Cottage Cheese Quiche
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My cottage cheese quiche is creamy and soufflé-like, baked in a golden, buttery crust. It’s higher in protein and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even a lighter dinner.
Many readers love my asparagus quiche, and one question comes up again and again: can it be made higher in protein without using cream?
This cottage cheese quiche is my tested answer. Instead of cream, I found that a couple of extra eggs and some milk create a light but stable custard. For an additional boost of protein, spoonfuls of cottage and ricotta cheese are added on top before baking, melting into the filling and adding richness without heaviness.
The result? A creamy, sliceable quiche that packs in 11 grams of protein per serving, but tastes like a classic quiche.
Table of Contents
Why make my cottage cheese quiche recipe
- Quick and easy. I skip making a homemade dough in favor of refrigerated dough. Choose your battles, my friends.
- Versatile. I’ve made this quiche at least ten times now, and most of the time it’s actually been for lunch or dinner!
- Meal prep friendly. This quiche freezes well and can be enjoyed straight from the fridge or at room temperature.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into this quiche, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Cottage cheese. I highly recommend full-fat cottage cheese, as it yields the creamiest flavor and naturally melts into the egg custard.
- Ricotta cheese. Full-fat ricotta, please.
- Eggs. Room temperature, please.
- Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese. For flavor and richness.
- Baby spinach and cherry tomatoes. My preferred mix-ins for this specific quiche.
- Milk. I prefer non-fat milk, but any milk works.
- Refrigerated dough. You’ll need enough dough to fit a 9-inch pie pan.
How to make a quiche with cottage cheese
Step 1- Prep crust. Roll the dough until it’s about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish and press the bottom and sides against the plate. Trim excess and use a fork to crimp the edges. Par-bake for 15 minutes.
Step 2- Beat. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.
Step 3- Combine. Fold in the seasonings, spinach, and mozzarella cheese.
Step 4- Prep cottage cheese mix. Whisk together the Parmesan, ricotta, and cottage cheese.
Step 5- Assemble. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared pie crust. Drop spoonfuls of the cottage cheese mixture, then add the tomatoes.
Step 6: Bake the quiche for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Full-fat everything. I know I already mentioned this in the ingredients, but it’s worth repeating. When I tested this with low-fat cottage and ricotta cheeses, too much moisture was released into the filling, resulting in a thinner, less custard-like quiche. Besides, the calorie difference is actually quite low!
- Blind bake the crust. Blind baking ensures the crust remains firm rather than soggy.
- Rest before serving. I find that letting the quiche rest for about 10 minutes before serving allows the egg ‘custard’ to firm up a little more and finish setting (called carryover cooking). It also slices easily, too.
How to store leftovers
To store: Leftover quiche is best stored in the fridge, covered, for up to three days.
To reheat: This quiche is delicious cold, but if you’d like it warm, I find about 5 minutes in a preheated oven (350°F) crisps up the crust nicely, while keeping the filling soft.
Make ahead: This quiche freezes really well, so you can cook two at a time and freeze one for later. Alternatively, you can prep the crust, par-bake it, and refrigerate the egg and cottage cheese mixtures overnight. When you are ready to bake, simply assemble everything and bake the next morning.
Frequently asked questions
I’ll be honest- I tested this without a crust, and it doesn’t do this recipe justice. The crust is what completes it. If you’d like something using similar ingredients, I recommend either my crustless quiche or my cottage cheese egg bites.
If you don’t want to use cottage cheese, you can replace it with equal parts ricotta cheese. I recommend adding an extra half-teaspoon of salt to compensate.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
“This cottage cheese quiche is a fantastic alternative to a traditional quiche, which typically has more fat than protein. It also sneaks in spinach and tomatoes for extra nutrition.” – Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Cottage Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese full-fat
- 1/4 cup ricotta cheese full-fat
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 refrigerated pie dough * See notes
- 6 large eggs
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup Mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Roll out the refrigerated pie dough on a kitchen surface dusted with flour until it's about 12 inches in diameter.
- Transfer the pie crust to a 9-inch pie tin, pressing it down along the bottom and sides. Trim off any of the excess. Using a fork, crimp the edges and prick the bottom of the crust several times.
- Par-bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the milk, salt, Mozzarella cheese, and baby spinach.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, ricotta, and Parmesan.
- Transfer the egg mixture into the pie crust. Drop spoonfuls of the cottage cheese mixture, then sprinkle the cherry tomatoes.
- Bake the quiche for 45 minutes. or until a fork comes out clean in the center.
- Remove the quiche from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Crust: If you want a homemade crust, use the exact same one from my asparagus quiche recipe.
- Tips: See my recipe tips above for making the best cottage cheese quiche.
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to three days, or in the freezer for two months.
Nutrition
More cottage cheese breakfast recipes
- Cottage cheese bagels– Just two main ingredients and the most fluffy, crisp bagels begging to be toasted and devoured.
- Cottage cheese scrambled eggs– This is my sneaky hack to add extra creaminess and protein into simple scrambled eggs.
- Cottage cheese pancakes– Thick, fluffy, and with just 3 ingredients, I make these pancakes almost every week.
- Cottage cheese toast– Elevate your toast game with 6 different cottage cheese-enhanced toppings!
