Let’s talk about a breakfast, or let’s be real, an anytime meal, that actually keeps you full. This savory cottage cheese bowl is that rare find, a truly satisfying dish that feels both refreshing and substantial. It’s ready in the time it takes you to decide what to listen to while you cook.
Bright flavors from lemon, dill, and briny capers cut through the rich, creamy cottage cheese. A crisp vegetable salad and a soft-cooked egg sit on top, creating a wonderful mix of textures and tastes in every bite. It’s a straightforward assembly of good things that, together, become something pretty special.
Why You’ll Make This Again
This bowl is a fantastic answer to the “what to eat” question that pops up around lunch or a lazy weekend breakfast. It doesn’t require any cooking skill, just a bit of chopping and stirring. The result feels thoughtful and complete, like something you’d happily pay for at a cute café.
It’s also incredibly adaptable. The base formula is simple, which means you can play with it based on what’s in your fridge. Got some leftover roasted broccoli? Toss it in. Prefer a different herb? Go for it. This recipe is a friendly starting point, not a strict rulebook.
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to pull this together. Each component brings its own character to the bowl.
- Cottage Cheese (1% low-fat, no-salt-added): The creamy, high-protein foundation of the whole dish. Using no-salt-added lets you control the seasoning.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Used in three places, it adds richness to the cottage cheese, creates the vinaigrette, and finishes the bowl with a lovely drizzle.
- Fresh Dill & Chives: Dill gives a light, grassy freshness, while chives add a mild oniony punch that brightens everything up.
- Lemon Juice: Its sharp acidity is essential, waking up all the other flavors and balancing the creaminess.
- Capers: These little guys are flavor bombs. Chopped, they distribute their salty, briny pop throughout the cottage cheese mix.
- Garlic: Finely chopped, it infuses the simple vinaigrette with a warm, aromatic backbone.
- Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber & Red Onion: This trio creates a fresh, crisp salad. They add color, crunch, and a hydrating element.
- Canned Chickpeas: For extra plant-based protein and a pleasing, soft bite that contrasts with the crunchy veggies.
- Large Eggs: Soft-cooked and halved, they add a velvety, rich texture and make the meal feel truly complete.
How to Make ?
Step 1 – Build the Creamy Base
In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, a splash of olive oil, half of the dill and lemon juice, all of the chopped capers, the chives, and a pinch of salt. Give it a good stir until everything is happily mixed in. This is your flavor-packed foundation.
Divide this creamy mixture evenly between two shallow bowls. Go ahead and swoop it into a nice little nest, leaving room in the center for the next steps.
Step 2 – Toss the Vibrant Salad
In a separate bowl, whisk together the chopped garlic, pepper, and the remaining dill, lemon juice, and salt. You’re making a very quick, very fragrant vinaigrette right there in the bowl.
Add the halved tomatoes, chopped cucumber, sliced red onion, and rinsed chickpeas to the bowl. Toss it all together, gently but thoroughly, until every piece is lightly glossed with the dressing. Serve this immediately for the best texture.
Step 3 – Assemble Your Masterpiece
Pile a generous amount of the vegetable and chickpea salad right on top of each bowl of cottage cheese. The colors will look fantastic against the white backdrop.
Carefully place two halves of a soft-cooked egg on each mound. Finish with a final drizzle of the remaining olive oil, a sprinkle of extra chives, and another crack of black pepper. That’s it, you’re done.
Tips
- Prepare the vegetable salad right before serving. The salt and lemon juice will draw moisture out of the tomatoes and cucumber if they sit too long, making everything a bit watery.
- For the soft-cooked eggs, aim for about 6-7 minutes in boiling water for a firm white with a jammy, just-set yolk. An ice bath right after cooking stops the process perfectly.
- If you love a bit of crunch and that iconic savory flavor, a sprinkle of everything-bagel seasoning over the finished bowl is a game-changer.
- Chopping the capers before adding them to the cottage cheese is a small step with big impact. It spreads their briny flavor throughout every single bite.
Simple Swaps and Variations
This recipe welcomes improvisation. If you don’t have chickpeas, white beans or even a handful of sunflower seeds would add a similar substance. Not a dill fan? Fresh parsley or basil would steer the flavor in a new, delicious direction.
The vegetable salad is also a great place to use what’s seasonal. Thinly sliced radishes in spring, or some roasted sweet potato cubes in fall, would feel right at home. Think of the recipe as a template for a clean-out-the-produce-drawer meal.
Making it Ahead & Storage
You can prep components separately to speed up your morning. Mix the cottage cheese base, cover, and store it in the fridge overnight. Cook and peel your eggs ahead of time, too.
Chop the vegetables and make the vinaigrette, but keep them apart until you’re ready to eat. Store the dressing in a small jar and the chopped veggies in a container. A quick toss when you’re hungry, and assembly takes two minutes. The finished bowls are best enjoyed immediately.
High Protein Cottage Cheese Bowl Recipe
Description
This cottage cheese bowl with capers, dill, and a soft-cooked egg is the ultimate high-protein meal. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s packed with fresh veggies, chickpeas, and a creamy, savory base that keeps you full and energized all morning long.
ingredients
Instructions
-
In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, 1½ teaspoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon dill, 1½ teaspoons lemon juice, capers, 1 tablespoon chives, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Stir well.
-
Divide the cottage cheese mixture evenly between two serving bowls.
-
In another medium bowl, whisk together garlic, ¼ teaspoon pepper, remaining 1 tablespoon dill, 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt until combined.
-
Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and chickpeas to the dressing. Toss gently to coat.
-
Top each bowl of cottage cheese with half of the vegetable mixture and one halved soft-cooked egg.
-
Garnish with additional chives and black pepper if desired. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 2
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 388kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 24g37%
- Saturated Fat 5g25%
- Cholesterol 191mg64%
- Sodium 688mg29%
- Potassium 466mg14%
- Total Carbohydrate 17g6%
- Dietary Fiber 3g12%
- Sugars 7g
- Protein 24g48%
- Calcium 120 mg
- Iron 2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Want extra crunch? Sprinkle with everything-bagel seasoning before serving.
- Serve immediately: Dress the tomato mixture just before serving to avoid sogginess.
- Lower sodium option: Use no-salt-added cottage cheese and rinse capers thoroughly.
- Make it vegan: Skip the egg and add avocado or roasted tofu for plant-based protein.
