You need just FIVE minutes and FIVE ingredients to transform a basic tub of cottage cheese into a luscious, packed-with-protein cottage cheese dip that even skeptics will love. Smooth, tangy, a little spicy, it’s perfect with crunchy tortilla chips, baked pita chips, or veggies, for a wonderful crowd-pleasing party appetizer or healthy snack.
Cottage cheese, I have to apologize to you. For YEARS, I was a bit icked out by the idea of cottage cheese. Maybe that’s because it was hailed as a ‘hero diet food’ when I was growing up (and everything hailed as ‘diet food’ was terrible back then), or maybe because of the chunky texture – either way, I’d long ago pushed it aside in my kitchen.
But (and I can’t quite believe I’m saying this) I am now a cottage cheese LOVER. What changed everything for me was whipping the cottage cheese. Suddenly, those chunky curds disappeared, leaving a light, creamy, ricotta-like situation, which is the perfect base for big flavor.
This cottage cheese dip recipe combines pickled jalapenos, sun-dried tomatoes, and a couple of green aromatics for freshness, and oh my goodness. When I tell you I can’t stop making this, I am being 100% serious.
If I’ve convinced you that cottage cheese can actually be delicious, try these truly amazing high-protein, no-blend cottage cheese bagels, four-ingredient cottage cheese gnocchi, creamy chicken Caesar dip, viral cottage cheese, beef and sweet potato protein bowls or this healthier Buffalo chicken dip next.
Why You’ll Love This Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip
- Ready in just five minutes. Just throw your five ingredients into a blender or food processor, blitz, and you’re done.
- High-protein and satisfying. With more than 13g of protein per serving, the cottage cheese dip is naturally high in protein, so it’ll keep you fuller for longer.
- Creamy, smooth, and ultra moreish. You won’t believe this silky smooth, creamy dip started as the tub of chunky cottage cheese you’ve been neglecting in the grocery aisle.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cottage cheese. Regular, low-fat, or zero-fat cottage cheese all work well here. You could also use flavored cottage cheese if you like (but not the weird pineapple one or anything sweet!) If you can’t find cottage cheese, thick Greek yogurt is a great substitute.
- Pickled jalapenos. These sharp, spicy pickles bring just the right amount of heat to the dip. If you’re worried about spice, reduce the amount of pickled jalapenos to 1 tablespoon, then taste the dip, and you can always add more if you like. It’s much easier to add more than to take the heat away. For a less spicy version, swap them for dill pickles.
- Sun-dried tomatoes. There’s no need to chop the sundried tomatoes; just throw them straight in your food processor. Try to use good-quality sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil for the best flavour.
- Scallions (spring onions). I love using scallions to bring an element of freshness to the dip, but you can leave them out if you don’t have any.
- Chives. I love the subtle garlic flavor chives bring to the dip, but you could swap them for basil, flat-leaf parsley, cilantro (coriander), or mint.
How to Make the Cottage Cheese Dip
This is a step-by-step photo overview of how to make the cottage cheese dip. The full instructions, with ingredient quantities, is at the bottom of the page for you.
1. Add all the ingredients for your dip to the bowl of a food processor, blender, or food chopper.
2. Blitz the ingredients until they’re super smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of your bowl down a couple of times to make sure everything is mixed properly.
3. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. I love to save some scallions and chives to scatter on top of the dip to serve, along with a drizzle of olive oil (or spicy 30-minute chili oil, ginger scallion oil, or even this loaded bread dipping oil for even more flavor).
4. Serve the cottage cheese dip with your favorite chips, crackers, or crudites. My go-to is baked pita chips, but sourdough discard crackers are great too, or you could serve it with no-knead chili cheese focaccia or no-knead rosemary parmesan bread.
Cottage Cheese Dip FAQs
You can! I make dips ahead of time all the time, especially when I’m entertaining (so much easier). This dip will keep well for up to five days, stored in a covered container in the fridge. Just give it a quick stir before you serve it, and it’ll be just as gorgeous as it was when you made it.
Yes! I’ve tested this with both regular, low-fat, and zero-fat cottage cheese, and it’s delicious either way. Full-fat cottage cheese makes the texture and taste slightly richer, but there isn’t a huge difference.
Absolutely. Swap the chives for basil, cilantro (coriander), flat-leaf parsley, or mint, or just leave them out altogether.
For sure – the heat comes from the pickled jalapenos, so you can add more for a spicier dip, or reduce the amount you use if you’re after a milder version. You could also swap them for dill pickles for a similar flavor profile, without the spiciness.
This is one of the most versatile dips around. I love having it in the fridge because it truly can be used in so many ways!
The classic is, of course, as a dip, but it’s wonderful as a sandwich spread (you could even throw in shredded cooked chicken to up the protein – similar to my creamy chicken Caesar dip).
It also makes a wonderful no-cook pasta sauce, dressing for potato salad (it would be wonderful in this smashed potato salad), dolloped onto grain bowls or rice bowls (try it in my go-to Mediterranean chicken rice bowl), and it’s wonderful served with grilled meat. Try it with my miso grilled chicken, sticky gochujang chicken, honey harissa grilled chicken, or even juicy lamb koftas.
Watch How to Make Cottage Cheese Dip
Like this recipe? Here are more easy dips to try
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Whipped Spicy Cottage Cheese Dip
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
You need just FIVE minutes and FIVE ingredients to transform a basic tub of cottage cheese into a luscious, packed-with-protein cottage cheese dip that even skeptics will love. Smooth, tangy, a little spicy, it’s perfect with crunchy tortilla chips, baked pita chips, or veggies, for a wonderful crowd-pleasing party appetizer or healthy snack.
Ingredients
- 2 scallions (spring onions), chopped
- A big handful of garlic chives (or use flat-leaf parsley, basil, cilantro, mint)
- 1.5 cups (300g) cottage cheese (or use thick Greek yogurt)
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or use 30-minute chilli oil or ginger scallion oil for more flavor)
You’ll also need a food processor, blender, or food chopper for this recipe.
Instructions
- Prepare your topping. Set aside one of the scallions and half the garlic chives and chop them finely. You’ll use them to top your dip to serve.
- Blitz the dip.ย Add the cottage cheese, pickled jalapenos, sundried tomatoes, salt, and the remaining scallions and garlic chives to the bowl of a food processor, or into your blender. Blitz until super smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of your bowl a couple of times. This should only take a few minutes. Taste, then season with a little more salt if you like.
- Garnish and serve.ย Spoon the dip out onto a lipped serving plate or into a small bowl. Use the back of your spoon to smooth the top and make a little well in the middle. Drizzle with the olive oil (or chilli oil or ginger scallion sauce) and then top with the chopped scallion and garlic chives. Enjoy with your favorite chips, crackers or crudites. I love this dip with crunchy baked pita chips, sourdough discard crackers or even no-knead chili cheese focaccia or no-knead rosemary parmesan bread.
Notes
INGREDIENT NOTES:ย Regular, low-fat, or zero-fat cottage cheese is fine, just use whatever you prefer. Thick Greek yogurt is a great substitute if you can’t find cottage cheese. Swap the chives for basil, flat-leaf parsley, mint, or cilantro if you like. You can also make this without the scallions or chives and just use the pickled jalapenos and sundried tomatoes – it’s equally as delicious.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:ย The dip keeps for about 5 days, stored in the fridge (but honestly, you’ll probably get through it quicker than that!). I don’t recommend freezing cottage cheese – it can change the consistency and make it more grainy.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:ย The opportunities are genuinely limitless here. While it’s wonderful as a dip with your favorite chips, crackers, or crudites (baked pita chips are my go-to), you can use it in sandwiches, as a topper for toast, as a quick no-cook pasta sauce or as a dipping sauce (try it with juicy lamb koftas or crispy no-peel roast potatoes).
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: dips
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 50g
- Calories: 187
- Sugar: 5.1g
- Sodium: 749.1mg
- Fat: 8.8g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 13.3g
- Cholesterol: 12.8mg
Awesome recipe
Thank you Seema! So happy you enjoyed it x Kate
Thank you! I’m battling gallstones right now and can’t eat any fat or I have terrible pain. No cheese, no butter, no mayo, not even olive oil. I was desperate for something to put on bread so I could stop eating it dry. This spread is amazing even without the olive oil topper. I’ll keep making it even when I get past this gallbladder situation. So flavorful and yummy.
Could you use regular jalapenos instead of pickled?
Yes you can! Xx
This was delicious! Iโm trying to increase my protein intake and cottage cheese is such a good source of protein. The flavours were so good that if you didnโt know that it was made with cottage cheese – you would never guess! Iโll be putting this in my regular rotation!
Hi Rosie! So so happy you enjoyed it – and RIGHT – it’s crazy how well it works. This is totally the recipe that changed my mind on cottage cheese xx