High Protein Cottage Cheese Queso

4.23 18 Published May 01, 2024, Updated Oct 27, 2024 I love how it tastes like real deal queso, but it’s packed with 22 grams of protein per serving. And it’s SO easy to whip up. Just blend and microwave… that’s it! You’ll have a delicious, creamy and cheesy dip in a matter of minutes. I love serving it with tortilla chips or fresh veggies for a mid-day snack or appetizer before dinner. However you serve it, I know you’re going to love it!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Healthier – Adding cottage cheese to queso makes this dip lighter and packed with protein (one serving has 22 grams of protein!), making it a healthier alternative to traditional queso. Quick and Easy – You only need 3 main ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep to whip up this cottage cheese queso. Can’t get much easier than that! Versatile – Serve it as an appetizer or snack with chips or veggies or drizzle it over tacos, burrito bowls, nachos and so much more!

Ingredients Needed

You only need THREE simple ingredients for this recipe. Here’s what you need:

cottage cheese – choose full-fat cottage cheese for creaminess or low-fat for a lighter option. I personally love whole milk Good Culture cottage cheese. taco seasoning – use your favorite store-bought mixture or make your own taco seasoning at home by combining garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. pepper jack or cheddar cheese – for that real deal cheesy goodness that we all love in queso! Use cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese for added flavor! You can also use monterey jack or a Mexican cheese blend.

How to Make Cottage Cheese Queso

This recipe takes only 5 minutes to whip up. Here’s how to make it: Step 1: Add your cottage cheese and taco seasoning to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Step 2: Transfer your cottage cheese mixture to a microwave-safe bowl and add your shredded cheese. Microwave in 30-second intervals until cheese is fully melted, about 1-1 1/2 minutes. Add your favorite toppings, if desired and serve warm with chips or veggies.

How to Serve Cottage Cheese Queso

As a dip – I love serving this queso as an appetizer or snack with tortilla chips and fresh vegetables like bell peppers, carrots and cucumber! It would also be delicious served as a dip with fresh jicama or my baked jicama fries. As a topping – this queso is a delicious topping for any recipe that you want to add some creamy, cheesy goodness too. Drizzle it over this chicken burrito bowl, sheet pan shrimp fajitas, cauliflower nachos, stuffed sweet potato or chicken tacos. The options are endless!

Can I Make This Queso Without a Microwave?

Yes! No microwave? No problem. You can make this dip in the oven or air fryer. To make this dip in the oven, transfer the cottage cheese mixture to an oven-safe dish, add your cheese and cook at 350F for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Pro tip: add additional shredded cheese on top and broil for a few minutes for some added cheesy goodness! To make this dip in the air fryer, transfer the mixture with cheese to your air fryer and cook at 350F for probably 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

How to Store Leftovers

In the fridge: Place any leftover queso in an airtight container and refrigerate it for 2-3 days. Reheating: To reheat, gently warm the queso in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. You can also reheat it in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of milk or water if the queso has thickened too much.