This is one of my favorite cottage cheese recipes and one I come back to time and time again. It’s one of those easy recipes that use simple ingredients meaning I can pick them up in most grocery stores and it’s ready in no time. Enter your email & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from us every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Hurry the Food Up.
Ingredients
Take a look at what’s in this awesomely high-protein salad. Protein Cottage cheese makes the base of this salad. It’s a cheese curd that is a great source of protein for vegetarians (try it in these high protein cottage cheese fritters too). It’s a great choice for anyone who is interested in healthy eating as it’s low in fat and can take on flavor from most accompaniments. You can generally find low-fat and super low-fat cottage cheese. I tend to use regular low-fat as it has a little extra flavour and just tastes a bit less ‘dry’. Salad leaves Arugala is my choice for the next layer of this masterpiece, also known as rocket, it packs a nice peppery kick which works really well in this easy salad. Fruit I’ve chosen to pair (haha!) the cottage cheese and arugula with slices of pear. They’re sweet and so really complement the umami taste of the cheese. They also add a lovely contrast in texture as they give a nice bite to the salad. Dressing The best part of this cottage cheese dish is definitely the sumptuous honey and hazelnut glaze. Toasted hazelnuts mixed with honey, olive oil, lemon, and garlic. Served hot it envelopes the salad like a nice warm hug. Not only does it add amazing flavor it also gives a fantastic crunch. It’s definitely in my top three salad dressings! I also love this avocado dressing and my vegan caesar dressing is delicious!
How many calories are in this cottage cheese salad?
This is a well-balanced recipe that has a reasonable 382 calories. This is just the right amount for a main meal on a low calorie diet. It also has a fantastic 21 grams of protein which is going to do wonders to keep you full between meals. Here is an overview of the other nutritional data:
Health benefits
Cottage cheese is definitely my favorite ingredient in this dish (we love cottage cheese – check out these cottage cheese snacks for more!). It is an awesome protein source that is going to do wonders to keep you feeling fuller for longer. That’s why this is such a great dish if you wanted to lose some weight or build muscle. If anyone has ever told you that you’ll never build muscle by eating a veggie diet, take a look at this article about building muscle on a vegetarian diet. It’s packed full of information to show you that it really is possible. For more weight loss meal ideas, you can try the FREE 7-Day Meal Plan, and if you love it there is a Weekly Weight Loss Plan too! As well as protein, cottage cheese is also high in calcium and vitamins such as B12 which can help prevent anemia. The perfect fruit to go with this salad is definitely the pear. Not only are they highly nutritious, but they are also linked to a lower risk of diabetes, they promote gut health, and have anti-inflammatory properties – they couldn’t be more pear-fect! (Sorry, couldn’t resist!) Finally, arugula is not only rich in nutrients like beta-carotene and vitamin C, but it has particularly high levels of anti-cancer properties as well. It is also said to help get rid of bad breath when it’s chewed (who knew!).
How to make the best cottage cheese salad
Here are the answers to some of your (cottage) cheesy questions!
Recipe variations
Different protein: If you don’t want to use plain cottage cheese you may be able to get some that are mixed with pineapple or herbs, so you could use that instead if you prefer, but it may change the final taste of the dish. If you really don’t like cottage cheese, how about mixing it up by using egg salad instead?
Different fruit: Experiment with different salad fruit – apple or banana also work well. I’d stick to sweet fruits for this one rather than savoury vegetables.
Different salad leaves: Use whichever salad leaves you can get hold of, baby spinach would be a nice alternative.
Different topping: If you can’t have hazelnuts you could top it with something simple like sunflower seeds instead.
More recipes like this
If you love healthy recipes like this you will love these ones too:
Cottage Cheese Cheesecake Avocado Toast With Cottage Cheese Couscous & Pear Salad With Goats Cheese
I really hope you enjoy trying this great recipe. Whether you need a dish to take to a family reunion or you just want to eat it at home with your own family, it is a fab salad that is super quick and simple to make. For even more meal inspiration take a look at this collection of 40 Vegetarian High Protein Salads to get you excited!
