This Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl is the ultimate quick and satisfying meal, packed with flavor and ready in minutes. Whether you need a protein-packed breakfast, a light lunch, or a nutritious snack, this bowl has you covered!
Cottage cheese seems to be having its moment in the spotlight taking over the internet in the form of puddings, 'ice cream' and fruit bowls. I'm more of a savory girl myself, so I like to eat cottage cheese creations with more savory flavors like vegetables, meat and herbs. Since I like a good everything bagel piled with lox and all the toppings I took inspiration from that to make this Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl that is equally good when served for breakfast, lunch or a snack.
There are so many reasons to love cottage cheese! It's high in protein, low in calories and rich in nutrients such as vitamin B12, selenium and phosphorous. It's also low-carb, gluten-free, grain-free and keto. While cottage cheese is not dairy-free, you can find lactose-free varieties if that meets your needs. Check out this article to read more about how cottage cheese is made and the health benefits it offers.
Looking for other delicious cottage cheese recipes? Try this Cottage Cheese Buffalo Chicken Dip or Cottage Cheese Queso.
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Ingredients
Here's what you need to make a Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl:
- Cottage Cheese – I prefer reduced-fat cottage cheese for a balance of creaminess and protein, but you can use full-fat for a richer taste or fat-free for a lighter option. You’ll find it in the dairy section near the yogurt and sour cream.
- Smoked Salmon – This adds a delicious, savory, and slightly smoky flavor to the bowl. Look for it in the refrigerated seafood section, usually near the lox and other cured fish.
- Halved Grape Tomatoes – These add a juicy, fresh bite that balances the creamy cottage cheese. Find them in the produce section, often pre-packaged in containers for convenience.
- Chopped Cucumbers – Cool and refreshing, cucumbers add crunch to the bowl. Look for English cucumbers in the produce section for a seedless option or grab standard cucumbers for a budget-friendly choice.
- Diced Red Onion – A little diced red onion adds a pop of flavor and mild sweetness. You’ll find whole red onions in the produce aisle, or grab pre-diced onion in the refrigerated produce section for easy prep.
- Capers – These tiny, briny bites give the bowl a salty kick. You’ll usually find capers in jars near the pickles and olives in the condiment aisle.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning – This blend of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and salt ties all the flavors together. It’s typically in the spice aisle or near the bagels and cream cheese in some grocery stores.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make a Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl
Step 1: Spread cottage cheese across the bottom of a serving bowl and arrange the various toppings across the cottage cheese. Enjoy!
Hint: l recommend using either 4% or 2% fat cottage cheese for this bowl and not the fat-free cottage cheese as it doesn't have much flavor.
Substitutions
Want to substitute an ingredient in this Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl? Here's how:
- Smoked salmon - substitute cooked bacon and/ or a diced hard-boiled egg for the smoked salmon.
- Vegetables - substitute any vegetables of your choice for the diced onion, chopped cucumber and halved grape tomatoes. Diced avocado, diced bell pepper, fresh arugula or sauteed spinach would all be great options!
- Capers - use something else briny in place of the capers such as pickled red onions, olives or marinated artichoke hearts.
Variations
Try one of these variations of Savory Cottage Cheese Bowls:
- Greek - omit the smoked salmon, capers and Everything Bagel Seasoning and add sliced kalamata olives and some fresh dill.
- Caprese - omit the red onion, smoked salmon, capers and Everything Bagel seasoning and add sliced fresh basil and a drizzle of either olive oil or balsamic glaze.
- Fruit - omit everything but the cottage cheese and add your favorite fresh fruits and possibly some nuts, a sprinkle of cinnamon or a drizzle of peanut butter.
- Breakfast - omit all the toppings and top the cottage cheese with cooked crumbled bacon, a hard-boiled egg, some avocado, a little coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper for a cottage cheese breakfast bowl.
Equipment
This equipment comes in handy when making a Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl:
Storage
Store leftover ingredients from a Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl each in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Top tip
Meal prep these bowls by assembling several bowls at one time. If possible, place the toppings on one side of a divided container and the cottage cheese on the other then mix everything in when ready to eat.
FAQ
To add delicious savory flavors to cottage cheese I like to add fresh chopped vegetables for texture, something briny like olives or capers and a topping such as fresh herbs or Everything but the Bagel Seasoning. A rich source of protein such as a boiled egg, smoked salmon or crumbled bacon also makes a great addition.
If you don't like the lumpy texture of cottage cheese but want to eat it because it's an inexpensive, low-fat and nutritious source of protein, you can add it to smoothies or stir it into scrambled eggs. You can also process cottage cheese in a blender or food processor to give it a smoother texture, then eat it with whatever fruit or vegetable toppings you desire.
Related
Looking for other easy breakfast recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Serve this Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl with one of these salads:
Recipe
Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 2 oz smoked salmon
- ¼ cup cucumber, chopped
- ¼ cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 Tablespoon red onion, diced
- 1 Tablespoon capers
- ¼ teaspoon Everything Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
- Spread cottage cheese across the bottom of a serving bowl and arrange the various toppings across the cottage cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Shannon
Such an easy, healthy and delicious dish!
Kristi Ambrose
Aw man, this looks so good! I love smoked salmon so any excuse to eat it is good enough for me hahaha. I like that you made it with a savory cottage cheese bowl too, that's a great idea! Thank you for sharing.
Shannon
Glad you enjoyed it! I'm definitely more of a savory girl than a sweet one when it comes to cottage cheese recipes!