High Protein Cottage Cheese Egg Salad
Cottage cheese as a high-protein replacement for mayo in egg salad? Yes, please!
I am loving all of the creative ways that people have been using plain cottage cheese to amp up their meals, and when I heard about making egg salad with cottage cheese, I got right to work creating my own tasty spin on this trending recipe.
Based on my classic egg salad recipe, this egg salad with extra protein is packed with flavor that comes from fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, Dijon mustard, and spices, including smoked paprika and garlic powder.
I’ve made a few other healthier cottage cheese based recipes that I think you’ll love too.
Check out my cottage cheese pasta sauce with roasted red peppers, creamy cottage cheese scrambled eggs, and for a sweet treat, cottage cheese cookie dough.
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cottage Cheese: For the most protein and the creamiest texture, use full-fat cottage cheese in this recipe. You can also use low-fat cottage cheese, but I would suggest adding a little bit of mayo to the mix to adjust the texture.
- Veggies: Crunchy vegetables are the best addition to any egg salad recipe. Here I’m using celery and red onion, both diced into small pieces.
- Hard Boiled Eggs: You can cook your eggs using whatever method you prefer. I like to steam eggs. It’s quick and easy. You might also like to learn how to make Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs.
- Seasonings: Eggs and cottage cheese on their own don’t have a ton of flavor. Dijon mustard plus a blend of common spices make this sandwich spread taste amazing!
- Fresh Herbs: Dill and chives add earthy flavor and a pop of green color.
You might want to have some fresh, rustic bread ready to make sandwiches, or a stack of crispy crackers!
Tip!
To make your hard-boiled eggs super easy to peel, place them in an ice water bath after boiling or steaming them. The temperature difference helps to separate the shells from the eggs.
Storing Tips
Storage: Keep this salad chilled in the fridge in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Make Ahead: This recipe is perfect for meal prep! I like to separate the recipe into portions in the fridge. On my way out, I can grab one container of cottage cheese egg salad and a stack of crackers for an easy, high-protein lunch. Just be sure to enjoy it all within 3 days.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Cottage Cheese Egg Salad
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Knife and cutting board
- Spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 8 ounces (225 g) full-fat cottage cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for garnish
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 ribs celery finely diced
- ½ medium red onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon (3 g) fresh dill chopped, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the eggs using your preferred method (I like to steam the eggs followed by an ice water bath, as they peel very easily). Be careful not to overcook them.
- Peel the cooled eggs and dice them into small pieces.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the cottage cheese, Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and ground black pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Blend until smooth.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the diced eggs, celery, red onion, and chopped dill.
- Pour the blended cottage cheese mixture over the egg mixture and stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh dill and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Chill for 1 hour if time allows.
Notes:
- For a smooth texture, blend the cottage cheese before mixing, but if you don’t mind the cheese curds, you can skip that step.
- A small blender is the best tool for getting a really smooth cottage cheese mixture. Your next best choice is a food processor.
- Adjust the seasonings to taste after chilling.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Cottage Cheese Egg Salad Variations
In this recipe, the cottage cheese replaces the mayo that would be in a traditional egg salad. I’m adding lots of fresh dill, crunchy veggies, and seasonings that I love, but you can adjust all of that to make this recipe your own.
- Mix-Ins: Try chopped dill pickles, relish, olives, roasted red peppers, fresh bell peppers, or cucumbers.
- More Flavor: Try adding a pinch of cayenne powder or red pepper flakes. A dash of hot sauce is always tasty in egg salad as well.
- Vegan Swap: Replace the hard-cooked eggs with chopped garbanzo beans or diced firm tofu.
I can’t wait for you to try this easy Cottage Cheese Egg Salad recipe! Pin it for your next weekend meal prep session, or make some right now for lunch.
More Sandwich Spread Recipes
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Recipe FAQs
Can Egg Salad with Cottage cheese be Frozen?
I don’t recommend freezing egg salad. While you can, technically, freeze this, the texture of the cottage cheese will not maintain its creaminess after it has been thawed.
Would this work with chicken or tuna as well?
I haven’t tested these specific recipes yet, but I do believe that you can replace the mayo in any of your favorite tuna salad or chicken salad recipes with the same amount of 4% cottage cheese. If you try it, leave a comment and let me know!
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