Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread Recipe
When I was a little girl, I fell in love with a dish that my grandparents would make for my brother and me for lunch. It was a simple thing: light rye bread, tomato slices, finely chopped onion and a herbed cottage cheese spread made from scratch.
It was a fantastic way to get calcium-rich cheese into our diet, and since it took a matter of minutes to make, it was a fast lunch idea.
The ingredients are those that are readily found in many Polish households. For North Americans, it may be unusual to look for a hard-pressed cottage cheese, but the hunt is worth it.
Similar to Gzik – a dip-like runnier version with finely chopped radishes, this cheese (ser in Polish) recipe is a favourite that can be made in under 5 minutes.
Discover how easy it is to make this herbed cottage cheese spread and you’ll keep making it over and over again.
The Key Ingredient: Hard-Pressed Cottage Cheese
The runny kind of cottage cheese just doesn’t cut it with this recipe. I know, because I tried. Something in the liquid makes it taste “off” from the original recipe that I knew and grew up with.
Although if you try to press the liquid out of the runny cheese, you can get as close to this true recipe as possible.
Where can you find hard-pressed cottage cheese?
Search in Eastern European deli shops. It’s often labelled as “hard-pressed cottage cheese” or “Twarog” in some of the Polish deli shops.
In Southern Ontario, Canada, the MC Dairy or Western brands do a good job with square-shaped blocks of pressed cottage cheese.
Upping The Flavour With A Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread
On its own, this type of cottage cheese is bland, but when you add a few key ingredients, it ends up being a delicious, flavourful spread.
It’s often paired with a light rye bread and tomato slices, but it can also be used with:
- Hard-boiled potato (yes, simple, but the cheese is a delicious accompaniment)
- Perogies
- Crackers
If you want to make it a bit creamier, add extra sour cream or plain yogurt. Then it becomes easier to scoop up with tortilla chips or breadsticks.
Here’s the recipe for this herbed cottage cheese spread – the same way my grandparents (Babcia – ‘bab-cha’ aka grandma, and Dziadzio – ‘jaa-jo’ with the j as is jar – aka grandfather) used to make it.
Babcia & Dziadzio’s Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread
Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread
A rustic herbed cottage cheese spread that pairs nicely with bread, crackers, and potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup hard-pressed cottage cheese (approximately 1/3 of the cube – also called pressed dry cottage cheese)
- 3 tbsp low-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbs fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (optional, dried can be used as an alternate)
- 1 tbsp onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Hungarian red paprika powder
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, crumble cottage cheese with a fork until broken down into crumbs.
- Add sour cream and mix well until the mixture is slightly creamy.
- Add chives, onion, dill (optional), paprika and salt and blend in well with cheese until uniform throughout.
Notes
Use as a spread for bread or to accompany boiled potatoes for a light lunch.
Store in the refrigerator for two days by firmly pressing a food wrap on top of the cheese. By preventing as much oxygen to the cheese, it reduces the chances of it going sour quickly.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 100Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 15mgSodium 802mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 0gSugar 3gProtein 11g
A Versatile Cottage Cheese Spread Recipe
This herbed cottage cheese spread can also make for a great addition to homemade hors d’oeuvres. Just add a smidgen more sour cream to make it creamier. Use it to top crackers, with freshly sliced cucumbers or halved grape tomatoes.
I like to serve it as a snack to my son – it’s a great way for him to get some calcium into his system.
However you enjoy this herbed cottage cheese spread recipe, the most important thing is to enjoy it when it’s fresh.
When you just make it, it tastes AWESOME. With my handy trick of covering it up as much as possible with a clingy food wrap to reduce air, you can make it last for a couple of days in the refrigerator.
Go beyond the sandwich, and discover the joy of eating this cheese spread with simple boiled potatoes. It’s a game-changer!
A complimentary dish to a cottage cheese spread is a chopped salad. Another great recipe from Dziadzio that’s tasty and refreshing!
QUESTION: Do you have a favourite cottage cheese spread recipe? If you try this one, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Like this recipe post? Share it on Pinterest! Thanks.
I grew up with this spread as well. We did not add the paprika but definitely it try it. This still is a favourite when we get together as siblings. We love putting pepper jelly on top using crackers for appies or fresh buns for a faspa( German afternoon coffee)
Love to hear this! The pepper jelly would be a nice touch. Savoury + sweet.