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5-Minute Vegan Cottage Cheese (No Nuts)

Vegan cottage cheese that tastes just like the one you used to eat, but without dairy! Only 4 ingredients, 1 bowl, and 5 minutes to make a batch. It's creamy, rich in plant-based protein, and can be used anywhere you would use regular cottage cheese. Enjoy it sweet or savory, hot or cold.Yield: makes about 1¾ cups (14 fl oz). Recipe lightly adapted from the tofu ricotta in Miyoko Schinner's book Artisan Vegan Cheese.

Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 80 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 (14 oz) package extra-firm tofu Regular firm also works
  • ½ to ⅔ cup plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt See Notes
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. No need to press the tofu, but we do want to remove some of the water. Remove the block of tofu from the package, and wrap a tea towel or paper towels around it. Holding the tofu over the sink lightly squeeze to remove some of the water. Place the tofu in a bowl with the other ingredients, starting with the lesser amount of yogurt and salt.
  2. Use a fork to mash the tofu and incorporate it with the yogurt and seasonings. Mash until the "curds" are as small as you like.
  3. Taste for seasoning, adding more yogurt, garlic, and salt, if desired. Enjoy your vegan cottage cheese right away, or refrigerate for an hour or more to allow the flavors to mingle.

Notes

  • Substitutions:
  • Lemon & Garlic - You can experiment with replacing the lemon juice with a mild vinegar. If you don't like garlic powder, it's fine to omit.
  • Tofu - Though I haven't tried a soy-free version, others have reported that alternatives like Pumfu and fava bean tofu also work. 
  • Selecing a Yogurt: Whether made from oats, coconut, cashews, almonds, or soy, look for a plain, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt for this recipe. If you have trouble finding one in your local grocery store, I have 3 homemade options for you: tofu yogurt, cashew and almond yogurt. 
  • Flavor Variations:
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. As it sits some liquid may separate. Either stir it back in or strain it away. Vegan cottage cheese can be frozen. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Sweet - add maple syrup or your favorite sweetener and serve with fruit, waffles, pancakes, and toast with jelly.
  • Herb - for savory dishes, stir in chopped fresh basil, parsley, chives, or dill; add fresh mint to sweet or spicy cottage cheese.
  • Spicy - think outside of the box! A few dashes of hot sauce turn this into a delicious dip for crusty bread, or add curry powder, chili powder, cayenne, or a sweet-and-spicy chili sauce.

Nutrition Information

Calories 80kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 4g (1%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 4g (6%) Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Sodium 355mg (15%) Fiber 1g (4%) Calcium 164mg (16%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 80

% Daily Value*

Calories 80kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 4g 1%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 4g 6%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 355mg 15%
Fiber 1g 4%
Calcium 164mg 16%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.