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My Favorite Cottage Cheese Salad Recipe: Fresh, Creamy, and Protein-Packed

My Favorite Cottage Cheese Salad Recipe

A fresh, creamy, no-cook salad combining cottage cheese with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, dill, lemon juice, and olive oil. It is ideal as a light lunch, side dish, or high-protein snack.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 2 cups Small-curd cottage cheese, preferably 2% or full-fat
  • 1 medium Medium cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 small Small red onion, finely chopped
Dressing
  • 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
Herbs and Seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. If the cucumber or tomatoes are especially juicy, chop them and drain briefly to remove excess liquid. Drain any unusually wet liquid from the cottage cheese container as well.
  2. Place the cottage cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and chopped dill in a mixing bowl.
  3. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl until combined.
  4. Pour the dressing over the cottage cheese mixture and fold gently until the ingredients are evenly coated. Avoid vigorous stirring so the cottage-cheese curds remain intact.
  5. Taste the salad and adjust the salt, pepper, lemon juice, or dill according to preference.
  6. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes before serving. If preparing ahead, add the tomatoes just before serving to reduce liquid pooling.

Notes

Use small-curd cottage cheese for a thicker, more cohesive salad. Parsley may replace the dill, and the olive oil and lemon juice can be omitted for a simpler version.