High Protein Cottage Cheese Tzatziki
on Aug 21, 2026
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This cottage cheese tzatziki is a high-protein twist on a Greek classic that keeps flavors fresh and bright all while boosting your macros 💪. Cottage cheese is blended until smooth and loaded with grated cucumber 🥒 and garlic, fresh dill, juicy lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil for bold flavor. Garnish with olives and serve with pita chips for a snack that’s actually satisfying, or make ahead and store in the fridge for the ultimate meal prep glow up 💅.
High Protein Cottage Cheese Tzatziki
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a food processor, process the cottage cheese until creamy. Pour it out into a bowl. Add in the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and dill. Stir to combine.
- Next, add the grated cucumber making sure to squeeze out all of the liquid using a cheesecloth.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and olives on top. Enjoy!
Nonna’s Notes
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Why You’ll Love High Protein Cottage Cheese Tzatziki
💪 Packed with protein: This recipe packs a whopping 25 grams of protein to help you hit your macros.
⏱️ Quick and easy: This dip goes from prep to plate in just 10 minutes flat.
🥙 Meal prep friendly: It stores beautifully in the fridge up to 5 days – perfect as an appetizer or on top of your favorite make ahead meals like this Easy Greek Bowl.
🥒 Customizable: Treat this recipe as a base for all your favorite toppings and add-ins. Switch up the herbs, add crunchies like toasted pistachios or crispy chickpeas, more veg like diced tomatoes and cucumber, or spice it up with a drizzle of chili oil or a sprinkle of harissa. The options are endless.
Ingredients
🧀 Cottage cheese: A high-protein swap for yogurt, blended until creamy to mimic the texture of traditional tzatziki.
🥒 Cucumber: Adds freshness and makes the dip hearty without feeling too heavy.
🧄 Garlic: Gives the dip aroma and depth. Use a microplane to grate your clove into fine pieces for even distribution and delicate flavor.
🌿 Dill: Gives tzatziki its familiar brightness. Feel free to add any other herbs you like, such as mint or basil. Mix them in and save a pinch for garnish.
🍋 Lemon: Adds that lemony flavor that is sooo addictive. Include a bit of zest for extra tang.
💧 Olive oil: Drizzle on top just before serving for added flavor.
🫒 Olives: These are totally optional. I like to add them as a garnish for their briny flavor and chewy bite.
Nonna’s Tip 🥒
Use a cheesecloth to squeeze the excess moisture out of the grated cucumbers to prevent the tzatziki from becoming watery.
Variations and Substitutions for High Protein Cottage Cheese Tzatziki
- For a high-protein cottage cheese swap, use Greek yogurt or skyr. You can find my yogurt-based recipe here: Easy Tzatziki Recipe.
- To make it dairy-free, swap cottage cheese for silken or crumbled tofu. Blend silken tofu for creamy recipes or crumble firm tofu to mimic the curds.
- Add more fresh herbs 🌿 alongside the dill, such as parsley, basil, and chives.
- Add more garnishes to the top, such as toasted pine nuts, pistachios, sesame seeds, cucumbers, tomatoes, crispy chickpeas, chili oil, za’atar, or sumac.
- Spice it up with chili flakes, Aleppo pepper, harissa, or a little hot sauce 🌶️.
Best Served With
- Fresh cucumber rounds 🥒
- Homemade pita 🫓
- Feta Cheese Olives 🫒
- Chicken Souvlaki Skewers 🍢
- Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad) 🥗
Similar Recipes
Easy Tzatziki Recipe
6 mins
Homemade Cottage Cheese
1 hr 15 mins
Cottage Cheese Pita Bread
25 mins
Cottage Cheese Pizza Toast
15 mins
Common Questions
How can I keep my tzatziki from being too watery?
Use a cheesecloth to squeeze out as much excess liquid as you can from the grated cucumber.
What kind of cottage cheese do you use?
I look for the cleanest ingredients I can find, so I like to use Good Culture 4% cottage cheese or make my own. You can find the recipe here: Homemade Cottage Cheese.
Can I use cottage cheese in tzatziki instead of yogurt?
Absolutely! It’s a great way to get an extra boost of protein to meet your macros. Use a food processor to blend the cottage cheese so the texture is similar to yogurt. You could also use a combination of Greek yogurt and blended cottage cheese.
