You asked and I delivered. I recently posted a reader question on my Facebook page "What recipe/product/dish do you wish was vegan?" There were all sorts of requests, some of the requests I had already posted on the blog, some recipes are waiting for you in my cookbook (can't wait!), but there were some that I didn't have an answer for...yet. The dish that had the most votes was for vegan cottage cheese. Who knew!?
I had a Google around, and you guys were totally right. I didn't find any store-bought brands. There were a couple of recipes, but they either used too weird of ingredients, or seemed too complicated for such a simple food. So, I rolled up my sleeves... well I didn't, I was wearing a tank top... but I got to work either way and taste tested my way to my new Quick & Easy Vegan Cottage Cheese. Boom!
Pret-tay cool right? And it's totally healthy too!
So what is this madness made out of? Our fine friend tofu! I used a silken tofu for the liquid-y part, which I blended and seasoned just so. (I think I've gotten pretty good at recreating dairy flavours if I do say so myself). Then I crumbled in firm tofu for the texture. My parents happened to be stopping by, so I was able to get them to taste test it for me, and they agreed, it is pretty dang close to traditional cottage cheese. Woot woot!
Did anyone else ever used to eat cottage cheese out of a cantaloupe, or was that just a me thing?
So here you go my friends, vegan cottage cheese. I'm always eager to make vegan cooking your favourite thing, so if you have any more recipe requests, drop them in the comments below.
To make Quick & Easy Vegan Cottage Cheese: Add the silken tofu to a blender along with the spices and mix until everything is completely smooth.
Now, this saucy part is slightly more on the creamy-yellow side of the white scale due to the nutritional yeast, but that hardly seems like a big deal to me when the flavour friends are are all there. It does whiten up when the firm tofu is added, but still isn't bright white. Just a heads up.
Now take the firm tofu and crumble it into the silken tofu mixture.
Stir to combine. See, I told you that was a quick & easy vegan cottage cheese recipe!
Enjoy as is or it should work almost anywhere you would use traditional cottage cheese.
Quick & Easy Vegan Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 300g block soft or silken tofu (about 1 ⅓ cups)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ of a 420g block firm tofu (210g or about 1 ½ cups), crumbled
Instructions
- Add the soft or silken tofu to a blender along with the nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and salt. Mix until everything is completely smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
- Pour the soft tofu mixture into a medium bowl. Crumble the firm tofu into the silken tofu mixture. Mix to combine.
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
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Dana says
This worked perfectly in the cottage cheese salad recipe from my childhood. Tomatoes, onion, celery and bell pepper all cut up and mixed in with a little extra salt and some pepper. So good!
Sam Turnbull says
Love it!!
Zandra says
My grandmother makes a cinnamon roll that includes cottage cheese in the batter for the rolls. I’m guessing it adds to the moisture and fat content? Do you think this plant based cottage cheese could be a substitute in this baked good?
Sam Turnbull says
This doesn't melt like traditional cottage cheese as it's just tofu, so I think it might not be the best for that application.
Mandy says
I am new to using tofu, never used silken tofu. Do you press either for this recipe. And is pressing just a given whenever using tofu or are there times you wouldn’t want to press out your tofu?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Mandy, I always will instruct all the steps needed for my recipes. So unless I say to press the tofu, there is no need to press it. So this recipe doesn't require any pressing. Enjoy!
Rona says
I changed direction when I was half way through making a batch of this and left out the ACV but added a pinch of turmeric and some kala namak to the silken tofu. After I'd mixed the two tofus together I stirred in a dollop of vegan mayo and some cress sprouts. Egg mayo and cress sandwich filling!! Two of my besties, who are very suspicious of some of my vegan creations said they knew it wouldn't be proper egg mayo but they couldn't tell the difference! Winner! :o)
Sam Turnbull says
Sounds like you invented your own recipe! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Brian says
How about making vegan babka!?
Sam Turnbull says
Oh fancy! I'll add that too my idea list 🙂
Ryan says
Have you tried culturing the "cottage cheese" instead of using the vinegar and lemon juice? Wouldn't be as quick and easy, but it might end up with more of a natural cheese flavor. I think I might give this a try. I also think I might start conservative with the amount of nutritional yeast, I've found in my vegan cheese making nutritional yeast is definitely helpful, but too much can quickly over power the flavor.
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't but you are welcome to experiment. ENjoy!
Lauren says
This looks awesome! Can’t wait to try!!
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks Lauren! I hope you love it 🙂
Laura says
I'm so excited I found this recipe! I've been craving one of my old favorite lunches of sauteed cabbage, noodles and cottage cheese. It's such an old-fart meal but I LOVE it!
One question for you: does it matter if the silken tofu is the soft or firm variety? I know I've seen firm silken tofu in some sauce recipes, so I'm guessing that wouldn't make a difference. But want to check in with the pro first.
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, love it! I use the soft kind of tofu found in the fridge section, not the firm kind found in a shelf stable box if that helps 🙂
tammy says
What am I doing wrong? I made a double batch and 1 it smells horrid? 2 Definitely doesn’t taste like cottage cheese (I can eat dairy, my son can’t and of course for his ‘snack day’ he gets to bring in cottage cheese...df it is ♀️). 3. HELP please
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Tammy, it's difficult to know what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you, but this should have a very mild scent so I'm wondering if your tofu may be off? The rest is really just seasoning so that would be my best guess...
Nicole says
It's delicious! And even better the second day!!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you're a fan, Nicole 🙂
Lisa says
Do you use the refrigerated silken tofu or the shelf stable silken tofu? Can't wait to make this!
Sam Turnbull says
I used the refrigerated kind. Enjoy!
Nancy says
Has anyone tried this in lasagne?
Sam Turnbull says
You can use it but it won’t melt like cottage cheese does. I like to use my tofu ricotta or cashew ricotta in lasagna.
Kristi says
This recipe is amazing! My boyfriend and I have missed cottage cheese since becoming vegan and now I eat this with a peach almost every morning. I was skeptical of the recipe since it's 90% tofu but it's amazing!!! Thanks so much for coming up with this!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! You're most welcome, Kristi! So happy you love it so much 🙂
Chris Pether says
Hi,been a vegetarian for ore than 30 years, and decided to become a vegan as I cannot stand the thought of eggs. I also suffer with a lot of inflamatio and was told ot to eat potatoes, peppers, egg plants,and tomatos, four inflamation causing foods are a big no no. Also I don't use sugar or wheat flour. Gluten free, so I make my muffins with rice flour, baking powder, bi-carb, olive oil, soya drink, sultanas, walnuts and dried apricots plus three bananas and.plant based sweetner.
So quick and easy
It's quite hard to find a dish that I like apart from salads.I was interested in the spinach canneloni, but it had a tomatoe sauce over it. I will just have to keep searching..Chris.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Chris! I'm not an allergy specialist so I'm not sure I can help you but hopefully you can find some recipes you can enjoy here. 🙂
Cheryl says
Haven’t tried it yet, but plan to.
Is there a vegan way to make a mozzarella that tastes real and is just as stringy? I’ve tried store brands but they’re awful.
Sam Turnbull says
I have two versions, this mozzarella is very stretchy but always stays in liquid form. This mozzarella is grateable and is great for pizza. Enjoy!
Cap'n Dave says
Just a little TOO liquidy (is that a word?) so my next batch will cut back a touch, but definitely close to the "real deal". LOVE IT!
Now, as to your "Challenge me! I Dare ya!" statement? Got one for you...
Sauerbraten.
Yeah, I know, I've been working on it too. Not so easy. Tempeh is NOT an option. Trust me. My next attempt will be with a seitan loaf.
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed! I have never had Sauerbraten before, but you could try my vegan seitan steaks which might be similar. Enjoy!
Cap'n Dave says
It may well have to be steaks vs. a loaf, but here's the general gist of sauerbraten:
Combine vinegar, chopped carrots, pickling spice, black peppercorns, a dash of salt, some sugar if desired, and chopped onions into a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes, pour over the "meat" (which is pan-seared "bacon" tightly wrapped over the "beef" roast), then allow to cool, refrigerate and turn every few hours...for 3-5 days...no, I'm not joking. Well, at least that's what I did when it was actual beef and pork back in the day - very old recipe, and it called for "larding the beef" which was threading a larding needle (they don't even sell those anymore) with strips of lard and lacing the beef roast - I found that just tying bacon strips was a suitable alternative, but now? Everything is made from veggies, so likely the marinating time wouldn't be as long - especially if it's steaks vs. a roast.
I don't know...going to have to try it out. I tried tempeh...once...didn't turn out well. Not bad, but also not good! LOL!
Sam Turnbull says
Sounds very interesting!
Emilie says
I missed the cottage cheese when I went vegan not anymore with this super easy recipe. I double the yeast and put more salt cause I like it salty and it’s perfect for me. I’m eating it right now for breakfast with a banana, so good.
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing! Thrilled you love it so much, Emilie 🙂
Elizabeth says
Damn, Sam! High five! (I used to live in Ayr, Ontario.)
Sam Turnbull says
High five!
Annie says
This looks amazingly delicious. I was a huge fan of cottage cheese (Hüttenkäse, as they call in in Switzerland). I will try this tomorrow. I was wondering if your blender was a Vitamix or an other brand. I recently bought a Nutribullet 900 series and I have mixed feelings about it 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you're excited! I have a Blendtec blender that I love an highly reccomend 🙂
Angela says
I just made this but I think the brand of tofu I used was too strong tasting (365 Organic). The good news is I turned it into tofu scramble (added more nutritional yeast, some black salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and turmeric) and it was my best personal tofu scramble yet! Thanks for the break through! Next time I'll use a different brand of tofu, can't hurt when the failure turns out to be a winner anyway!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh yes, that's a great way to solve the problem. 🙂
Kelly says
Can this be used as a substitute for cottage/ricotta in lasagna??
Sam Turnbull says
Sure but it won't melt like cottage cheese does. I like to use my tofu ricotta or cashew ricotta in lasagna. 🙂
LaterSpaceCowboy (Automatic Luxury Gay Space Communism *now*) says
Cashew "cheez" sauce thickened up a bit is ideal for baked dishes like lasagna. It's sooooo creamy and goooood. *Drool*
Trudy Obie says
I just did tonight and it was wonderful!
charlie says
What is your favorite brand of nutritional yeast, and are you using the "Nutirional Yeast Seasoning"?
Sam Turnbull says
I don't really have a preference as I don't find they vary much. The most recent brand I bought was Bob's Red Mill. Enjoy!
Suee33 says
About nutritional yeast I found I am sensitive to regular bin or bagged FORTIFIED Nutritional Yeast, Made me feel bad, sick to my stomach. I figured it out and it and now only use, Sari Foods 100% Natural Non-Fortified nutritional yeast flakes, Non- synthetic, non-GMO This is not an add, I get nothing from telling you this. Hope this might help someone else.
Dee says
Pretty decent protein vs calorie return. And YES it's YUMMY.
Thank you oh thank you. I don't care what color it is as long as it tastes.....
Sam Turnbull says
So very happy you enjoyed it so much, Dee!! 🙂