This Dairy Free Cottage Cheese recipe comes together in minutes with just 4 ingredients. My creamy vegan cottage cheese is high protein, low calorie, lactose-free and so versatile for sweet and savory meals.
Last week we organized a dinner with our friends. The menu featured cottage cheese Alfredo as a main, and cottage cheese cheesecake for dessert. One of our friend is vegetarian and she recently started a high protein diet. So I thought, why not going all in with cottage cheese. Full of excitement I texted the menu on our WhatsApp group and everyone agreed. Aside from Mary, she said she is vegan and can't eat dairy.
Finding vegan cottage cheese at the grocery store is challenging - and too expensive, so I needed to come up with a solution, all by myself. Welcome to Dairy Free Cottage Cheese. I promise, you will love this recipe so much.
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The best vegan cottage cheese
Made with tofu and plant based yogurt, this dairy-free cheese perfectly substitutes the regular. Same taste, same texture with curds, same uses. From breakfast toasts to dinner bowls, it comes in very handy for so many dishes. Sweet and savory.
Do you know what's the best part? It's packed with plant based protein. A serving of nondairy cottage cheese has over 11 g of protein from the tofu and the yogurt. It is also suitable for lactose-free, gluten-free, low calorie and low carb diets.
You will love that this recipe is budget-friendly too. It requires just 4 simple ingredients that you can easily get at the local grocery store. No nutritional yeast, no miso paste, no oil. Just crumble a block of tofu into small pieces, add the yogurt, the vinegar or lemon juice, and season to taste. Easy peasy, ready in just 5 minutes in a bowl.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Extra firm tofu - I recommend extra firm tofu because it gives this dairy free cottage cheese the perfect texture with curds. If you prefer a smoother and creamier consistency, use firm tofu or blend it all up. Silken tofu does not work.
- Dairy free yogurt - For more protein and fewer calories, this recipe uses plain soy yogurt. It tastes smooth, creamy and velvety. But feel free to replace it with coconut yogurt, cashew based yogurt or any other plant based yogurt.
- Apple cider vinegar - A mild vinegar enhances the overall flavors and smooth out the taste of tofu. Use lemon juice, if you prefer.
- Salt - A pinch of salt gives this recipe the original taste of cottage cheese and balances all flavors. Here I oped for Himalayan salt.
Recipe variations
Time to personalize this recipe to your own likings. Dairy free cottage cheese tastes delicious with just a pinch of salt, or with extra seasonings and spices. Here are some ideas for you to try.
- Garlicky - Stir in a pinch of garlic powder or some minced garlic. You can also add a bit of onion powder for more taste.
- Italian - Level up the flavors with a hint of Italian seasonings or dried herbs such as dried thyme and dried dill.
- Spicy - Add some fire to your vegan cottage cheese with chili powder, cayenne pepper, Italian peperoncino and a hint of hot sauce.
- Sweet - Mix in one to two tablespoons of maple syrup or honey, and some ground cinnamon if desired. For extra crunchiness, try it with chopped walnuts and caramelized apples on top.
- Fruity - Sweeten your tofu cottage cheese with maple syrup, then stir in a spoon or two of your favorite jam and fruits. My recommendation is berry jam with chopped strawberries.
- Chocolate - Add a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and sweeten with maple syrup, then mix until combined. You will love it with vegan chocolate chips on top.
- Ricotta - Blend the cheese along with one to two teaspoons of maple syrup or honey. In comparison to cottage cheese, ricotta has a smoother texture and sweeter taste.
- Blended - Add curd cheese to a high speed blender and whip up a bowl of creamy whipped cottage cheese for appetizers and snacks.
How to make dairy free cottage cheese
As mentioned before, making vegan cottage cheese at home is incredibly simple. You'll only need 4 ingredients, one bowl and less than 5 minutes of your day. No blender, no food processor, no fancy tool. Here's an overview of the process, for precise details you can always refer to the recipe card at the end of this blog post.
- Step 1: Open the tofu package and drain off any excess water—no need to press it. Use a fork or potato masher to crumble the tofu into small pieces.
- Step 2: Add yogurt, apple cider vinegar and salt to the crumbled tofu, then mix until combined. Taste and adjust with more salt, if it is necessary.
That's it! You can now use it for your dishes, or you can place it in a food container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. My favorite way to eat this cheese is in a bowl, with creamy avocado, juicy cherry tomatoes and some rice cakes ?
Serving ideas
This plant based cottage cheese recipe is so versatile. It tastes delicious both in sweet and savory dishes, here are some serving ideas.
- Breakfast - Enjoy in a bowl with fresh fruit and protein granola, on top of toasts and sourdough bread, or use it to make cottage cheese pancakes.
- Appetizer - Add it to a blender and enjoy whipped cottage cheese with veggie sticks, pita chips, or crackers.
- Dinner - Make cottage cheese Alfredo, cottage cheese pizza or lasagna. Looking for something simple? Serve it in a bowl with avocado, nuts and fresh vegetables.
- Dessert - Try cottage cheese cheesecake, cottage cheese muffins, or cottage cheese brownies.
Storage directions
This tofu cottage cheese can be served immediately, or it can be made ahead for later. Place leftovers in an airtight container with lid and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Before serving it, drain any excess water on top or give it a good stir to restore the original texture
For a longer storage, transfer the cheese to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge. Once thawed, remove any water that has formed on top and stir it well until creamy. Enjoy immediately in your favorite recipes.
Dairy free cottage cheese recipes
- Cottage cheese cheesecake
- Cottage cheese cookie dough
- Cottage cheese muffins
- Whipped cottage cheese
- Cottage cheese brownies
- Cottage cheese banana bread
- Healthy Syrniki pancakes
- Cottage cheese pancakes
- Cottage cheese Alfredo pasta
Dairy free Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 block (14 oz) firm tofu crumbled into pieces
- ½ cup (120 g) nondairy yogurt I recommend soy yogurt
- ½ to 1 tsp salt to taste
- 1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Instructions
- Open the tofu package and drain off any excess water—no need to press it. Use a fork or potato masher to crumble the tofu into small pieces.
- Add yogurt, apple cider vinegar and salt to the crumbled tofu, then mix until combined. Taste and adjust with more salt, if it is necessary.
- Serve immediately or place vegan cottage cheese in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
Storage Directions
- To store. Place leftovers in an airtight container with lid and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Before serving it, drain any excess water on top or give it a good stir to restore the original texture
- To freeze. Transfer the cheese to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge. Once thawed, remove any water that has formed on top and stir it well until creamy.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are based on third-party calculations and should be considered approximations. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. We do not overtake any responsibility.
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