Substitutes of Cottage Cheese – a Mandatory Baking Ingredient

What is cottage cheese?

Cottage cheese is a delay used cheese, most commonly in the health section. It is the first alternative to meat as it has a higher amount of protein and is more affordable.

Cottage cheese tastes mild with a soft, creamy and, white texture.

The cheese is fresh and is comprised of more lactose than other aged cheeses like Cheddar, Swiss and,  Parmesan.

As the cheese has less food energy compared to other cheese variants, which make this cottage cheese famous among health-conscious individuals. Because of low-fat content and mouth-watering taste and texture, cottage cheese is a good diet for people.

Without mentioning cottage cheese, it is hard to talk about diet foods. The cheese is famous among athletes and bodybuilders because of its nutritional value.

The cottage cheese is easily available, and this delicious cheese will never be run out. If you run out of this delicious cheese, then some of the substitutes are available in the market, and you can use one of them to replace cottage cheese.

Multiple varieties of this cheese are available in the market. The cheese is available in sodium-free, whipped, lactose-free, creamed and, reduced-sodium versions.

Cottage cheese is most often used in salads, dips, pancakes, toast, yogurt, granola, smoothies, lasagna and, other bakery items.

Stay with me, and we will discuss the substitutes for cottage cheese one by one.

What is the cottage cheese made of?

A curd of pasteurized cow’s milk is used to make this low-calorie cheese. The cheese is different and not so common. It has a curd type texture.

For the manufacture of this cheese, cow’s milk is pasteurized, and few drops of acidic substances like vinegar or lime juice are added and let the mixture settle down, and milk is allowed to curdle.

Different fat levels of milk are used to make this cottage cheese, including regular milk, non-fat, and reduced-fat.

What is in the cottage cheese?

This cheese has a good nutritional profile. However, it is dependent on the amount of sodium added and milk fat used. The table below shows the complete profile of cottage cheese.

Cottage cheese also contains handsome content of choline, vitamin B6, copper, and zinc.

Consider buying low sodium-free varieties as blood pressure increases by consuming a high dose of sodium, which increases the risk of cardiac issues.

Cottage cheese substitutes available in the market:

After getting an overview of cottage cheese, now it’s time to discuss the best replacements of cottage cheese. If you are tired of eating it because of the taste, you might look for cottage cheese substitutes.

You might face problems regarding the availability of this cheese since it has been poorly marketed and advertised. However, in the replacement of cottage cheese, you might want to try cheaper and healthier ingredients to use.

When choosing a cottage cheese substitute, always keep in mind the purpose of cottage cheese. Below we have discussed the best cottage cheese substitutes available in the market.

Ricotta Cheese:

The ricotta cheese (re-cooked cheese) is known as Italian cheese. The cheese is manufactured using whey of Mozzarella cheese and Provolone cheese, including the milk of cow, goat, sheep, or Italian water buffalo milk.

The name re-cooked is given to the cheese because it is made from left-over whey. Now there are many other methods to get this milk-like pasteurized non-fat milk with the added organic salt.

The cheese is similar to cottage cheese as it offers the same neutral taste and soft shapeless blobs. Both the cheese can be interchanged in the recipe.

The ricotta cheese is the best option used as a cottage cheese substitute.  Not only the texture but the ricotta cheese possess many other similarities that help us to use in place of cottage cheese when baking or cooking.

In comparison to cottage cheese, ricotta cheese is creamier and easily spreadable.

Apart from flavor and texture, the cheese also provides high nutritional content best for weight-conscious people and muscle builders. The nutritional value of ½ cup serving of cheese is mentioned below.

The cheese can be used as a substitute for cottage cheese in pizza, baked goods like brownies, doughnuts and, cakes, pasta, lasagna, and cannelloni.

Yogurt:

If cottage cheese is used in your recipes like cheese desserts and fruit bowls, replace it with yogurt, as it is the other best cottage cheese substitute.

Greek yogurt was not named because it comes from Greece. It is contradictory because of its name and originated basically from the Middle East.

The yogurt has many health benefits and a delicious taste; however, the texture and taste are not the same.

For lactose-intolerant people, Greek yogurt is a good option as the bacteria present in it easily breaks down the sugar in the milk.

The yogurt is enriched with more protein content as compared to the protein present in milk. The yogurt also contains:

The plain yogurt is used as a base for healthy dips instead of cottage cheese.

Tofu:

Another great option for cottage cheese substitutes is Tofu, especially if you are a veggie-lover / vegetarian. It is soy food and originated from China.

Tofu came about 2000 years ago, as nigari seaweed is accidentally added by a Chinese cook to soy milk and curdled it, informing it.

Among vegetarians and vegans, tofu is very popular because of its non-dairy source.

Few tips must be known to have the best version of tofu as an alternative.

Mash the non-firm variety of tofu thoroughly to achieve the same consistency compared to cottage cheese. In terms of flavor, however, tofu has a bit different taste from cottage cheese.  In this way, consistency is improved when mashed and resembles cottage cheese. It is the best option for ricotta cheese and contains more protein levels and less fat intake and cholesterol than cottage cheese. Tofu is free from sodium and saturated fats, making it another reason to use it as an alternative to cottage cheese.

Egg whites:

The affordability and delicious taste make the egg whites one of the best options used in place of cottage cheese. For a high-protein diet, egg whites can be used as they are loaded with high protein levels.

Moreover, egg whites contain a low concentration of calorie count and a higher concentration of proteins than cottage cheese.

Another positive point about egg whites are easily used; they are boiled and stored in the refrigerator till the time of consumption.

The egg whites can be used as a substitute for cottage cheese without affecting fat loss plan and muscle gain.

The regulation of blood pressure and bone-strengthening can be achieved by egg whites as the food is enriched with vitamin D, A, Riboflavin, vitamin B2, B12, minerals, and potassium.

Fromage Blanc:

Due to its soft and creamy texture, this French cheese has considerably less fat and the same consistency as cream cheese.

The cheese is expensive and rare in the market. The Fromage blanc is the best alternative for cottage cheese used in desserts and is a fantastic substitute in baked items like lasagna and has an excellent spread.

The cheese is fresh and has a tasty, yogurt-like, and buttery nature. Because of low fat, it is a good cottage cheese substitute. The taste of the cheese is sweet or mild tangy. The cheese has an alluring flavor.

The cheese is also used as a spread on bread and is also known as White Cheese.  Fromage Blanc is also an alternative to the ricotta and cream cheese.

However, compared to other cheese, the chances of finding this cheese are less as it is hard to find.

Beans and Chickpeas:

Another alternative used in place of cottage cheese is chickpeas and beans. When it comes to stuffing and certain spreads, this is the best substitute.

You can create your chickpea puree if planning to cook pasta types and ravioli.

The protein content is relatively low and doesn’t work for desserts; however, they are the best alternative if you are a vegan lover for baking recipes.

Hummus:

It is an affordable, simple, and healthy filling to make. The positive thing about hummus is it is the super delicious and military diet and vegan alternative. It is commonly used for pasta stuffing and spread alternate to cottage cheese.

Cream Cheese:

For an alternate to pureed cottage cheese, cream cheese is perfect in regards to texture and taste. The cheese is used to make sweet recipes like cheesecake and several savory.

Kefir:

Try kefir for a similar texture, just like cottage cheese, which is famous for curdy texture and health properties.

I want the same health properties as cottage cheese. Try using kefir.

Whipped Heavy Cream:

The blenderized cottage cheese is replaced with whipped heavy cream for an airy and lighter consistency.

Faisselle:

The name is given accordingly as the mold in which cheese is strained. Raw milk of cows, goats, or sheep is used to make this non-protected French cheese.

It is eaten as a sweet dessert served with honey or sugar and is often eaten as a savory dessert served with salt. It is also used in tarts and cakes.

Mascarpone cheese:

It resembles cream cheese and coagulated by adding vinegar, lemon juice, or citric acid. It is a soft Italian cheese made from cream.

This is used in many Lombardy dishes. The cheese is milky-white in color and spread easily. It is also used to make tiramisu, an Italian dessert. The cheese is used with Parmesan cheese and butter to enrich and thicken risotto.

Feta cheese:

The cheese is made in Greece using sheep milk or a mixture of sheep milk with goat milk. Feta is brined curd cheese.

In comparison with other cheeses, is slightly grainy in texture.

It is used in salads dressings.

Sour Cream:

The cream is manufactured by fermenting regular cream with specific types of lactic acid bacteria. Sour cream is a dairy product. The sour cream is used as a substitute for cottage cheese in tacos, nachos, and burritos.

Reduced-Fat Hard Cheese:

The topping in place of cottage cheese in English muffin is low fat or fat-free cheese.  To limit your consumption of unhealthy saturated fats, selects a low-fat or fat-free instead of full-fat cheese.

Lean Meats, Fish, and Poultry:

An alternative to cottage cheese is ready-to-eat meat; poultry and fish are high in protein content.

 Frequently Asked Questions:

What are good cottage cheese substitutes when dieting?

Ricotta, cheddar cheese, and plain yogurt can be used as an alternative to cottage cheese when dieting.

What is the difference between yogurt and sour cream?

Sour cream is a fermented dairy cram whereas, yogurt is fermented milk. There is also the difference in bacteria used to make them. When making sour cream, re-pasteurization is required.

Is cottage cheese nasty?

The cheese has a rich and creamy texture as yogurt; however, curds and more substances in it.

What can be used instead of sour cream?

• Buttermilk: In baked products, buttermilk can be a substitute for sour cream.
• Plain yogurt: The most common substitute for sour cream is plain yogurt. An equal amount of plain yogurt is used I place of sour cream.