough dill or lemon juice in the cottage cheese mix – so we amped that up!!!
Will definitely make this AGAIN!
Oh my gosh what a fun way of serving it! And I love the sunflower seed addition for a crunchy texture! Thanks so much for letting us know how it went 😀
Delicious , fast and easy. What more could I want on a hot summers day?
I added a handful of arugala because I had it in the fridge.
Arugula is great in this one! So happy you enjoyed it, Aileen! 😀
With two of us it only took 6-8 minutes and I think even one person could get it done in under 15. We took your suggestion to add peaches as they are in season. It was wonderful. I was hoping to have some left over for breakfast tomorrow but no such luck.
Yay! So happy to hear it was a hit! 😀
This is an easy to make salad. We used fresh tomatoes and peaches from the garden. Delicious!!
Hi Sarah, how long can I store this salad in the fridge? Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe 🙂
Hi, Yuting! It should be good in the fridge for about 5 days. It’ll stay fresher if you haven’t mixed the cottage cheese with the veggies yet—just combine them right before serving for the best texture and flavor!