What is Blended Cottage Cheese & How to Use it - Unique Cooks (2024)

Blended cottage cheese or whipped cottage cheese is basically cottage cheese that has been processed or pureed into a smoother, creamier consistency.

Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese made from the curds of cow's milk, and it typically has a lumpy or curd-like texture.

That said, it can still be transformed into a delicious and rich blended version that has a smoother texture, and can be put to use in a ton of different ways.

The blending process gives the cottage cheese a uniform texture, making it easier to incorporate into recipes or even enjoy as is.

Blended cottage cheese is super versatile, and can be used as a spread, a dip or so much more. You can also use it as an ingredient in smoothies or as a substitute for ricotta cheese in certain recipes.

Why Has Whipped Cottage Cheese Become So Popular?

Blended cottage cheese has gained a lot of popularity on TikTok recently, and that's because of several reasons.

Blending the cheese helps transform its lumpy texture into a smoother and creamier consistency, which makes it more appealing to individuals who find the texture of traditional cottage cheese unappetizing.

Blended cottage cheese is super versatile. Thanks to its creamy texture, you can use it as as a base for dips, spreads, and so much more. Plus, you can use it for both sweet and savory dishes.

Cottage cheese is a good source of protein, calcium, and other macronutrients, making it a great healthy ingredient to use. It is also low in sodium as opposed to most other kinds of cheeses, which makes it a great choice for those looking to stick to healthy eating.

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What Does Blended Cottage Cheese Taste Like?

Blended cottage cheese has a milder and smoother taste compared to the traditional lumpy cottage cheese.

When you blend the cottage cheese, the process breaks down the curds and makes the cheese smoother, resulting in a creamy, salty and tangy mixture that is super versatile and easy to use.

Does Blended Cottage Cheese Melt?

Cottage cheese, in general, is an acid coagulated cheese and unlike most other kinds of cheese, it does not melt when it is heated.

How Do I Store Whipped Cottage Cheese?

The simplest, easiest way to store your whipped or blended cottage cheese is to transfer it to an airtight container and pop it in the refrigerator.

This should then last you for 3-4 days, if not more.

The Correct Way to Make Blended Cottage Cheese

The process of making the blended cottage cheese is super simple and straightforward. You can do this using either of these two kitchen equipment.

Using a Food Processor

You can use a regular food processor or a blender to make your cottage cheese mixture. Simply empty the contents into the jar and blend it on low for 30 seconds.

Open the lid and check if the consistency is right. At this point you may also notice some clumps of the cheese on the sides of the jar. You can scrape these back into the jar using a silicone spatula and then blend the mixture once again.

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Using an Immersion Blender

If you don't want to have to scrape the sides of your blender or food processor, and just want simplify the process, using an immersion blender can help.

Simply place your cottage cheese in a large bowl, and use an immersion blender to blend the cheese until it gets to the nice, smooth consistency. This can take up to 2 minutes.

How Can I Make the Blended Cheese Smooth?

If your whipped or blended cottage cheese has turned out grainy and inconsistent in terms of texture, here are a few tips and tricks to help you get it to the perfect creamy and smooth consistency.

• Use a good quality blender or food processor to blend the cheese.
• If the cheese seems too tough, you can add a small amount of liquid of your choice (think milk, yogurt, non dairy milk or even water) and then blend it until it gets creamy.
• Use high speed blending. This will help the liquid get incorporated well, and will also break any lumps in the cheese.
• Start with just a couple of spoons of the liquid, and blend the mixture. If the mixture still seems too stiff, you can gradually add more liquid, scrape down the sides of the blender, and then blend again.
• Remember that even when you blend the cottage cheese enough, the texture of whipped cottage cheese may not be as smooth as cream cheese.

How Do I Thicken the Whipped Cottage Cheese?

If your homemade whipped cottage cheese seems to have a thinner consistency, you can thicken it up and get it creamy in a lot of different ways and techniques.

Add Greek Yogurt

You can add a small amount of Greek yogurt or sour cream to the whipped cottage cheese and blend it together to thicken it up.

Adding Greek yogurt can get the cottage cheese to be a lot smoother and even in consistency, making it perfect for dips and spreads.

Remember to start with just a tablespoon or two of the yogurt and then adjust as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Strain and Remove Liquid

If you're not too keen on adding any other ingredients, you can choose to strain the cottage cheese and get rid of as much excess liquid as you possibly can.

Transfer the cottage cheese to a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined strainer and allow it to drain for some time- around a couple hours. This will eventually thicken the cottage cheese.

You can also choose to place the strainer over a bowl and refrigerate it overnight to get the whipped cottage cheese more thick.

Add a Thickener

Adding a small amount of thickener like cornstarch, arrowroot powder or tapioca starch into the cottage cheese can thicken it up too.

You'll need to first create a simple slurry using any of these thickeners with some water, heat it on the stovetop until it thickens, and then mix it into the cottage cheese and give it another quick whip to smoothen things up.

This technique can be particularly helpful if you're planning to use the whipped cottage cheese for a pasta sauce or as a sandwich spread.

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Add Cream Cheese

Adding a small amount of cream cheese into the mix can also help thicken it up.

You can choose to blend the cream cheese with the whipped cottage cheese until well combined or add it in after you've already blended the cottage cheese.

If you don't have cream cheese, mayonnaise can work in a pinch too. Use about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese in 1 cup of cottage cheese,

How Can I Use Blended Cottage Cheese?

Your blended cottage cheese is super versatile and can be enjoyed and put to use in a lot of different ways. Here are some ideas to get you inspired.

As a Dip

You can use blended cottage cheese mixed with some herbs, spices, or other flavorings as a savory dip for vegetables or chips. I love using everything bagel seasoning,

Also Read: Honey Whipped Goat Cheese

This dip can also double up as a spread for your morning toast, bagels, or even just some crackers.

I love using my whipped cottage cheese as a spread for my homemade sandwiches.

As a Topping

You can also use the whipped cottage cheese as a topping for your baked potatoes, nachos, or tacos. Its creamy and tangy flavor can really work in its favor when it is paired with any subtle tasting dishes.

I love spooning some of it over my favorite Air Fryer walking tacos.

In Smoothies

You can also add some of it to your smoothies to give it a nice protein boost and lend the smoothie a creamy texture.

Cottage cheese pairs well fruits like berries, bananas, or peaches.

In a Homemade Sauce

Craving for a nice creamy pasta? You can use cottage cheese to bring some creaminess and moisture by adding it into your pasta sauce.

You can also use this nutrition heavy sauce in your baked dishes and casseroles to make them more filling and healthy.

I love adding it to my spinach and corn frittata.

In a Salad Dressing

Cottage cheese, when blended together with olive oil, herbs and seasonings of your choice can also be a wonderful dressing for your salads.

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As a Dessert

The high protein content in cottage cheese makes it a great addition to your homemade desserts.

You can easily whip up a simple dessert by adding a sweetener of your choice (think honey or maple syrup) and teaming it up with some cottage cheese, granola and chopped nuts and fruits.

It can also be a great base for your parfaits and a topping for your fruit salad.

Cottage cheese, when blended, can also be used in different baked goods as a substitute for ricotta cheese. You can add it to your crepe and pancake batters to your muffins and cheesecake mixtures too.

Can I Use Whipped Cottage Cheese Instead of Cream Cheese?

While blended cottage cheese and cream cheese may look and feel similar, they are not identical, and cannot be used interchangeably in recipes.

Texture

Cream cheese inherently has a smooth, creamy, and spreadable texture, which is in contrast to the crumbly texture of cottage cheese.

Even if you do decide to blend cottage cheese, both these ingredients will have a different consistency, as cottage cheese still remains just a little grainy as opposed to the silky texture of the cream cheese.

This is why, cream cheese can be great as a filling for cheesecakes or as a frosting, and blended cottage cheese can not be used as an alternative.

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Fat Content

Cream cheese has a higher fat content than cottage cheese.

If you're trying a recipe that relies on the higher fat content of cream cheese for richness or texture, substituting it with blended cottage cheese is not a great idea, as it can affect the consistency of the dish.

Flavor

Cream cheese and cottage cheese are different flavor-wise too.

Cream cheese is mild, and has a slightly tangy flavor, whereas cottage cheese can have a more bland flavor. To tackle this, you can add some lemon juice into the mix too.

Depending on the recipe, this difference in flavor can be noticeable, which is why, using either of them as direct substitutes isn't a great idea.

That said, in some recipes, blended cottage cheese can turn out to be a wonderful substitute for cream cheese.

You can use it in dips, spreads, or certain baked goods that do not heavily rely on cream cheese's specific texture or flavor.

Also remember to use whipped cottage cheese only in cold food preparations, or when minimal heat is involved, as its texture can get grainy and separate.