This savory Greek Cottage Cheese Bowl is an easy high-protein breakfast or lunch that is fresh and flavorful and doesn’t require any cooking.
Greek Cottage Cheese Bowl
Need a quick lunch that doesn’t require cooking or reheating? Then you’ll love this recipe! I created this savory cottage cheese bowl inspired by a Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, kalamata olives, feta, and fresh dill. I’ll be making this cottage cheese lunch bowl all summer, it couldn’t be simpler. Just chop the veggies and combine everything in a bowl. It’s fast, delicious, and packed with protein. More savory cottage cheese bowl recipes you may like are this Burst Tomato Cottage Cheese Caprese Bowl and Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl. And if you prefer a sweeter bowl, try this Berry Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl.
Is cottage cheese healthy?
Cottage cheese is a low-carb cheese that’s packed with protein. One cup has 25 grams. Not to mention, it’s an excellent source of calcium. It’s so versatile and great for everything from lasagna with cottage cheese, to bowls to baking to eggs.
Ingredients
- Cottage Cheese: I used Good Culture’s 2% cottage cheese. It’s my favorite brand, but any will work.
- Dill: Chop a tablespoon of fresh dill.
- Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes, yellow or orange bell pepper, mini cucumbers
- Salt and Pepper to season the veggies
- Olives: Chop pitted Kalamata olives.
- Feta crumbled on top
- Olive Oil for drizzling if desired
How to Make Greek Cottage Cheese Bowls
- Mix the cottage cheese and half of the dill in a small bowl.
- Add the veggies and season with salt and pepper.
- Top with olives, feta, and remaining dill, and drizzle with olive oil.
How to Meal Prep Cottage Cheese Bowls
These Greek cottage cheese bowls are perfect for a quick and easy lunch. You can cut the bell peppers, cucumber, and olives up to three days before you eat them. Store them in one container and the cottage cheese and dill in another. Wait to cut your tomatoes until right before eating them so they don’t get soggy.
Variations
- Not a cottage cheese fan? If you don’t like the texture, puree the cottage cheese until smooth, or substitute it with Greek yogurt.
- Tomatoes: Swap cherry with grape tomatoes, or seed and dice a vine- ripened tomato.
- Cucumbers: Substitute an English cucumber. If you use a regular one, peel and seed it before dicing.
- Vegetables: Add shallots, green onions, radishes, or beets.
- Nuts: Top with pine nuts, almonds, or pistachios.
- Seasoning: Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning, onion powder, or garlic powder.
- Briny Flavor: Add capers or artichoke hearts.
- Herbs: Top with fresh parsley, basil, or mint.
- Serving Suggestion: Dip pita bread or chips in this Greek cottage cheese bowl.
Cottage Cheese vs Greek Yogurt
Both cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are nutritious dairy products that can be part of a balanced diet. They each offer unique benefits, but they also differ in a few key ways:
Protein Content: Greek yogurt is usually slightly higher in protein compared to cottage cheese, although the exact amount can depend on the specific brand or variety. Greek yogurt is strained to remove liquid whey, resulting in a thicker texture and a higher concentration of protein.
Carbohydrate Content: Plain Greek yogurt tends to have a slightly higher carbohydrate content than cottage cheese. This is primarily due to the natural sugars (lactose) found in milk.
Calcium Content: Both Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are good sources of calcium, but cottage cheese usually contains less calcium compared to Greek yogurt.
Texture and Taste: Greek yogurt has a thick, creamy texture and a tangy taste, while cottage cheese is made of curds with a mild, slightly sweet flavor. If texture is an issue, you can also whip the cottage cheese.
Versatility: Both can be used in a variety of ways. Greek yogurt can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, including as a healthier substitute for sour cream or mayonnaise. Cottage cheese is often eaten on its own, with fruit, in savory bowls, or as a part of other dishes like salads and lasagna.
Digestibility: Some people find Greek yogurt easier to digest due to its probiotic content, which can help with gut health. Cottage cheese, on the other hand, might be harder to digest for those with lactose intolerance although some brands, like Good Culture carry lactose-free options.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes You’ll Love
- Lasagna Roll Ups with Cottage Cheese
- Berry Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl
- High-Protein Scrambled Eggs
- Pineapple Chia with Cottage Cheese
- High-Protein Oat Waffles
Greek Cottage Cheese Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, divided
- 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup chopped mini cucumbers
- 1/4 cup diced fresh yellow or orange bell pepper
- pinch salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped pitted Kalamata olives
- 1 tablespoon crumbled feta
- Extra-virgin olive oil, optional for drizzling
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix the cottage cheese and half of the fresh dill.
- Pour into a bowl.
- Top with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers; season with pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add olives, feta, and remaining fresh dill. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.
This was so delicious! Fresh and filling perfect for a work lunch!
This was so savory and delicious, highly recommend! The combination of feta and cottage cheese and olives is so refreshing and savory. I made it for lunch, it was very filling. Easy and felt like a treat yet I had everything on hand.
Such a great, light breakfast. Loved the fresh dill.
I was surprised how the cottage cheese took on the flavors in the bowl. So good and such an easy lunch.
Excellent no cook, no fuss, very fresh and filling. LOVE IT
Delicious! I’m an avowed cottage cheese anti-fan and this won me over. I’m not sure if it’s because I used Gina’s recommended brand (and noticed that the curds are smaller than I’m used to) or because of the variety of toppings, but I was happily surprised. So creamy, easy, quick and filling on a very hot day in Seattle. A keeper!
Awesome recipe, it is so good! Very easy to prep for 2 days with one container of cottage cheese. Yum!!
Made this today and chopped additional ingredients so meal prep was ready for tomorrow’s bowl. The flavors were outstanding! As usual easy to make dishes with such high level flavors, this was fantastic Gina!!!
So healthy and tastes so good.
I’ve made this twice for my sister and me, and it’s a big hit. Made as the recipe described except switched out the regular cottage cheese (not a huge fan) for whipped. That is the way to go! ❤️❤️❤️
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit! Thank you for this great recipe.
So good & easy! No more plain boring cottage cheese for me! Thank you for suggested substitutions
Made this for supper last night. Didn’t have peppers so subbed with cut up radishes and added chopped onions and Mrs Dash EBTS seasoning and omitted the dill. Loved it. Will be making this frequently.
Thanks Gina
Such a versatile and delicious recipe! I made it for lunch yesterday and may have it for breakfast today. Cottage cheese hasn’t been on my radar for quite awhile but I appreciate your reminding me about it with this great, simple recipe! Thanks again, Gina!
Such a great idea. I do t like Greek yogurt. This is a nice alternative
Oh my word y’all this is so good!!! Made for my lunch today & then prepped more of the veggies to have tomorrow!
This Greek Cottage Cheese Bowl was delicious! It was light and very refreshing with all the fresh veggies and dill!! It was quick to make and made a very pretty presentation! I could eat this everyday!!!!
Great! The fresh dill really makes it for me. I’ll probably omit the feta neck time bc it just gets lost in the other flavors. Delicious!
Lol I didn’t make this yet but taking it for lunch to work tomorrow and I know it’s going to be amazing. All those flavors…a party in the mouth. I also might add a pinch of basil.
This is great. I love cottage cheese! A new twist.
The only thing “Greek” about this is the feta and there is no reason to add a milk on top of a milk.
The feta, cucumber, olives, and dill totally give it a “GREEK” vibe…it’s delicious
I have eaten the previously posted Savory Cottage Cheese everyday for about 3 weeks—for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner. I saw this recipe this morning and made it for lunch. ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! Guess what I’m eating for the next 3 weeks?!!!! I made this per the recipe and added a TBLS pistachios too.
EACH time I make this I put in the cottage cheese and think no way that will fill me up…. and every …single…time… I am so stuffed I can barely finish it lol it is to die for. One of my all time favorite recipes here
Great!!
Like some of the other reviews, I used this concept as a springboard for a bowl made with what I had on hand including a few pickled beets, 1/2 of a sweet potato, 1/2 of an avocado, a handful of chopped romaine, a few mini mozzarella balls and a scoop of black beans. The starting point of the cottage cheese pulled it all together- together with a hearty sprinkle of Everything Bagel seasoning. Thanks for sparking such healthy creativity Gina- I love your posts!
So you basically made a completely different recipe but that sounds good too.😂
Made a close version for lunch, you know using what I had in fridge! So good and satisfying!
YUM! Just made this with these variations: no tomato or olives (just not a fan), sprinkle of garlic powder and a drizzle of balsamic glaze! So glad for another cottage cheese option – love it but tired of the same ol’ fruit and cottage cheese. Great work!!!
Great!!
Loved this had it for lunch super easy and fast to put together if everything is cut ahead if time.
I kind of forgot about cottage cheese! This is great! Change up the breakfast routine!
This is great for me as I have allergies to eggs and wheat. I always roast red peppers , skin them and freeze, because raw peppers are tough for me to digest. I used them in this recipe. A winner I will do often. I might add a few garbanzos for fiber.
Perfect!
Great recipe! Easy to mix and match veggies to make it my own! I hadn’t thought about mixing the dill into the cottage cheese before; great idea!
So glad you liked it!
I’d give this recipe a ten if I could!!! I eat it nearly daily for breakfast!
I am so glad!!
Why didn’t I think about this. It’s perfect for WW. I love it, and so does my guy, no feta for him. That’s OK, at least he’s not eating sandwiches all the time. Thx
Perfect!