High Protein Cottage Cheese Queso

Enjoy my Cottage Cheese Queso as a high protein snack for game days, movie nights or balanced snacks. So delicious with chips and veggies!

I'm always on the hunt for more high protein dips because they're always a hit with everyone in my family. This cottage cheese queso is my newest and possible one of the most delicious ones yet. It's full of cheesy goodness and higher in protein than most quesos out there, while also being a lot lighter.

We love enjoying cottage cheese queso with chips and veggies, but it's also an amazing topping on nachos, tacos, and sandwiches. Any meal where you love cheese or sauce, this queso is a must-add. I just tried it on my nacho salad recently, and it was seriously delicious.

Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved

1. High protein. Cottage cheese is an incredible source of protein, with 23g in one cup.
2. Lightened up. Most quesos are made with 100% melted cheese, plus some butter or milk. This is a lightened up version, so you can enjoy it and leave feeling good.
3. Ready in 5 minutes. This cottage cheese queso is so quick to make, you'll never buy it from the store again.

Ingredients

Cottage cheese. I recommend using 2% cottage cheese for best results.

Taco seasoning. I use pre-mixed low sodium taco seasoning to make this recipe as easy as possible. If you would like to make a batch of homemade taco seasoning, I have included a recipe at the bottom of the recipe card.

Cheese. Pepper jack cheese adds the best flavour to this dip, although a classic cheddar will also work.

Pickled jalapenos. These add a little kick! If you don't like spice you can skip them, but they add some tang that elevates the flavour.

Water. This is only if necessary if you need help to blend the dip. 

The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below. 

Instructions

1. Add the cottage cheese, taco seasoning, shredded cheese and pickled jalapenos to a high powered blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth (if you are having trouble blending add 1 tablespoon of water).

2. Pour the blended cottage cheese into a microwave safe dish and microwave in increments of 30 seconds for a total of 1 minute (or until warm)

3. Remove from the microwave and stir well. Top with pico de gallo, diced tomatoes, peppers or onions and cilantro if desired. 

Substitutions and Variations

Equipment

• High powered blender

Storage

This cottage cheese queso can be meal prep friendly. If you are looking to prepare it ahead of time, skip the microwaving and pour the dip into a microwave safe airtight tupperware. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you are ready to eat it, simply warm it in the microwave for about 1 minute before serving. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Healthy Dip Recipes

If you loved this cottage cheese queso, try these next:

• Air Fryer Spinach Cottage Cheese Dip
• Greek Yogurt Dill Veggie Dip
• Greek Yogurt Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Herb and Garlic Cottage Cheese Dip

📖 Recipe

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4.75 from 4 votes

High Protein Cottage Cheese Queso

Enjoy my Cottage Cheese Queso as a high protein snack for game days, movie nights or balanced snacks. So delicious with chips and veggies!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Sauces and Dips, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dips, high protein

Servings: 4

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon low sodium taco seasoning see notes below
• ¼ cup pepper jack cheese shredded (see notes below)
• 1 tablespoon pickled jalapenos about 2 jalapeno slices
• 1 tablespoon water if needed for blending

Top with:

• Pico de gallo
• Chopped tomatoes peppers, onion
• Cilantro

Instructions

• Add the cottage cheese, taco seasoning, shredded cheese and pickled jalapenos to a high powered blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth (if you are having trouble blending add 1 tablespoon of water).
• Pour the blended cottage cheese into a microwave safe dish and microwave in increments of 30 seconds for a total of 1 minute (or until warm)
• Remove from the microwave and stir well. Top with pico de gallo, diced tomatoes, peppers or onions and cilantro if desired.

Notes

• For homemade taco seasoning you can use 1 tablespoon of this blend: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano 
• Pepper jack cheese can be replaced with standard cheddar cheese, however you may want to add a pinch of additional chili powder for extra spice. I always recommend shredding your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded cheese to help ensure it melts.
• If you are using fresh jalapenos instead of pickled, you only need ½ tablespoon of diced jalapenos. Please ensure the seeds are removed.
• If you are noticing your dip is beginning to separate, this is a sign the heat may be too high. If you are able, I recommend using a lower setting on your microwave or opting to microwave in increments of 15 seconds.

*I have included an estimation of the nutrition information for this recipe below. However, always remember a recipe is so much more than just nutritional content and these numbers do not need to dictate your food choices. Please don't forget that both your body and soul need nourishment! The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 229IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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