This vegan cottage cheese is creamy, tangy, and ready in 5 minutes. Made in one bowl with 5 simple ingredients, it's an easy dairy-free option for breakfast, snacks, and using in other recipes. Enjoy it sweet or savory, hot or cold!
Recipe Feedback ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"OMG! I have been craving cottage cheese. I have been dairy free for 15 years. This recipe is even better than the real thing! Thank you!" ~Thea
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When I was testing my vegan crockpot lasagna recipe, I made a batch of tofu ricotta and tasted it before adding any herbs. That's when I realized how much it tasted like cottage cheese! So of course I had to explore the idea and get the flavors dialed in just right.
This version has that familiar creamy, curdy texture, with a tangy flavor that's easy to adjust.
The Inspiration
This recipe is lightly adapted from the tofu ricotta in Miyoko Schinner's cookbook Artisan Vegan Cheese. It's a book I've returned to for well over a decade now, and I still recommend it to anyone who enjoys making homemade vegan cheese.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The tofu creates the curds, while the yogurt adds the creamy, lightly sour and tangy part. Here's what to look for:
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- Extra-firm tofu: I recommend extra-firm if you want distinct, cheese-like curds. Regular firm tofu also works if you're okay with a slightly softer, creamier texture. I haven't tested a substitute, but several readers have reported successfully using soy-free alternatives, such as Pumfu (pumpkin seed tofu), chickpea tofu, or fava bean tofu.
- Plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt: Choose one you enjoy on its own, and avoid vanilla-flavored yogurt, even if it's unsweetened. You can also make your own tofu yogurt, cashew yogurt, or almond milk yogurt. Since yogurt adds richness, flavor, and creaminess, unfortunately I can't recommend any subs.
- Lemon juice: This adds tang and helps balance the mild tofu flavor. You can experiment with a mild vinegar instead.
- Garlic powder: A small amount adds a savory undertone. You can leave it out, especially if you plan to serve the cottage cheese with sweet toppings.
- Fine sea salt: Salt is key! It brings the flavors together and is what really makes it taste more like cottage cheese. Start with less since you can always add more after mixing.
How to Make Vegan Cottage Cheese
All you need are a bowl, a fork, and a clean tea towel or paper towels.
- First, drain the tofu. Wrap a tea towel or paper towels around it, and lightly squeeze over the sink to remove some water. No need to fully press it. Place it in a bowl with the other ingredients.
- Use a fork to mash the tofu and mix everything very well. Taste and adjust the amount of yogurt, garlic powder, and salt, as desired.
And that's it! Enjoy right away, or refrigerate for an hour or more to let the flavors mingle.
Recipe Tips
- Add yogurt gradually. Tofu and dairy-free yogurts vary in moisture and thickness. So start with less yogurt, mix well, and add more a spoonful at a time until the curds are coated in a creamy base.
- Adjust the curd size. Mash gently for larger curds, or use the fork to break them into smaller pieces. Stop before the mixture becomes a smooth paste.
- Still tastes like tofu? Check the salt and lemon, adjusting a little at a time. Refrigerate before tasting again so the flavors have time to come together.
Ways to Use Vegan Cottage Cheese
Breakfast: Serve with berries, peaches, or pineapple, spoon it onto toast, or enjoy alongside oatmeal and muffins.
Lunch: Add to salads, sandwiches, wraps, and grain bowls for tangy creaminess.
Snacks: Scoop it up with crackers and raw veggies, or spread it on crostini.
Dinner: Spoon onto baked potatoes or cooked pasta. For lasagna, stuffed shells, and other recipes that call for a ricotta filling, see my vegan ricotta and Crockpot Lasagna recipes for specific proportions and instructions.
Flavor Variations
- Sweet: Omit the garlic powder if you prefer, then add maple syrup or your favorite sweetener. Serve with fruit, waffles, pancakes, or toast with jam.
- Herb: For savory dishes, stir in chopped fresh basil, parsley, chives, or dill. Fresh mint is a nice addition, whether sweet or savory.
- Spicy: A few dashes of hot sauce turns this into a delicious dip for crusty bread, or add curry powder, chili powder, cayenne, or chili-garlic sauce.
One of my favorite savory combinations is cottage cheese on toast with Frank's hot sauce and sautéed spinach. Simple, but so good!
I just know you're going to love this dairy-free cottage cheese! If you try it, be sure to comment below to let everyone know.
Recipe
5-Minute Vegan Cottage Cheese (No Blender!)
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz) package extra-firm tofu - regular firm also works
- ½-⅔ cup plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt - see Notes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¾-1 teaspoon fine sea salt - or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Drain the tofu, and wrap with a tea towel or paper towels. Holding the tofu over the sink lightly squeeze to remove some water. No need to fully press it. Place the tofu in a bowl with the other ingredients, starting with the lesser amount of yogurt and salt.1 (14 oz) package extra-firm tofu, ½-⅔ cup plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¾-1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Use a fork to mash the tofu and mix it with the yogurt and seasonings. Mash until the "curds" are as small as you like.
- 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
- 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 - add a few dashes of hot sauce, chili powder, cayenne, curry powder, or a chili-garlic sauce.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Recipe FAQ
Stick with firm or extra-firm tofu for the curds in this recipe. Silken tofu is much softer gets thin after stirring. So it won't give you the same curd texture.
The recipe can be both! Use a gluten-free, nut-free dairy-free yogurt and check the labels on the other ingredients to suit your needs.
Store vegan cottage cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. As it sits some liquid may separate. You can either stir it back in or strain it.
Freezing changes the texture of the tofu and causes more separation after thawing. For the best curdy, creamy texture, enjoy it refrigerated. If you'd like to freeze a batch, try a small portion first, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and stir before deciding whether the texture works for you.
Chelsea says
This is so tasty! Had it with a bit of paprika this morning - gonna try with cinnamon and vanilla later 😀
Sally says
This is fabulous!! So easy and so delicious. I love having "cottage cheese" back in my life again! Thanks, Lori 🙂
Cheryl Rogers says
So easy and close to the dairy cottage cheese I ate years ago before my vegan life. Thank you.
Robyn says
Excellent recipe!
Deirdre says
This is my favorite recipe I've ever found on the internet. It is so good. I make it at least once a week. So easy, so yummy. Thank you!
Sally reed says
I cannot believe how tasty this easy vegan cottage cheese is. Both my husband and I love it and appreciate the protein! Thanks Lori!
R. A. Y. says
I have a confession to make…I’m not vegan. I have, on top of some other food sensitivities, a sensitivity to dairy. So I have unwillingly given up dairy and in the process have had to find substitutes for things that I used to eat.
I have had this recipe saved for some months now and not tried it until now because I was sceptical…really sceptical and I’m not really a fan of tofu unless it is hidden in smoothies and the like.
BUT this does taste as good as what I remember of cottage cheese…maybe even better. I scaled the recipe by 1/2 and followed it (Usually I change things before I’ve even tasted it the first time. Bad habit of mine!). Plain, the “cottage cheese” needed 7/16 teaspoon of salt (for the half recipe) and that did the trick. I did mix in other things, after tasting of course, like two generous pinches of crumbled dried parsley, 2 finely sliced green onions and 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika (for the half recipe) and then it needed the other 1/16 teaspoon of salt (for a total 1/2 teaspoon) because the other addition needed a little salt too.
Thank you for this.