[LifeStyle] Cottage cheese is back! Readers on 16 delicious ways to use it – from lasagne to potatoes to pancakes

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The 1970s favourite is wowing a new generation with its creamy goodness. But where to start? Here are simple, healthy recipes to take you from breakfast to dinner

cottage cheese is making a comeback. Favoured by dieters in the 1970s, the low-fat, high-protein curdled milk product is gaining popularity on Instagram and TikTok as gen Z and millennials embrace its creamy goodness. But how to eat it? We asked readers for their favourite recipes.

Scrambled eggs

I add it to cooked scrambled eggs for a post-workout protein boost. I use 2 eggs and whisk with a dash of water, add a knob of butter and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and put it in a small saucepan. Cook on a gentle heat and stir until it looks delicious and nearly firm. Stir in chopped chives and a third of a tub of cottage cheese and serve on sourdough toast. Enjoy! Julie Corcoran, artist, Cavan, Ireland

Syrnikis

My favourite thing to make with cottage cheese is syrnikis: little round, thick pancakes. It’s egg, flour, sugar and tvorog – a quark-like curd cheese – fried in butter. Syrnikis are often served with thick condensed milk, or with jam or preserved fruits, especially berries. Tvorog is an important part of our cuisine here in eastern Europe. Jessica, Estonia

A healthy breakfast

I like to dish out 3 scoops of cottage cheese with 1 tbsp of desiccated coconut and a handful of plump blueberries. I discovered this while on a health kick and it’s become a go-to breakfast. David, arts marketer, Cornwall

Cottage cheese curry

You can make a cottage cheese curry. Add some salt, turmeric, cornflour and garam masala to cottage cheese to make a dough. Then make small balls the size of a coin and shallow-fry them. Mix together coriander, turmeric and paprika powder. Chop one tomato. Heat some oil in the cheese-ball pan, then add cumin seeds, garam masala and a bay leaf.

Saute this a little, then add the chopped tomato and cook until it becomes soft. Add the spice mix. Fry until the oil comes out from the spices. Add a cup of water, cover and wait for it to boil, then add the cheese balls. Boil for four to five minutes. Switch off and let it sit for five more minutes. Serve hot with white rice. Kathakali Das Bhaumik, language annotator, India

Summery tomato flan

For the crispy pastry: 170g plain flour, 56g sesame seeds, 5 tbsp of vegetable oil and 1½ tbsp of water. Combine, knead, roll out and bake blind. For the filling: 227g cottage cheese, 3 eggs, 2 tbsp fresh chopped mixed herbs and 1 small bunch of spring onions, finely chopped. Puree the cottage cheese, add the beaten eggs, stir in the herbs and spring onions and season well. Pour into a flan case and top with 4 sliced, de-seeded tomatoes. Bake at 180C fan until the filling has set and is just colouring. Marie Shevlin, retired teacher, Kilwinning, Ayrshire

Lasagne

My mum used to make lasagne with cottage cheese instead of ricotta. We could never find ricotta in the 1960s. Drain it, of course. It was delicious. I didn’t know any different! Holly, Dallas, US

Butter bean stew

Mix cottage cheese with kimchi and butter beans, then serve with salad leaves, tomatoes and any other suitable veggies. It’s a delicious, quick, filling, low-calorie lunch. Jane Willis, Moretonhampstead, Devon

Marmite sandwiches

Cottage cheese and marmite sandwiches are the best! Penny, retired, Sussex

Onion and tomato salad

Mine is a bit of a non-recipe, but so yummy: a serving of cottage cheese, finely chopped red onion, chopped tomato and chopped green and red pepper. I like a little fresh dill as well. Dress with salt and pepper and red wine vinegar to taste. It’s really savoury and no oil is needed because of the creaminess of the cottage cheese. Diana Bone, office administrator, Dundas, Ontario, Canada

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jul/19/cottage-cheese-readers-16-delicious-ways-to-use-it-lasagne-potatoes-pancakes-recipes