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This Cottage Cheese Smoothie is creamy, fruity and so delicious that you won’t guess it’s made with cottage cheese. Packing 19 grams of protein for just 233 calories, this smoothie is perfect for both bodybuilding and weight loss. No protein powder is required!
If you love cottage cheese as much as I do, you should also try my cottage cheese cookie dough, viral cottage cheese brownies, creamy cottage cheese cheesecake and, of course, my favorite cottage cheese pancakes.
Why cottage cheese in a smoothie is fantastic
- Healthy and high protein. Cottage cheese is a great source of protein and nutrients such as calcium, vitamin B12 and probiotics. Plus, it’s low calorie and lower in carbs than Greek yogurt, making it suitable for fat loss and keto diets.
- Thick and creamy. When blended with frozen fruit, cottage cheese creates a rich and creamy texture without needing nut butters, thickeners or ice.
- Sweet and fruity. The secret for the perfect cottage cheese smoothie that doesn’t taste salty is combining it with sweet fruits such as banana, mango and berries. Blending it with fruit will also add natural sweetness—with no need for sugar or maple syrup.
- Easy and customizable. This simple recipe comes together in a blender in minutes and you can also meal prep it ahead. To change things up, you can easily swap the fruit, add protein powder, or include extras greens such as spinach and kale.
Ingredients
- Cottage cheese. The star of this recipe, it adds a creamy texture and a punch of protein. I used 2% fat cottage cheese, but you can also make smoothie with nonfat cottage cheese or full fat options—the higher the fats, the tastier it will be. Replace with Greek yogurt, soy yogurt, lactose-free cottage cheese or silken tofu.
- Milk of choice. Either dairy cow milk or plant based alternatives such as soy, almond and oat milk work. If you’re trying to lose weight, use unsweetened almond milk to keep the calories down.
- Frozen banana. A frozen banana gives it a creamy texture and plenty of natural sweetness. For easier blending, peel and slice it before freezing. If you don’t have it frozen on hand, use fresh banana or replace with another fruit like mango or ½ avocado.
- Strawberries. Frozen strawberries make this smoothie sweet, frosty and perfectly fruity. Feel free to use fresh strawberries or substitute them with blueberries, raspberries, mixed berries, peach, mango, pineapple or your favorite fruit.
How to make cottage cheese smoothie
Making a healthy breakfast can’t get any easier! Just add cottage cheese, milk and fruit to a blender and pulse until creamy. In under 5 minutes you’ll have a delicious protein smoothie ready to enjoy. Here’s my quick 3 step recipe.
- Step 1 – Combine. Add to a food processor or high speed blender milk and cottage cheese, followed by frozen strawberries and a sliced banana. For a sweeter smoothie, add maple syrup and vanilla extract; for more protein add a scoop of protein powder.
- Step 2 – Blend. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy, there should be no chunks of fruit left.
- Step 3 – Enjoy. Pour into a glass and enjoy immediately with your favorite toppings.
Smoothie variations
- Swap the fruit. If you’re not a fan of banana, substitute it with ½ cup of frozen mango, ½ avocado, diced pineapple or apple. Pair or replace strawberries with blueberries, raspberries or other berries. Matteo’s tip—frozen fruit add more creaminess.
- Double the protein. Are you a bodybuilder, do you want to build muscle, or simply want to increase your protein? Throw in a scoop of your favorite protein powder, adjusting with an extra splash of milk if the smoothie gets too thick. My recommend is vanilla whey.
- Make it dairy-free. Swap cottage cheese for my dairy-free cottage cheese, silken tofu or Greek-style soy yogurt and use nondairy milk.
- Make it keto. To cut the carbs and make a keto cottage cheese smoothie, replace banana with ½ avocado and add extra sweetness with monk fruit, erythritol, stevia or keto syrup.
- Use Greek yogurt. If you’re running out of cottage cheese or if you are not a fan, replace it for ½ cup (120 g) of Greek yogurt. Dairy-free alternatives are also great, especially if you use soy yogurt which is packed with protein.
- Add more sweetness. If your cottage cheese is particularly high in sodium or if you have the sweet tooth, I recommend blending in a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey. This may also be necessary if replacing banana.
- Experiment with mix-ins. This cottage cheese fruit smoothie tastes delicious with peanut butter or other nut butters, flaxseeds or chia seeds, cocoa powder, spinach or kale, nuts and seeds. Just blend in your favorite mix-ins, adding a little milk if the smoothie gets too thick.
Recipe tips
- Use frozen fruit for best texture. Frozen bananas and strawberries make the smoothie thick and creamy without needing thickeners like oats, nut butters, seeds or xanthan gum. Fresh fruit will also work, but you may need to blend in a couple ice cubes.
- Add liquids first. When making smoothie, I always recommend starting with the wet ingredients (milk and cottage cheese) first. This way it will mix more easily without leaving chunks of fruit at the bottom of your blender.
- Adjust sweetness to taste. If your banana isn’t ripe enough or if the cottage cheese is very salty, you may need to add more sweetness. My favorite sources of natural sweetness are maple syrup, honey, and pitted dates.
Storage directions
To store. Place any leftover in an airtight bottle and keep stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Shake or quickly blend again before drinking to restore its creamy texture. This is perfect if you’re meal prepping, as you’ll have a delicious breakfast ready to grab and enjoy.
To freeze. For a longer storage, pour the smoothie into an ice cube tray or a zipper bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, blend the frozen smoothie cubes with a splash of milk until creamy again.
Nutritional values
Nutritional values are calculated for a smoothie made with 2% cottage cheese, almond milk, strawberries and one medium banana. Optional ingredients such as protein powder are not included in the macros below.
- Calories – 233 kcal
- Protein – 19 grams
- Carbohydrates – 39 grams
- Fats – 3 grams
Frequently asked questions
The beauty of this recipe is that you’ll reap all the benefits of cottage cheese without even tasting it. When blended with fruit, it becomes smooth and sweet as if it was Greek yogurt. In case your cottage cheese is high in sodium, I recommend compensating with a touch of maple syrup or honey.
Smoothie can be a fantastic breakfast, if prepared with the right ingredients. To avoid getting hungry after 30 minutes, you should always combine fruit with a source of protein and healthy fats—a balanced macronutrient composition will make your meal more satisfying. In this recipe, banana and strawberries provide carbs, while cottage cheese adds protein and some fats. If you’re active or if you’re trying to build muscle, I recommend pairing it with a serving of complex carbs such as protein oatmeal or protein bagels.
More smoothie recipes
Cottage Cheese Smoothie
Equipment
- high speed blender or food processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup (120 ml) unsweetened almond milk, or milk of choice
- ½ cup (120 g) cottage cheese, 2% fat used
- 1 cup (150 g) strawberries, frozen recommended
- 1 sliced banana, frozen recommended
Optional Ingredients
- 1 scoop (30 g) protein powder
- maple syrup, for a sweeter smoothie
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 ice cubes, if using fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Add to a food processor or high speed blender milk and cottage cheese, followed by frozen strawberries and a sliced banana. For a sweeter smoothie, add maple syrup and vanilla extract; for more protein add a scoop of protein powder.
- Toss in a couple of ice cubes if using fresh strawberries.
- Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy, there should be no chunks of fruit left.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight bottle for up to 24 hours. Shake or blend before drinking to restore creaminess.
- Freeze: Pour into an ice cube tray and freeze. Blend frozen cubes with a splash of milk when ready to serve.
- No banana: Swap banana with ½ cup diced apple, mango, or ½ avocado.
- High protein: Add vanilla protein powder or mix in hemp, chia, or flaxseeds.
- Dairy-free: Use dairy-free cottage cheese or silken tofu and plant-based milk.
- Nut Butter: Blend in almond, cashew, or peanut butter.
- Extra greens. Add spinach, kale, or frozen cauliflower.
