This 5 minute vegan cottage cheese is ultra creamy, mildly cheesy, and perfectly tangy. Keto, vegan, and protein packed!

Is a vegan cottage cheese that tastes just like the real deal and is packed with protein possible?
I am here to shout YES IT IS!
This vegan cottage cheese is super creamy with the quintessential cottage cheese curd texture. It is mildly cheesy and perfectly tangy.
Reasons to love this recipe:
- This vegan cottage cheese is great in both sweet AND savory applications.
- It is ready in 5 minutes and uses only one bowl.
- It's vegan, keto, gluten free, tree nut free, packed with protein and absolutely delicious.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Firm tofu - drained and patted dry. Do not press the tofu, it will make for dry cottage cheese!
- Dairy free yogurt - I am partial to Culina Plain & Simple coconut yogurt. It has the perfect tang and thick creamy texture.
- Lemon juice - adds a little extra acid to mimic the flavors of cottage cheese.
- Salt - I used sea salt, if using kosher, the measurements will be different adjust to taste.
- Nutritional yeast - adds a mild cheesiness that is very reminiscent of cottage cheese.
How to make easy Vegan Cottage Cheese:
Whisk yogurt + flavorings: In a large bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, lemon juice, salt, and nutritional yeast until well combined.
Crumble in tofu: Crumble the tofu into the bowl in cottage cheese curd sized pieces. Stir to combine and adjust any seasonings if needed. If your yogurt is less tangy, add more lemon. If it lacks flavor, another pinch of salt.
Leftovers?
Store leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freezing is not recommended. As tofu freezes, it lets off lots of moisture and would water down the cottage cheese. It's best to enjoy this recipe fresh!
Flavor variations!
- For sweet cottage cheese - stir in maple syrup, fruit jam, or fresh fruit!
- Extra savory cottage cheese - add a pinch of black pepper and fresh chopped herbs like chives, basil, or parsley.
- For spicy - stir in a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce!
Ways to use vegan cottage cheese:
- Use it in place of ricotta in a vegan lasagna or stuffed shells.
- Serve it on top of toast with your favorite jam.
- Make a savory breakfast bowl by topping it with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, salt and pepper.
- Or top it with fruit, nuts, and granola for a sweet breakfast bowl.
- Halve a tomato, top it with vegan cottage cheese, balsamic, basil, salt and pepper for an appetizer or snack.
- Use it in place of traditional cottage cheese in baked goods.
- Stir vegan cottage cheese together with powdered sugar or maple syrup and use it as a filling for sweet crepes.
- Add a scoop on top of your favorite salad!
More vegan cheese recipes!
- Sharp Vegan Cheese Ball
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Almond Ricotta
- Vegan Cheese Board
- Easy Vegan Cream Cheese
- Cashew Sour Cream
The Best Vegan Cottage Cheese Recipe
Description
This 5 minute vegan cottage cheese is ultra creamy, mildly cheesy, and perfectly tangy. Keto, vegan, and protein packed!
Ingredients
- 1 (14) oz package firm tofu
- 1 cup unsweetened plain vegan yogurt (I like Culina Plain and Simple)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1-2 teaspoons nutritional yeast, to taste
Instructions
- Drain the tofu and pat it dry with a kitchen or paper towel.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and nutritional yeast.
- Crumble in the tofu and stir gently to combine. Enjoy as you would cottage cheese!
Notes
Yogurt: Culina Plain & Simple is quite tangy. If your yogurt is less tangy, you may need to add more lemon.
Salt: if using kosher, the measurements will be different. Adjust to taste.
are you sure about the 1 1/2 tsp. of salt??? I've made this several times and have only used 1/2 tsp - thinking that this was a typo and not willing to make a mistake like that!
I like the recipe a lot - I added freshly ground black pepper, cayenne and something else - splash of acv maybe? (I obviously like high flavor) the texture is very true. great fake for someone like me who always loved cottage cheese but gave it up many years (decades?) ago.
thank you.
★★★★★
I follow a non-dairy non-soy keto way of eating and was feeling nostalgic about cottage cheese so I was thrilled to find this game changing recipe! Instead of tofu I used Pumfu by Foodies Vegan (contains only pumpkin seeds and water) and man, did it hit all the right spots. I played around with the yogurt/Pumfu ratio to get the desired texture. And, since I like my cottage cheese sweet I mixed in stevia and sprinkled with cinnamon and mesquite. Wow! 🙂
1)can you use greek yogurt instead?
2)can you use pressed tofu? I saw seasoned & fried version in brine version under the vegetarian section. Can any tofu be used as long as its drained? Any notes or article just on types of tofu & which is best & why?
Hi Odelia, Yes you can certainly use greek yogurt. You will need to use firm tofu only. Drain and patted it dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Do not press the tofu, it will make for dry cottage cheese! Happy cooking!