My dairy-free cottage cheese recipe is made with 4 ingredients and tastes JUST like cottage cheese! It’s a simple recipe with over 15 grams of protein!
Need more dairy-free breakfast recipes? Try my vegan cinnamon rolls, oatmeal waffles, and healthy oatmeal pancakes next.
I have plenty of dairy-free family members, so I’m always testing out new dairy-free recipes for my favorite most-used staples.
There are lactose-free and vegan substitutes and for basically everything under the sun–except cottage cheese. So I figured out how to make it from scratch. Honestly, I’m sorry it took me this long!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- No fancy kitchen gadgets needed. You can use a blender if you want, but I just use a bowl and a fork.
- It takes seconds to make. Add everything to a bowl and mash it with a fork. That’s literally all there is to it.
- It’ll fool everyone. I blind-tasted my friends with this recipe along with regular cottage cheese and let me tell you, there was a heated debate on which was which!
- It’s super healthy. It has more protein than regular cottage cheese, and it’s naturally gluten-free and oil-free.
Ingredients needed
- Firm tofu. I tested multiple kinds of tofu, but I preferred the texture of firm and extra firm tofu. After all, you can keep mashing or blending it to make the curds smaller, but you can’t add texture to silken tofu.
- Dairy-free yogurt. For tang and creaminess. I used unsweetened coconut yogurt.
- Lemon juice. For acidity. Apple cider vinegar can also be used.
- Salt. Gives it that subtle salty flavor of real cottage cheese.
How to make dairy free cottage cheese
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Mash the tofu. In a medium bowl, add the tofu and crumble using a fork.
Step 2- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, and salt, and stir until the desired texture is achieved.
Arman’s recipe tips
- For a smooth cottage cheese, blend everything until smooth.
- Make it savory. Add an extra pinch of salt, garlic powder, or nutritional yeast.
- Garnish. Top the cottage cheese with fresh herbs, like fresh chives or parsley.
- Turn it into vegan ricotta. The biggest difference between cottage cheese and ricotta is that ricotta is smoother and slightly sweeter. To achieve this, blend the cottage cheese and add one tablespoon of maple syrup.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover cottage cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
To freeze: Place the cottage cheese in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to three months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Add everything into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Be wary though, when I tested this, there was some liquid separation the next day. If this happens to you, just give everything a good mix.
If you use lactose-free or dairy-free yogurt, this cottage cheese is lactose-free.
Ways to use vegan cottage cheese
My recipe works for any recipe that calls for cottage cheese. Use it one of my favorites below:
In a mixing bowl, add the tofu and crumble using a fork.
Add the yogurt, lemon juice, and salt, and mix until the desired texture is achieved. For a smooth cottage cheese, you can gently blend everything together.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 99kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 15gFat: 4gSodium: 304mgPotassium: 39mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 152mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 1g
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