Alright, let me tell you about this cottage cheese salad. I first made it because I had a tub of cottage cheese lurking in the back of the fridge—next to that jar of pickles nobody admits to eating. But, to my surprise, it turned into one of those ‘accidental wins’. You know, like when you forget you put coffee on and it actually ends up cold enough to drink right away? Anyway, now I bring this salad to pretty much any potluck (except when my aunt insists her jello salad gets all the limelight, but that’s another story; remind me to tell you about that culinary disaster some day). It’s light, it’s a bit odd in the best way, and it’s the sort of thing people keep re-scooping onto their plates.
When Do I Make This? (AKA Why You’ll Love It)
I make this cottage cheese salad when I’m too lazy for anything fussy, or when the crisper drawer looks like a weird science experiment. My family goes bonkers for it, honestly, especially my brother who insists everything should have more pepper (he’s not wrong with this one, actually). It’s also my save-the-day for last-minute barbecues—no stove, no sweat. I used to think salads had to be fancy, but now I know this is really all you need. Oh, and if you’re a texture weirdo (I mean that kindly; aren’t we all?), the crunch with the soft cheese is the winner here.
So, What Goes In It?
- 2 cups (ish, honestly I just eyeball it) cottage cheese—my grandma says ‘always full-fat,’ but sometimes I use low-fat if that’s all there is
- A couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved (if I’m in a hurry, I just toss them in whole—nobody’s called me out yet)
- 1 small cucumber, diced (or two mini ones—they’re crunchier, don’t ask me why)
- 3 green onions, sliced super thin, because big chunks feel weird in salad
- 1 small bell pepper, any color (yellow makes it pretty, red’s sweeter, green is… controversial in my house!)
- A generous handful of chopped parsley. Or skip it if you hate green bits stuck in your teeth
- Salt and lots of cracked black pepper—you can’t really overdo it here, or at least I haven’t managed to yet
- Splash of lemon juice (or a glug of white wine vinegar; once I used apple cider vinegar and it was, well, very…apple-y)
- Optional: a dash of olive oil, or not—never seems to make or break it for me
How the Heck Do You Throw It Together?
- Chop everything first. Trust me, once you open the cottage cheese, it’s easy to just call it done, but you need those crisp bits mixed in.
- Scoop the cottage cheese into a big-ish bowl—this is where I usually sneak a spoonful. Who’s watching?
- Dump in your tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, and green onions. Everything. Parsley too, unless you’ve forgotten it on the counter (which…guilty as charged).
- Give it a toss. If you’re me, at least one cherry tomato will make a break for it.
- Squeeze in your lemon juice (or that vinegar if you must) and load up the pepper. Little salt, taste, maybe more if it seems bland (actually, I find it better to under-salt at first).
- Drizzle with olive oil if you fancy, but it’s honestly more about the lemon for me.
- Mix again, chill if you have the patience (sometimes I don’t), or serve right away. It always looks sort of odd at first, but that’s just how it is—don’t fret!
Notes from the Kinda-Messy Home Kitchen
- Using full-fat cottage cheese makes it creamier, but low-fat works if you like it a bit lighter. I tried fat-free once and, well… you can probably guess my opinion!
- Tomatoes can get a bit weepy if this sits too long—honestly, I just drain off the juice and call it refreshing.
- If it tastes “meh” the first time, add more acid (lemon or vinegar), it nearly always wakes things up.
Some Weird and Wonderful Variations
- If you like things spicy, toss in a little diced jalapeno or a shake of chili flakes. I tried sriracha once and it took over; wouldn’t do that again.
- Swap parsley for fresh dill—if you’re feeling Eastern European, it’s a gamechanger.
- Add cubed avocado just before serving, but don’t stir it too hard or it goes a bit mushy (a lesson learned the avocado-hard way).
- I once tossed in leftover roasted corn, and it was amazing. But black olives? Meh. Too salty, odd color. Wouldn’t repeat it.
Stuff You Need (or Maybe Don’t)
- Big salad bowl (or really any large mixing bowl. Heck, I’ve used a soup pot in a pinch—no judgment!)
- Sharp knife—as sharp as you can manage; I once tried with a bread knife, wouldn’t recommend.
- Cutting board—though, in a college flat, I once used a plate. It slid around wildly, but salad still got made.
How Do I Store This?
Stick it in a lidded container in the fridge; it’s best eaten within a day, though honestly, in my house it never lasts that long. If you do have some left over (rare, but hey), just stir before serving as it tends to seperate a bit. Actually, I think it tastes better after a few hours, but not everyone agrees with me on that.
How Do You Serve It?
I almost always dump it into a big colorful bowl and plop it on the table next to crackers—makes a crunchy lunch or side for roast chicken. My uncle likes it slathered onto sourdough toast. And during summer, try scooping it into lettuce cups (sounds fancier than it is, trust me). Oh, and when I forget actual utensils, pita chips work as fine dippers in a pinch. Saturday lunches at my place are basically just this and whatever’s leftover—and nobody complains.
Lessons I Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips!)
- Don’t rush the chopping. I once diced everything super chunky to save time; ended up more like a weird salsa. Finer is better.
- If you add salt too early, the veggies give off extra water and things can get soupy. Hold off till near the end.
- Don’t skip the acid, seriously. I did once and it just tasted, I dunno, flat? Like a party missing its music, if that makes sense.
Questions I Actually Get (Cottage Cheese Salad FAQ!)
- Can I make this in advance? Usually, yes—it’s good for at least a few hours in the fridge, but if you can avoid adding tomatoes until the last minute, that keeps it from going kind of soggy. But look, we’ve all eaten a mushy tomato now and then and lived to tell the tale.
- Is there a vegan way to do this? Oddly enough, a friend once brought a version with almond ricotta. Not quite the same, but it works if you must avoid dairy.
- What if I hate parsley? Absolutely skip it. Or throw in mint, or even basil, if that’s your jam. This is a choose-your-own-adventure salad.
- Can I use frozen veggies? You technically could, but raw and crunchy is key here. Though I did throw in some thawed peas once for kicks—wasn’t terrible.
- Do kids like this? Eh, some do. My niece eats only the tomatoes, but my nephew would probably eat this off a flip-flop. Everyone’s different.
So, that’s my cottage cheese salad—improvised, easy, and always surprisingly crowd-pleasing. Give it a go and let me know what you think (unless you hate it, then maybe keep that to yourself… just kidding!).
Ingredients
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
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1In a large mixing bowl, add cottage cheese.
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2Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion to the bowl.
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3Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the ingredients.
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4Gently mix everything until well combined.
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5Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO
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Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size:
1 serving
Calories:
140 caloriescal
Protein:
13 gg
Fat:
7 gg
Saturated Fat:
0g
Trans Fat:
0g
Cholesterol:
0mg
Sodium:
0mg
Potassium:
0mg
Total Carbs:
8 gg
Fiber:
0g
Sugar:
0g
Net Carbs:
0g
Vitamin A:
0
Vitamin C:
0mg
Calcium:
0mg
Iron:
0mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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