Vegan cottage cheese that tastes just like the one you used to eat, but without the dairy! Only 4 ingredients, 1 bowl, and 5 minutes to make a batch. It's creamy, rich in plant-based protein, naturally gluten-free and oil-free, and can be used any way you would use dairy cottage cheese. 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
When I was testing this Vegan Crockpot Lasagna, the first time I whipped up the vegan ricotta for it, I couldn't believe how much it tasted like cottage cheese!
Actually, I think it tastes BETTER than the "real thing."
Before going vegan, I enjoyed pretty much all dairy products, but cottage cheese was at the bottom of the list. I always found the sour flavor a bit off-putting.
But THIS dairy free cottage cheese? It's actually delicious!
This recipe creates a vegan cottage cheese that leans more toward tangy than sour, but it still has the familiar creaminess and curd texture you expect.
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The Inspiration
This recipe is lightly adapted from the ricotta recipe in Miyoko Schinner's cookbook Artisan Vegan Cheese.
I've been referring to that book for almost a decade now and still recommend it for anyone who enjoys making homemade vegan cheeses.
There are a lot of shiny new vegan cheese books in the world these days, but the simplicity of some of those older recipes is hard to beat.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make a batch of dairy-free cottage cheese.
- Extra firm tofu - I prefer extra-firm in this recipe because it creates curds with the perfect texture that's eerily similar to classic cottage cheese. You can also use regular firm tofu if you want a slightly softer and creamier version.
- Yogurt - whether made from oats, cashews, almonds, coconut, or soy, look for a plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt for this recipe. If you have trouble finding one in your local grocery store, you can always make your own! I have three yogurt recipes for you: tofu, cashew and almond milk yogurt.
- Lemon juice - this adds a subtle fresh tanginess and helps disguise the mild, natural flavor of the tofu.
- Garlic powder - a small amount adds a cheesy undertone and makes this taste more like classic cottage cheese, but you can also try it without first to see if you need it.
- Sea salt - salt is critical for creating real cottage cheese flavor. Otherwise, you'll just have a bland, slightly tangy, bowl full of tofu. So don't skip the salt!
See recipe card below for quantities and full instructions.
How to Make Vegan Cottage Cheese
Aside from tasting amazing, one of the other fantastic things about this recipe is how quick and easy it is. No special equipment required!
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- First, drain the tofu. Wrap a tea towel or paper towels around it, and lightly squeeze over the sink to remove some of the water. No need to fully press the tofu. Place it in a bowl with the other ingredients.
- Use a fork to mash the tofu and incorporate everything very well. Taste and adjust the amount of yogurt, garlic powder, and salt, as desired.
And that's it! Enjoy your healthier vegan cottage cheese right away, or refrigerate it for an hour or more to allow the flavors to mingle.
Ways to Use Vegan Cottage Cheese
Breakfast - Enjoy it with fruit, toast, oatmeal, biscuits, muffins, or even stirred into tofu scramble.
Lunch - Add vegan cottage cheese to salads, sandwiches, and wraps for a bit of cooling, tangy creaminess.
Snacks & Appetizers - It's also great scooped up with raw veggies and crackers or spread on crostini.
Dinner - You can use this vegan cottage cheese in hot dishes like you would ricotta-think stuffed shells, lasagna, pizza, and dolloped on top of pasta. It's also a great substitute for sour cream.
Flavor Variations
Like most homemade vegan versions of dairy products, this one is easy to customize depending on how you plan to serve it.
- Sweet - Add maple syrup or your favorite sweetener and serve with fruit, waffles, pancakes, or 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 turns this into a delicious dip for crusty bread, or add curry powder, chili powder, cayenne, or a sweet-and-spicy chili sauce.
Today for lunch I enjoyed an open-face sandwich with vegan cottage cheese, several dashes of Frank's hot sauce, and topped it off with sautéed spinach. Trust me, it's better than it sounds!
Substitutions
Lemon Juice & Garlic Powder - You can experiment with replacing the lemon juice with a mild vinegar. If you don't like garlic powder, there's no harm in leaving it out. You can also try a little onion powder in its place.
Tofu - If possible, don't substitute. Tofu really does have the perfect, cheese-like texture for creating the cottage cheese curds. If needed, you can use a soy-free alternative like the fava bean tofu from Big Mountain Foods or PUMFU brand made from pumpkin seeds.
Tip! If you want something similarly creamy, without tofu, that can be used in sweet or savory dishes, check out this Almond Ricotta. It's just as easy and versatile as vegan cottage cheese!
FAQs
Yes! Several readers have reported that soy-free alternatives also work well, such as Pumfu (pumpkin seed tofu), chickpea tofu, or fava bean tofu.
Yes, this recipe is gluten-free and can be nut-free depending on your choice of dairy-free yogurt.
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. May also be frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then stir and enjoy.
More Vegan Cheese Recipes
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 Nuts)
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
- 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.1 (14 oz) package extra-firm tofu, ½ to ⅔ cup plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¾ to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 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.
- 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 - 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.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Eileen Darcy says
Oh my God! I've missed cottage cheese so much since going vegan. This is unbelievably like the dairy kind. Thank you so much for this recipe! Will make again and again!
Christine Stever says
Delicious! I am not vegan, but thought this tasted great. I did press my tofu and used granulated garlic approx 1/4 tsp.
Lisa says
This is pure sorcery!! I haven’t had cottage cheese in 12 years, but this tastes just like I remember. I used to sit down with a tub of Breakstones and dip crackers in it for a snack. Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming up with this delicious version! I followed the recipe exactly, using the lesser amounts of salt and garlic powder. I used homemade IP soy yogurt. Sheer perfection! This will be a weekly staple from now on!
Kim says
My husband and I used to eat cottage cheese with tomato slices, salt and pepper, for breakfast. Since we went vegan, that is the only thing we really miss because we have never been able to find or make a decent substitute. This recipe was incredible. It’s surprising how close to dairy cottage cheese this is. Thank you for this recipe!
Margaret says
This turned out so good!!! It really scratches that cottage cheese itch that I’ve been missing since going vegan. I was not super hopeful because I tried a different cottage cheese recipe a couple years ago and it did not turn out well in my opinion. I’m definitely going to be making this regularly from now on. Thank you so much!
Cindi says
Thank you for your review. I like that it's simple to make. Will definitely try.
Heidi says
Talk about timing! I was craving cottage cheese & I was going to search recipes & a little bit later I received an email with a recipe. 🙂 I couldn't find plain unsweetened vegan yogurt so I used a vanilla Almond yogurt. It's not bad but I think I will see if I can find a plain one the next time I make it. I only used a 1/2 cup of yogurt - anymore and I feel that it would be too much yogurt.
F. Mitchell says
This 5-Minute Vegan Cottage Cheese is amazing!! My daughter sent me the recipe; a few weeks back I spoke of Cottage cheese & peaches! Now I can eat some! Thank you! Thank you! 😁
Renee’ says
I am in love! I am having to change my diet drastically and have been so concerned about giving up my favorite foods! Cottage cheese is a favorite. The ONLY time I have ever had tofu has been in miso soup and I usually only ate a couple of the pieces of it. I just made this recipe and I am so wonderfully surprised! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes!
Margaret says
Your recipe that tastes and looks like the real thing was a delicious replacement for my old spaghetti pie recipe that calls for cottage cheese. I'll use this in many more recipes. Thank you!
Nancy says
This is so good! I had doubts going in but was surprised at the texture and the taste. I'm not vegan but I limit cow milk products and I'm happy I found this. I think the garlic powder is what takes the flavor over the edge.
TofuAnnie says
I tried this with the lemon juice and loved it, but I also have powder lactic acid. Would this work as well? I use it in other cheeze recipes. Any idea how much to use if you think it would work?
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Annie - So glad you like it!
Yes, I think a little bit in addition to the lemon would be nice. I'm not sure how it would taste if you replaced the lemon altogether, since lemon adds more than just the acidity. You could always try it with a smaller batch/amount of tofu first, starting with a small amount of lactic acid powder, like 1/4-1/2 tsp, depending on batch size. Then taste and add more if needed.
Lita says
I use vegan lactic acid with this recipe. And you use 1/8 of a teaspoon. It is strong stuff! Don't overdo it. Delicious recipe!!!
Julie says
This recipe blows my mind! It's beyond simple and tastes EXACTLY like how I remember cottage cheese. I have been vegan for over 8 years, so there is that to consider. I'm sure it can also vary depending on which tofu and yogurt you use. I use trader joes regular tofu (pink label) and their cashew milk and coconut cream yogurt. I also leave the garlic powder out. Try this! You will not be disappointed...
Jan says
Excellent! I had pumpkin tofu so I used that. It’s pretty firm but crumbles very easily and prepares in a snap!