This Cottage Cheese Smoothie is creamy, naturally sweet, and is a great meal option as it actually keeps you full with 20 grams of protein per glass. Not everyone loves protein powder, so this is an easy way to add protein to a smoothie. It might sound unusual at first, but blending cottage cheese creates the smoothest, most velvety cheesecake like texture. Trust me, and give it a try!
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I love a smoothie for a quick and easy meal or post-workout snack, but they don't always keep me full, or help me reach my protein goals - but this smoothie with cottage cheese ticks the boxes.
It's made with simple ingredients you probably already have: banana, berries, milk, cottage cheese, and a drizzle of maple syrup for natural sweetness. But, it's easy to adapt with other fruits and add-ins.
Don't be put off by this having cottage cheese in it - it really works and makes it more like a cottage cheese protein shake, than a smoothie. It is thick, creamy, and tastes like a cheesecake/milkshake - but it's packed with nutrients.
The banana adds natural sweetness and thickness, the berries add freshness and fibre and the cottage cheese gives it that rich texture while keeping it high in protein. It's also incredibly versatile, so you can tweak it depending on what you have at home.
Looking for more new ways to use cottage cheese? Why not try our creamy Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats, easy Cottage Cheese Chia Pudding or our juicy Cottage Cheese Meatballs?
For more cottage cheese inspiration, take a look at 30 Cottage Cheese Recipes.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Cottage cheese - For the creamiest texture, use full fat cottage cheese. But you can use a lower fat percentage too. Plain cottage cheese is what you want, not the pineapple or chive kind.
- Milk - Any milk will work here. Oat milk or full-fat dairy will give the creamiest cottage cheese smoothie.
- Berries - Frozen berries give the best texture and make it really refreshing, as well as budget friendly. But you can use any selection of berries you like.
- Banana - Frozen banana or fresh.
- Maple syrup - This can be swapped for honey if you prefer or even pitted Medjool dates.
Variations
Chocolate - Add a teaspoon of cocoa powder and a little extra maple syrup. It turns into a chocolate berry shake that feels like dessert. You could add chocolate protein powder too.
Tropical - If you want a tropical twist, swap the berries for mango and pineapple. The cottage cheese still blends well and gives it a creamy, almost yogurt-like finish.
Green boost - For a green smoothie, add a handful of spinach. You won't taste it, but it adds extra nutrients and a vibrant colour.
More filling - Blend in a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter. You can also add some Greek yogurt too or even flaxseeds which would add fibre as well.
How To Make a Cottage Cheese Smoothie
Step 1
Put all of the ingredients into a blender jug.
Step 2
Blend until smooth.
Cottage Cheese Smoothie Storage
Store - This smoothie is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Give it a good shake or stir before drinking, as it may naturally separate slightly.
Prep - If you want to prep ahead, you can portion the banana and berries into freezer bags. Then just add the cottage cheese, milk, and maple syrup when you're ready to blend.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Use a ripe banana for natural sweetness and a smoother texture. Underripe bananas can make the smoothie taste slightly starchy.
- Blend for longer than you think you need. Cottage cheese needs a bit of extra time to fully break down and become silky smooth and you don't want to see any of the curds.
- Frozen berries work really well and make the smoothie thicker without needing ice, which can dilute the flavour. You could add a handful of ice cubes if you prefer.
- If your blender struggles, add the milk first, then the cottage cheese, and softer ingredients before the frozen fruit. This helps everything blend more easily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all. Once blended, cottage cheese becomes completely smooth and neutral. It just adds creaminess and protein without a noticeable taste.
Any decent blender will work, but a high-speed blender will give you the smoothest consistency, especially for fully blending the cottage cheese. We love the Ninja 3-in-1 Blender.
More Smoothie Recipes
If you've tried this cottage cheese smoothie recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Cottage Cheese Smoothie
Ingredients
- 220 g (1 cup) Fat free cottage cheese
- 1 Banana
- 140 g (1 cup) Frozen berries
- 375 ml (1.5 cups) Skimmed milk
- 2 tablespoon Maple syrup
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients into a blender jug.
Recipe Tips
- Use a ripe banana for natural sweetness and a smoother texture. Underripe bananas can make the smoothie taste slightly starchy.
- Blend for longer than you think you need. Cottage cheese needs a bit of extra time to fully break down and become silky smooth and you don't want to see any of the curds.
- Frozen berries work really well and make the smoothie thicker without needing ice, which can dilute the flavour. You could add ice if you prefer.
- If your blender struggles, add the milk first, then the cottage cheese, and softer ingredients before the frozen fruit. This helps everything blend more easily.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Sandra says
Had some cottage cheese to use up so thought why not? It’s sooooo delicious and doesn’t taste of cottage cheese at all. My autistic 6 year old also gave it the thumbs up.
Gina says
My first ever home-made smoothie!. Added spinach and cottage cheese as suggested and couldn't taste either thankfully! Was thick-milkshake texture and tasted great. (Used in full: milk, 5% Gk yoghurt, tspn ground flaxseeds, 250gm cottage cheese, handful spinach, 3-4 dates, 2 ripe bananas, drop vanilla extract, two tablespoons frozen fruit (had defrosted already though), handful broken-up walnuts, 25gm/60ml whey protein powder. Blend. Drink. Yum! Made enough for two large glasses, so demolished first and put second glass in fridge for tomorrow. Couldn't see fibre or calorie numbers in this recipe, and I haven't calculated additional ingredients for protein/fibre/calories though (so would not want to provide wrong guess). Recommended.
Dannii Martin says
Hi Gina, I am happy you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing your variations. The full nutritional info is at the bottom of every recipe card :)