This high-protein Cottage Cheese Queso dip is the ultimate lightened-up snack for game day, or late-night cravings.
Cottage Cheese Queso Dip
If you love creamy, cheesy dips but want a lighter, protein-packed option, this Cottage Cheese Queso Dip is for you. Blending cottage cheese with pepper jack cheese and a touch of spice creates a smooth, velvety dip that’s just as indulgent as traditional queso, only with a fraction of the calories and a big boost of protein. Great for anytime snacking, it’s ready in minutes and pairs perfectly with tortilla chips or fresh veggies. Check out more high protein snacks, and if you’re looking for more ways to use cottage cheese, check out these cottage cheese recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Why This Recipe Works
Cottage cheese is one of my favorite ways to increase protein. I’ve added it to everything from pasta dishes to bagels to scrambled eggs. So, when I first started thinking about how to make queso, a popular Tex-Mex appetizer, higher in protein and healthier, cottage cheese was the first thing that came to mind. I loved how it turned out and can’t wait for you to try it! Here are more reasons I love it:
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are some notes on the ingredients for this easy queso dip. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Cottage Cheese: Good Culture’s low-fat cottage cheese is the best for this dip since it’s thicker and contains less liquid. I tested this with other brands and it didn’t turn out as good.
- Taco Seasoning: Choose a low-sodium blend to keep the salt in check, or use my taco seasoning recipe to make it at home (Just reduce the salt by half for a low-sodium version).
- Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies add some color and flavor.
- Garlic enhances the flavor.
- Pickled Jalapeños for heat
- Pepper Jack Cheese makes the queso creamier and spicier. Freshly grated cheese (my favorite grater here!) melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Cilantro: Garnish with fresh cilantro.
- Tortilla Chips, Protein Chips, or Crudites (like carrots, bell peppers, or snap peas) for dipping
How to Make Cottage Cheese Queso Dip
This simple queso recipe serves 4, but you can double or triple it if you’re serving it at a party. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Puree the cottage cheese and taco seasoning to make your queso creamy and smooth.
- Warm the Queso: Saute the tomatoes and garlic, pour in the cottage cheese mixture, and stir until hot. Then, remove from the heat.
- Add the pepper jack cheese and jalapeños and stir until melted. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the cilantro and remaining tomatoes.
Variations
- Cheese: Swap pepper jack with Monterey Jack or cheddar.
- Dip Consistency: For a thicker dip, use whole-milk cottage cheese. Fat- free cottage cheese, which I wouldn’t recommend, will result in a thinner, watery dip.
- Tomatoes: If you can’t find Rotel, use any petite diced tomatoes or quarter a few cherry tomatoes.
- Jalapeños: If you don’t have pickled jalapeños, saute a tablespoon of fresh jalapeños with the tomatoes and garlic.
- Mild Queso: This dip isn’t that spicy, but if you want to reduce the heat, omit the jalapeños, use cheddar instead of pepper jack, and buy mild Rotel tomatoes. Alternatively, for a spicier dip, add more jalapeños.
- Don’t like cilantro? Skip it.
- Protein Boost: Top the dip with a ¼ pound of cooked ground beef or turkey.
Storage
This is best eaten the day you make it. If you’re making this for one or two, just divide the recipe. If you do have extra, you can refrigerate the leftovers.
- Refrigerate: This queso with cottage cheese will last 4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat it in the microwave or on low heat on the stove until warm.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes You’ll Love
For more ways to use cottage cheese, check out my Cottage Cheese Recipes collection, plus these five high-protein recipes to keep you full and satisfied!
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 /4 cup (generous)
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, I recommend Good Culture
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, or low-sodium from a package
- 2 tablespoons canned Rotel tomatoes, drained, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño, drained, for garnish
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for garnish
- tortilla chips, protein chips or crudités, for serving
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Add the cottage cheese and taco seasoning to a small food processor or mini blender. Blend until completely smooth.
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Heat a small skillet over medium heat and spray with oil. Add the tomatoes and garlic and saute, stirring 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the cottage cheese mixture and stir until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pepper jack cheese and pickled jalapeño, until melted.
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Transfer to a serving bowl and top with remaining tomatoes and cilantro. Serve with chips or crudités.
Last Step:
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- This is best eaten the day you make it. If you’re making this for one or two, just divide the recipe. If you do have extra, you can refrigerate the leftovers.
- Can top with ¼ pound cooked ground beef to add more protein.
- I used a small food processor to blend, but it would definitely work in a nutribullet.
- I tested this with a few brands of cottage cheese, Good Culture was the best one. The others were a bit watery so I had to simmer it longer to thicken.
- For a thicker dip, use whole-milk cottage cheese. I don’t recommend fat-free cottage cheese, it will result in a thinner, watery dip.
Serving: 1 /4 cup (generous), Calories: 94 kcal, Carbohydrates: 3 g, Protein: 8 g, Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 20 mg, Sodium: 353.5 mg, Fiber: 0.5 g, Sugar: 1 g