What Does Cottage Cheese Taste Like

What Does Cottage Cheese Taste Like

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You might have heard the name cottage cheese or seen it in the long row of cheese at the stores. Among all the types, this one stands out as a healthier version with a unique and not-so-popular taste.

However, it is a versatile cheese that can be eaten in many ways and also has lots of healthy options. Cottage cheese is the first one to take the title “healthy and nutritious” of all. In fact, it has been a very popular choice in the 70s.

People used to add it to many dishes to make them healthier. Nowadays the tradition continued and it has become common among muscle builders. Vegans, gym goers, and bodybuilders use it in their breakfast, lunch, and their snacks regularly because of the high protein it has.

It is also known for its smell and “weird” taste which makes it quite unpopular as well. Mysterious? We know. To give you a tour of this mysterious-tasting cheese, we have described the taste, recipe ideas, process, and all the necessary information you need to know in one place. 

Process of Making

There are mainly two ingredients: Cow milk and renin. If you aren’t familiar with renin, it is an enzyme that makes curd from milk.

It creates a zone of bacteria that separates the liquid. As rennin is added to cottage cheese, it makes the texture rough which is why it remains an unpopular option to add to the cheese board as raw.

In the next stage, almost all liquid is squeezed out. Only a small percentage of water is left when it gets packed. Then, the cream is added to the curd and cut into pieces to get cooked for a while. After that, slight pressing gets most of the whey out of the cheese. Then additives are added.

What Does It Taste Like

What Does It Taste Like

The taste of cottage cheese is the most peculiar thing about it. It is also the one that stands out the most of all types of cheese.

Since it is made of curd, it has the same soft, white, creamy texture and taste as that with a pungent smell. Although the flavor is very mild the smell is strong and it tastes a little salty. This smell and taste are the reason why most people avoid eating cottage cheese, at least without adding anything to it.

However, the taste depends greatly on the amount of fat used in it. If the amount of fat is 1% it tastes like sour cream. Some people said it tastes way worse than sour cream, but it varies on the person’s tastebud.

If you want to have the best taste of all the worst taste people talk about of cottage cheese, try to get the one with 4% milk fat. It would be the creamiest version of it that tastes like regular cheese with the cottage cheese flavor and smell.

People usually eat it for health purposes, so if you can add it with other food items it would taste way better and you would get plenty of essential vitamins. Apparently, it tastes the best if you can make it at home. 

Watch this video to learn how to make cottage cheese by yourself-

Types of Cottage Cheese

There are various types of cottage cheese depending on the amount of fat and calorie in it. Some of them are listed and described below so that you can choose the one that fits the best for you:

Non-Fat Cottage Cheese

As you can tell by the name, this type has the lowest fat in it. That makes the taste very mild. It contains about less than 5% fat and 80 calories. It is also the lowest-calorie container. So if you are looking for the type with the least fat and calorie, you can buy non-fat cottage cheese.

Reduced Fat Cottage Cheese

Reduced cottage cheese has more calories but less fat. It has about 1-2% fat and 90 calories. 

Regular Fat Cottage Cheese

This one is the creamiest and tastiest of all. But of course with the taste also comes the less healthy part (comparatively). This one has 4% of milk fat and a cup contains 220 calories which are a lot more than the other two.

If you are focusing on the taste bus and not looking at the diet chart, go ahead and try this one out! 

How to Tell if Bad

How to Tell if Bad

Cheese doesn't last for too long after they have been manufactured or opened. Generally, the expiration date should be 2 weeks after the manufacture. After opening the packaging you can expect it to eat within 5-7 days. 

If the odor smells unusual, throw it away. 

There will be a layer of water on the surface of the cheese is bad. If you see the texture hard yet there remains water, look for the discoloration on the surface. The color on the surface should be inconsistent and yellowish than usual.

If mold appears on top of the cheese, it has certainly rotten. Make sure to toss it as soon as you see mold on the cheese. It affects the cheese from the inside even if you can't see it.

Health Benefits

Health Benefits

Cheese in general has many healthy vitamins and minerals. Cottage cheese is no different. cottage cheese also has a lot of nutritional value yet it makes you lose fat and calorie with its low-calorie profile. It provides a great source of vitamin D, calcium, protein, and B12. etc.

It also contains rich minerals like magnesium and potassium.  Per cup contains about 97 calories.

On top of that, 1 serving can offer 25 grams of protein which is more than 25% of our daily necessary intake. Additionally, 180-gram calories, 5-gram fat, and 3.5 grams of carbohydrates.

The amount of calcium and low calorie prevents fat and increase fat loss. High protein intake makes you build your muscles, whig is why gym goers love to intake cottage cheese with nuts, fruits, etc to enhance taste while building muscles.

How to Eat

How to Eat

If you are worried about the sour and unpopular taste of cottage cheese, we have created some fun and easy ways to add it so that you can have the best of both!

  • If you are trying to completely avoid the texture and taste of cottage cheese, try blending it with strawberry, milk, and sugar to get a creamy thick smoothie with the best combination of sweetness, sour, and saltiness. Try adding the cheese directly from the fridge so that it tastes like ice cream.
  • If you are looking for a nutritious healthy breakfast right after you get off the treadmill, you can add cottage cheese with pancakes. The thickness and rich texture make the pancake fluffy and delicate. The high protein coupled with the sugar boosts the calorie you lost and build muscle power.
  • One great way to add cottage cheese to your meal would be to add a whole layer of it to your lasagna. The flavor of lasagna will tone down its odor and sour taste of it. Warm lasagna with melted cheese and it will be a soft creamy tasty layer of cheese in your mouth with the layer of pork. 
  • Just like lasagna, you can use it with alfredo too. Alfredo is known for being dipped in cheese and cream. So, creamy cheese will be the best option to use with it. You won’t get the pungent smell of it. Instead, it will be a healthy lasagna filled with minerals, vitamins, and a great source of high protein.
  • Tired of yogurt and fruits? Try cottage cheese as a substitute! Because of its similarity with curd, cottage cheese goes very well with fruits, nuts, and granola. Specifically use berries, bananas, cherries, etc. You can also put it on top of french toast to get the creamy taste of it with maple syrup!
  • Last but not least, pair it up with your delicate and savory dessert! The best way to use cottage cheese is as a parfait. Coconut parfait would go the best with its soft and sour taste of it. Almost will bring the cold froyo vibes into your mouth while having a little saltiness with it. Dip all the ingredients in it and serve it in a wine glass. Voila! You have a classy dessert on your table waiting for the guests to devour it. 

Conclusion

If you are still curious to taste cottage cheese, our recommendation would be to definitely try it out.

Especially, now that people are becoming very health conscious, a rich ingredient like cheese can be used in many dishes without being worried about adding too many calories. Don’t be disheartened by the reviews, some people have different taste buds and that is okay.

You can start with the recipes we have added to get familiar with the taste and the smell.

After all, it is the healthiest cheese out there with all the nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that make your dishes so much healthier and easier to intake protein at once. 

5/5 - (3 votes)

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Bella Howard

Bella Howard is a contributing writer and foodie with a particular love of Mexican, Chinese and Euro...

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