High Protein Cottage Cheese Oatmeal

Have you ever wondered how to make a High Protein Cottage Cheese Oatmeal that is genuinely, unbelievably creamy? If you’ve been put off by lumpy cottage cheese curds before, I get it. But what if I told you that you could have a decadent-tasting bowl of breakfast goodness that tastes and feels like cheesecake and packs in 38g of protein per portion?

I got you. In this recipe, I’ll show you how to make the creamiest oatmeal of your life. No curds, no grainy texture. Promise.

 


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Why You’ll Love This 

TL;DR

  • What it is: A recipe for a deliciously creamy, high-protein oatmeal (38g) that tastes like cheesecake.
  • The Secret: Blend the cottage cheese with a bit of milk until completely smooth before you cook the oats. This guarantees NO lumps or grainy texture. And whisk * in the protein powder after cooking, so it doesn’t burn or coagulate.
  • Why it’s great: It’s quick to make, packed with protein that your body can actually use, and keeps you full for hours.
  • What’s inside: The full recipe, step-by-step instructions, meal prep tips, and over 30 incredible flavor variations to try.

The warm Twist on Cottage Cheese overnight oats

If you loved my post with 30 different variations of overnight oats, but want your breakfast warm and cosy, this Blended Cottage Cheese Oatmeal is for you.

It uses the same ingredients and principles but shows you how to apply them to get a comforting, warm bowl of your favorite breakfast with the same incredibly creamy texture. You can also use the same toppings I suggested in my overnight oats post, to never have boring breakfast again!

The Secret to Super Creamy Oatmeal

Have you ever seen those bowls of cottage cheese oatmeal with visible, lumpy curds? Me too, and I knew there had to be a better way. While I enjoy cottage cheese plain on toast with tomatoes, I want a decadent, silky texture in my oats—something that feels more like dessert than breakfast, thank you very much.

After experimenting with different methods, I found the perfect technique to create my creamy dream:

  1. Blend the cottage cheese first with the liquid until it’s perfectly smooth.
  2. Cook the oats in this pre-blended, creamy base.
  3. Whisk * in the protein powder after the oats are fully cooked and off the heat.

The result is the creamiest oats you’ve ever had, with a rich flavor that truly tastes like cheesecake.

High Protein Breakfast and a busted Myth

You might have heard the common perception that our bodies can only absorb up to 30g of protein in one meal, but a groundbreaking 2023 study by Jorn Trommelen and colleagues challenged this long-held belief. By examining the body over a 12-hour period instead of just 4, they found no such diminishing returns. Their findings suggest that muscle protein synthesis can be significantly increased by consuming higher amounts of protein, which in turn supports the body’s natural ability to repair and heal.

Read more about this and why it matters in my post about the related High Protein Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats.

In short, for this recipe it means the 38g of protein can be fully used by your body, fuelling your workouts, promoting healing and keeping your bones strong – a benefit amplified by the added calcium from the cottage cheese.

All The Flavor, none of the guilt

Because the Protein powder usually contains sweetener, these oats do not need any added sugar.

And since oatmeal has a low glycemic index plus lots of fiber, it can be a fantastic, blood-sugar-friendly option, even for diabetics.

The low fat content of cottage cheese compared to cream cheese (or adding heavy cream to your oats) means you get that luscious texture without the extra calories, making it a great choice for weight management. This bowl of comfort food keeps me full and satisfied for hours, with no need for sugary snacks and makes a really macro friendly breakfast.

Quick to Make

This Oatmeal takes only a minute longer than your standard bowl of porridge. The extra steps—blending the cottage cheese and whisking in the protein powder—are simple enough to do even before your first cup of coffee.

For an even faster morning, you can meal prep! Cook enough for several days on the weekend. In the morning, just reheat a portion with a splash of milk and then whisk in your protein powder.

The Ingredients

  • Rolled Oats – I like the structure of rolled/jumbo oats, but if you prefer quick cook oats the recipe will work too. They less cooking time and are a bit more processed. Steel-cut oats can be used too, but they will need a significantly longer cooking time.
  • Unsweetened almond milk – I prefer this to other plant or dairy milks as it has fewer calories and less of a tendency to burn.
  • Protein Powder – Any type will work. I have a particular weakness for the high-protein one from Milbona at Lidl. It’s incredibly creamy for having the same fat content as their regular version yet boasts fewer calories and more protein. But don’t worry—the recipe works perfectly with whatever brand you can find.
  • Chia seeds – They contribute even more fibre, protein and creamy texture to this bowl of goodness. You can leave them out if you want and simply add a little less liquid.
  • Salt and cinnamon – Salt is a crucial flavor enhancer that balances the sweetness. Cinnamon is purely optional but I love it in my oats. Feel free to leave it out or substitute it with cardamom or pumpkin spice.

substitutions

  • Oats – While oats are naturally gluten-free, they can be processed in facilities that also handle gluten-containing products, leading to potential “contamination.” If you are sensitive to gluten, ensure you choose a brand that specifically states they are certified gluten-free.
  • Chia seeds – You can leave them out. Simply use a little more oats to soak up the liquid or reduce the liquid slightly to maintain a creamy texture. Ground flaxseed (linseed) is also a good substitute for a similar thickening and nutritional effect.
  • Cottage cheese – Finding a vegan product that truly replicates the texture and protein profile of blended cottage cheese is challenging. However, if you are vegan or lactose intolerant (I am the latter but personally don’t experience negative effects from cottage cheese; however, your mileage may vary), you could experiment with a high-protein vegan Greek-style yogurt. I don’t have specific brand recommendations for Ireland, as I’ve found many vegan yogurts here to have questionable flavor and consistency.
  • Protein powder – If you are lactose intolerant with higher sensitivity (unlike me, as whey protein works well for my tolerance), consider trying whey isolate instead of concentrate, as it contains less lactose. Alternatively, explore a vegan protein powder that you enjoy.
    I’ve recently found a Barley Protein powder from MyProtein that gives an incredibly malty flavor to anything it touches. Though it’s only available in 3 variants currently, none of them vanilla and as such, for me, not great for oatmeal or relatively neutral tasting dishes.

Equipment Used

  • Blender – While you could, in theory, just stir in the cottage cheese (if you don’t mind the curds), I highly recommend blending it for the dramatic texture transformation. It goes from lumpy and slightly grainy to incredibly smooth, creamy, and foamy. Interestingly, this foam is stable enough to last a few days in the fridge, lending a wonderfully light, mousse-like texture to the finished oats. For single portions, a smaller blender like a Nutribullet * is perfect. For multiple servings, a larger blender like a Vitamix * works best.
  • Saucepan * – I really like my Greenpan set as it’s beautifully non-stick. But any saucepan * will work here
  • Silicone spoon – To make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan
  • Whisk – For whisking in the protein powder at the end, eliminating any lumps.

How to Make this

Blend Cottage Cheese

Start by adding the cottage cheese to a blender (I like the Nutribullet * as it’s small enough) together with the almond milk. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. This is the main secret to getting super delicious lump-free oatmeal.

Cook Oats

In a small saucepan, mix oats, chia seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Pour in the cottage cheese mix. Stir thoroughly and bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat. Turn the heat down a little and boil while stirring for about 5-7 minutes until the oats have soaked up most of the milk and look really creamy and soft.

Whisk in protein powder

Take the saucepan off the heat and whisk in the protein powder until no lumps remain.

Serve

Pour into your favorite cosy bowl, top this healthy cheesecake breakfast with fruit and maybe a drizzle of honey and serve while still hot.

Enjoy the super creamy texture and gentle cheesecake tang.

Watch The Video here

Variations

You can use the same flavor combos for the warm cottage cheese oats as for overnight oats. Head over to the overnight oats post for more inspiration pictures.
Here is a little teaser:

Fruity

  • Cranberry- white chocolate – Stir in 2 tbsp or more of cranberry sauce (This would be my favorite homemade cranberry sauce to use. Top with white chocolate chips.
  • Raspberry white chocolate – Stir in ¼ cup of raspberries and top with a handful more. Top with white chocolate chips, which will melt in the warmth of the oatmeal.
  • Blueberry cheesecake – Stir in ¼ cup blueberries, top with a few more. Add a bit of lemon zest in top for that fresh tang.
  • Peach crisp – Add sliced or chopped peach, sprinkle with some granola.
  • Black Forest – Add 1 tbsp cacao powder and a bit of honey or maple syrup to the cottage cheese mix before blending. Stir in 1/4 cup sweet cherries, top with more cherries, drizzle with more melted dark chocolate to take it over the top.
  • Banana- Peanut butter – Slice 1/2 banana. Stir in most, top with the remaining slices. Drizzle with warmed pb.
  • PBJ – Stir in 1 tbsp creamy Peanut butter and top with ¼ cup berries or grapes
  • Chocolate-banana – Swirl in 1 tbsp Nutella or chocolate peanut butter, top with sliced Banana
  • Mixed berry – Stir in ¼ cup of mixed berries. Top with more to taste. Drizzle with a little honey or maple syrup.
  • Banana bread – Stir in ½ a mashed banana, plus some cinnamon Add chopped pecans or walnuts if you like.
  • Apple pie – 1 chopped apple, cooked briefly in a bit of little butter if you like, or raw, a bit more cinnamon, nutmeg, a bit of brown sugar or maple syrup. Take it over the top by adding caramelized almonds.
  • Strawberry Cheesecake – Stir in ¼ chopped strawberries, top with a few more. Drizzle with honey              
  • Frozen fruit – top with frozen fruit after stirring the second time. Let thaw overnight.
  • Cherry Bakewell – Stir in ¼ cup destoned sweet cherries. Add ¼ tsp almond extract to the liquids. Top with more cherries and flaked almonds if you like. A few pieces of chopped marzipan and added poppy seeds will make this even better. Check the link for a warm version without cottage cheese.

Tropical

  • Pina Colada – Use coconut milk as liquid to blend. Just before eating top with some chopped pineapple from a can. Make sure not to use fresh pineapple here, as it can react with the milk proteins from the cottage cheese turning your oats bitter. Top with some toasted, shredded coconut if you like.
  •  Mango-coconut – stir in and top with 1/4 mango in cubes, stir in shredded coconut. You could mix the oats with coconut milk too for more tropical flavor. Check my Mango-Coconut Protein Rice pudding recipe, if you’d like to add toasted coconut chips.

Added Veggies (Still tastes like dessert)

  • Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie – Mix in 2-4 tbsp pumpkin puree and ½ -1 tsp pumpkin spice
  • Carrot cake – 1 grated carrot, stirred in, ¼ tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. If you like, 1 tbsp raisins, 1 tbsp chopped walnuts, a little maple syrup drizzled over.

Indulgent

  • Tiramisu – replace 2 tbsp of milk with coffee, add a layer of Greek yoghurt or mascarpone on top, sprinkle with cocoa, decorate with amaretti or savoiardi biscuit. Here is a more detailed recipe for this Tiramisu version without cottage cheese in warm and cold variations.
  • S’mores – crumble a Biscoff or graham cracker of the top, drizzle with melted chocolate and top with some marshmallow. Torch them for an extra special breakfast!
  • Snickers – top with some  date caramel, sprinkle over a few chopped peanuts and drizzle over a bit of melted chocolate
  • Banoffee Pie – dollop with date caramel, add ½ sliced banana, decorate with chocolate shavings
  • Turtle cheesecake – spread some  date caramel over the top, crumble over a few pecans, drizzle with melted chocolate
  • Pistachio cream – gently warm 2 tbsp of my 5 minute microwave Pistachio cream in the microwave. No more than 10 seconds. Drizzle over oatmeal, top with chopped pistachios.
  • Salted caramel – Simply top with some salted date caramel and maybe a destones date as decoration
  • Dulce de leche – Melt 1-2 tbsp dulce de leche gently for a few seconds in the microwave and drizzle over. For a healthier version use date caramel.
  • Chocolate – Blend in 1 tbsp cacao powder (and maybe a date for sweetness).  Add chocolate chips and/or drizzle with melted chocolate if you want extra indulgence          
  • Cookie dough – Add 1 tsp vanilla extract, stir in 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tbsp chocolate chips, sprinkle with brown sugar or drizzle with maple syrup
  • Cinnamon roll – add 1 tbsp cinnamon, 2 tsp maple syrup and make a swirl of Greek yoghurt or vegan yoghurt on top. Add raisins if you like
  • Biscoff – Melt 1-2 tbsp Biscoff, drizzle over and add a Biscoff cookie on top   

How To Store

I often make multiple portions of this creamy cottage cheese oatmeal all the way through cooking, adding a little milk for re-heating a portion in the microwave for about 2:30 -3 minutes then only whisk in the protein powder once it’s hot. This makes for a really quick and easy, yet super healthy and satisfying breakfast when you are in a hurry in the morning.

And with many of the variations above, these warm and comforting oats also make a rather lovely sweet evening meal, if you, like me develop a rather sweet tooth towards the end of the day.

FAQ

Does the fat content of the cottage cheese matter?

Cottage cheese has generally a very low fat content that only ranges between 0-4%.
So even when you use the full fat version, you get very little actual fat content. And while you can use any of them, I feel there is a boost of creaminess in the full fat version that I just love in my oatmeal.

Can’t I just mix the protein powder into the cottage cheese – milk mix at the start?

Yeah, I was wondering that too, until I tried it and was fighting for 15 minutes with the protein powder trying very hard to burn to the bottom of my saucepan! Don’t be like me.
Mix it in after taking the ready cooked oats off the heat.

How long would I have to cook steelcut oats with this recipe?

Steelcut oats need between 20-25 minutes cooking time to get soft.
I absolutely love making them in my instant pot in the risotto setting (7 minutes on high).

Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!


Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot.

Other recipes you might enjoy

Strawberry Pretzel Salad, but make it high protein! Delicious low calorie treats with creamy vanilla cottage cheese custard.

Pumpkin Protein Oatmeal with Apple and Salted Caramel Pumpkin Seeds

My favorite autumn flavor of Oatmeal: Pumpkin Protein Oats

Sourdough Protein Pancakes with Wholewheat

And a firm reader favorite: My Sourdough Protein Pancakes with whole wheat.

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High Protein Cottage Cheese Oatmeal


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Sonja Goeden
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1
  • Diet: Low Calorie

Description

Have you ever wondered how to make a High Protein Cottage Cheese Oatmeal that is genuinely, unbelievably creamy? If you’ve been put off by lumpy or grainy results before, I get it. But what if I told you that you could have a decadent-tasting bowl of breakfast goodness that tastes and feels like cheesecake and packs in 38g of protein per portion?

I got you. In this recipe, I’ll show you how to make the creamiest oatmeal of your life. No curds, no lumps, no grainy texture. Promise.


Ingredients

1/2 cup cottage cheese

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any other milk or plant milk)

1/2 cup rolled oats (old fashioned)

1 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 scoop protein powder


Instructions

Blend Cottage Cheese

Start by adding the cottage cheese to a blender (I like the Nutribullet * as it’s small enough) together with the almond milk. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. This is the main secret to getting super delicious lump-free oatmeal.

Cook Oats

In a small saucepan, mix oats, chia seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Pour in the cottage cheese mix. Stir thoroughly and bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat. Turn the heat down a little and boil while stirring for about 5-7 minutes until the oats have soaked up most of the milk and look really creamy and soft.

Whisk in protein powder

 Take the saucepan off the heat and whisk in the protein powder until no lumps remain.

Serve

Pour into your favorite cosy bowl, top this healthy cheesecake breakfast with fruit and maybe a drizzle of honey and serve while still hot.

Enjoy the super creamy texture and gentle cheesecake tang.

 

Notes

Variations

You can use the same flavor combos for the warm cottage cheese oats as for overnight oats. Head over to the overnight oats post for inspiration pictures.

How to Store

I often make multiple portions of this creamy cottage cheese oatmeal all the way through cooking, adding a little milk for re-heating a portion in the microwave for about 2:30 -3 minutes then only whisk in the protein powder when it’s hot. This makes for a really quick and easy, yet super healthy and satisfying breakfast when you are in a hurry in the morning.

And with many of the variations above, these warm and comforting oats also make a rather lovely sweet evening meal, if you, like me develop a rather sweet tooth over the course of the day.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: American

10 Comments

  1. OMG, I made a bowl of this for dinner tonight and turned out so creamy. I used nectarines, blueberries and some nuts. Thanks for recipe.

    1. Hah! Someone else who does the sweets for dinner thing I do.
      So glad I’m not alone and you enjoyed it. 🙂

  2. I loved this hearty oatmeal topped with my favorite summer fruits. It was a tasty way to start the day!!!

  3. Okay, I was skeptical—but this turned out SO creamy, I couldn’t believe it had cottage cheese in it! Total game changer. It honestly did taste a bit like cheesecake (in the best way), and 38g of protein? Yes please! Definitely adding this to my breakfast rotation.

    1. I know, right? I was a bit sceptical the first time too because of the cottage cheese. I make it nearly every day now.
      So glad it convinced you. 🙂

  4. Love the idea of high protein cottage cheese oatmeal, so filling I enjoyed my breakfast with this.

  5. This was such a fantastic recipe! Excited to have it again in the morning, it was that good! I topped it with fresh fruits and it turned out perfectly.

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