This Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl is made with cottage cheese and the toppings of your choice. You can make this savory or sweet, and both ways are a delicious and healthy way to start the day!
It's a cottage cheese breakfast kind of morning! Eggs may be my go-to breakfast, but I think it's good to switch it up every now and then.
Of course you can go with savory oatmeal or chickpea pancakes or blueberry muffins, but do you ever think to eat cottage cheese for breakfast? ME EITHER, until now.
Besides breakfast, this bowl makes an excellent afternoon snack (similar to a smoothie!).
Why you'll love this breakfast bowl
- It uses cottage cheese as a base, meaning it's loaded with protein
- It's easy to customize with different toppings, and can be made savory or sweet
- It can be prepared the night before so breakfast is ready when you wake up in the morning!
Ingredient notes:
- Cottage cheese: You can't make a cottage cheese bowl without cottage cheese! I prefer full fat, and I love Good Culture brand cottage cheese.
- Sweet version: Want to opt for something on the sweet side but still healthy? Try adding nuts (I like walnuts), fresh berries (like raspberries or strawberries) and a pinch of cinnamon to add a little sweetness and more flavor to the bowl.
- Savory version: Craving something savory when you wake up? Top your bowl with sliced cucumber, tomatoes and a hard boiled egg for added protein.
Step-by-step instructions
Honestly, this recipe is super easy. But, I'm going to walk you through a few different ingredient options if you don't want to follow the recipe exactly as written.
Sweet bowl:
Step 1: Choose your nuts. I opted to use a combination of almonds and walnuts, but any kind of nut will work in this recipe. If you're allergic to nuts or just don't like them, you could use old fashioned oats or nut-free granola instead.
Step 2: Choose your fruit. Again, most any fruits will do, but I like to think berries pair really well with nuts and cottage cheese. Plus, who doesn't enjoy berries with breakfast? If it's wintertime and berries aren't in season, try a banana instead!
Step 3: Add the cottage cheese. This step doesn't really need explaining, but you're going to need cottage cheese for this cottage cheese bowl (obviously...). You can opt for low fat, 2% or 4% depending on your preference.
Savory bowl:
Step 1: Choose your vegetables. Again, this bowl is very easy to customize, but I used sliced cucumber, tomatoes and avocado, then sprinkled everything with chopped chives and black pepper.
Step 2: Assemble the bowl. Scoop the cottage cheese into a bowl, then add all of your toppings and dig in!Â
Expert Tips
- Unsure of what kind of cottage cheese to buy? Opt for a brand with no added sugar. Simply check the ingredients and compare brands (I personally like Good Culture).Â
- More "sweet" topping ideas: shredded coconut, sliced apple, chia seeds and/or a drizzle of nut butter.Â
- More "savory" topping ideas: a soft boiled egg, everything bagel seasoning, and/or green onion.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
You can! Simply prep this cottage cheese breakfast, place it in the refrigerator and you'll be good to go in the morning.
What if I hate the texture of cottage cheese?
You're not alone! While I personally don't mind it, I know many people aren't a fan (kind of like chia pudding). If you don't love the texture but still want to reap the nutrition from it, try adding cottage cheese on top of toast, and then adding a few extra toppings as well.
What are the nutritional benefits?
First of all, it's an excellent source of calcium, and full of vitamin B12 as well. And, as I've mentioned, it's a good source of protein, which will help keep you full throughout the morning.
Related recipes:
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below!
Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl
Ingredients
for the sweet bowl:
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoon almonds
- 2 tablespoon walnuts
- ¼ cup blueberries or any kind of fruit
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon plus more to taste
for the savory bowl:
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup cucumber sliced
- ¼ cup grape tomatoes sliced
- ½ avocado sliced
- 1 tablespoon chives plus more to taste; chopped
Instructions
for the sweet bowl:
- Place the cottage cheese in a bowl, then add the nuts and berries on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!
for the savory bowl:
- Place the cottage cheese in a bowl. Next, slice the cucumber, tomatoes and avocado, then place them on top of the cottage cheese. Sprinkle with chives and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in May 2014. It was updated with new text in January 2022.
Anamika @ Supplement Crunch says
These look absolutely incredible! cottage cheese breakfast bowl is my favorite combination of flavors!
Jessica @FitnessEquipmentsLab says
Hello Erin, Can I substitute the pomegranate for another maybe strawberries and the hazelnut for maybe almonds? I dont have either of those.
Erin says
Yes you can! I bet that'll be delicious
Judy says
Any calorie estimate for this recipe?
Helen says
Hey Erin,
Your photos look amazing. I was just looking for the easy-to-make breakfast ideas and I am so glad that I came across with this post. I like all three of its ingredients separately and they must be delicious together too.
Now I will share it to my Facebook page of Single Moms.
Megan says
I am very much like a lot of others - I have only ever had savory items with cottage cheese (Doritos being one of my favs 😉 ). I'm at work - I have cottage cheese and frozen raspberries in my fridge - wondering how well they pair together. A quick Google search and your website came to the rescue. I didn't have any almonds or walnuts, but I did have a cinnamon/sugar shaker. I may have added a tiny bit of honey, too. It's great! Thanks for helping me fix a sweet snack craving with nutritious pairings! 🙂
Erin says
This makes me SO happy!! Glad you found my recipe 🙂
Cynthia says
I love cottage cheese< thanks for the cinnamon idea! Try it with watermelon chunks, it's delicious!
GinaLola says
My favorite snack is cottage cheese with green grapes... YUM!!!
Cassie says
Cottage cheese 4eva. How could people hate it when it was considered a weird 80s diet food? It's so good, you can eat it sweet or savory.. so many possibilities!!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
LOVe cottage cheese and often go the breakfast bowl route myself! The sweet and salty combination is awesome- try adding cocoa powder to it with the raspberries and chopped nuts- amazing.
Erin says
Oh wow--you my friend are genius and I WILL be giving that a try.