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:
- Easy: Blend the cottage cheese, heat it, and serve!
- Fast: Ready in under 15 minutes
- Smooth Texture: No worries if you don’t love cottage cheese’s texture. Blending it results in a lump-free, creamy dip.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, vegetarian, gluten-free, high-protein, keto, low-carb
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.
Serving Suggestions
Taco Night
Serve queso and chips as a side with tacos. Here are some of my favorites:
Mexican Fiesta
If serving this high-protein queso at a party, below are some more apps to pair with it:
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!
- Greek Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip
- Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl
- Lasagna Roll Ups with Cottage Cheese
- High-Protein Cottage Cheese Veggie Dip with Za’atar
- Protein Waffles
Cottage Cheese Queso
Equipment
- mini blender
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- Add the cottage cheese and taco seasoning to a small food processor or mini blender. Blend until completely smooth.
- 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.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and top with remaining tomatoes and cilantro. Serve with chips or crudités.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
- 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.
Absolutely loved this. Quick and easy. Great for a snack when you have a craving.
So tasty and easy! I was careful to not warm the cottage cheese too quickly on too high of heat to prevent it from separating. I did use the Good Culture cottage cheese, as recommended. I’ll definitely make this one again!
Made it as listed, a little less salt. My husband & I ate the whole thing for dinner!! Keeper
Would this be best served in a small crock to keep warm?
This dip is so good and quick and easy to make. I will be making this again, prolly tomorrow when we watch football (Go Hawks!).
Makes for a yummy spicy mac & cheese, too – especially if you pair with protein pasta.
This queso is scrumptious! I followed the recipe as noted and wouldn’t change a thing. I chose to dip homemade lavash chips…
This queso is scrumptious! I followed the recipe as noted and would change a thing. I chose to dip homemade lavash chips…
Delicious Sauce
Was really good right when finished but when I reheated it it got watery
This was delicious. I added some cooked spicy sausage and omitted the jalapenos. It was spicy and absolutely delicious. Perfect for a lunch/snack while watching football!
This queso tasted like a total splurge! It was amazing. I bake my own corn tortilla chips, so this was a guilt free treat!
YAY!!!
I followed the recipe, used Good Culture low fat, once I put it on the stove with the garlic and tomatoes (after I blended it) it totally changed composition- cottage cheese clumped together and it became watery. Total fail- not sure why.
You have to cook it longer if its too watery until it thickens
I had the same experience of it separating & becoming watery so cooked it longer which only made it worse. Epic fail
You would never mistake this for regular cheese queuso, but it is delicious! Warm, gooey, cheesy, flavourful. I will definitely be making this again.
I’ so glad you liked it!
Can you mix fat free and full fat cottage cheese for lower calories?
I dont see why not!