Cottage Cheese Queso (High Protein, 5 Minutes)

Name: Cottage Cheese Queso
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 cup cottage cheese (I used 2%); 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded); 1/4 cup milk (more if necessary (I used almond milk)); 2 teaspoons taco seasoning; Tomato, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion (finely chopped, for topping); Tortilla chips (for serving)

Cottage Cheese Queso is a cheesy dip with 6 grams of protein and ready in 5 minutes. Serve with chips or veggies for the ultimate snack!

If you love this one, you’ll also enjoy cottage cheese ranch dip and Greek yogurt taco dip.

Cottage cheese queso dip in a bowl garnished with toppings. Tortilla chips in a bowl and on a counter around it.

As soon as I spotted a cottage cheese queso recipe on TikTok and Instagram, I knew I had to try it. But every time I heated it up, it would curdle and separate. After some trial and error, I finally found a way to keep it whole and creamy.

My oldest son loved it! And those toppings are a must! I can already see this being a lifesaver for snacks or a last-minute appetizer.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Tastes like original: Creamy, cheesy, warm, and gooey, it’s an out-of-this-world taste.
Quick and easy: Just blend 4 ingredients then microwave, that’s it!
High in protein: We love cottage cheese recipes for their extra protein boost.
Versatile: Dunk it with chips or veggies, or pour over tacos, nachos, and burrito bowls for extra flavor fun!

Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Queso

You only need 4 simple ingredients for cottage cheese queso dip, then you have chips and optional toppings.

Tortilla chips, cottage cheese, taco seasoning, milk, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, tomato.

Cottage cheese: The star of the show in many of my latest high protein recipes. I used 2% fat but any fat percentage works. Low fat cottage cheese will create a lighter dip, while full fat makes it extra creamy.
Shredded cheese: Go for real shredded cheese over packaged, it melts better. I used cheddar cheese for classic flavor, but Tex Mex cheese with jalapeno adds spice, or try pepper jack for extra zing.
Milk: Helps create a smooth, creamy texture. Use your milk of choice, I used almond milk.
Taco seasoning: Store-bought or homemade taco seasoning is good.
Toppings: I topped our dip with tomatoes, fresh cilantro, jalapenos, and red onion.
Tortilla chips: Chips and queso were made for each other!

How to Make Cottage Cheese Queso

You need a high speed blender or food processor to make this dip. See notes about adding milk in Tips section below to make sure the mixture blends.

Step by step process how to make quarter cheese queso dip in a blender then transfer to bowl and top with toppings.

Blend ingredients: In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, shredded cheddar, milk, and taco seasoning. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed, and add more milk if required.
Warm it up: Pour the mixture into a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave it twice in intervals of 15-20 seconds, stirring halfway through and again at the end.
Serve: Sprinkle some chopped tomatoes, jalapeno, red onion, and cilantro on top and serve right away with tortilla chips or fresh veggies.

Tips for Best Results

Here are my tried and true recipe tips to achieve the perfect healthy queso dip.

Adjust milk amount: Milk is to make sure the mixture blends, you might need to add a different amount depending on the strength of your kitchen appliance. I ended up adding 4 tablespoons in my Blendtec and 7 tablespoons in my Ninja blender.
If you use Vitamix: You might not need to add milk at all as it’s quite powerful and the included stick helps you to blend it. Adjust the consistency as you go.
Don’t heat it on the stove: In my experience, even 20 seconds simmered in the pot will cause whey in cheese to separate. Also don’t use the oven!
Shred your cheese: It melts better which is crucial with such a short amount of heating up time in this recipe.
Adjust spiciness: Season to taste with more taco seasoning or even by adding diced fresh or jarred jalapenos.

Person holding a chip dipped into a queso dip.

How to Serve

The toppings add a very nice extra flavor, I highly recommend not to skip them. You could also top it with pico de gallo, green chilies, or extra shredded cheese.

Then serve it up as an appetizer or snack alongside your favorite tortilla chips or crisp veggies like carrots, cucumber, celery, or bell peppers. It’s also perfect for dunking baked tacos.

Cheese is a taco essential! So go ahead and drizzle queso over ground beef tacos, fish tacos, chicken burritos, or even air fryer nachos.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Pour leftover queso dip into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Careful reheating because cottage cheese curdles quickly. Microwave in two 20 second bursts, stirring in between. Avoid stovetop reheating as it’s more prone to curdling.

Freeze: The mixture will become watery and separate so do not freeze.

FAQs

Can I make it without a microwave?

You can make this dip without a microwave only if you keep it cold and don’t heat it up, which honestly still tastes really good!

What can I use instead of cheddar cheese?

You can skip cheddar cheese and add 3-4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.

What can I use instead of cottage cheese?

Possibly ricotta cheese, then you might need less milk. Or farmer’s cheese. Greek yogurt will make it too thin and too tangy.

More Dip Recipes to Try