I love starting the day with a meal rich in protein and fiber; this cottage cheese breakfast toast is an easy way to do just that. Just a ½-cup serving of cottage cheese provides about 14 grams of protein, making it a simple way to boost the protein content in all kinds of dishes (I even stir it into my scrambled eggs)! Since starting my own fitness journey, I’ve really come to appreciate how much protein helps support muscle, energy, and a healthy metabolism.

The best part about cottage cheese toast is that you can create so many fun and delicious flavor variations—both sweet and savory! While I call this breakfast toast, you can, of course, enjoy it as an easy lunch, dinner, or snack as well.

Toast with Cottage Cheese

To make the base of this breakfast, you’ll need two simple ingredients: bread and cottage cheese. I love using sprouted grain bread such as Ezekiel because it adds additional protein, fiber, and nutrients. But keep in mind, whole-grain, sourdough, or gluten-free bread options would all work as well, so choose what you love!

As for the cottage cheese, I usually opt for the 2% low-fat option (Good Culture is my favorite brand!) as it’s rich and creamy but not too heavy.

Healthy Cooking Tip! My hubby loves to spread a little butter, olive oil, or coconut oil on his toast first to soften it up before adding the toppings — and I have to admit, it’s delicious! I’ve tried it, but I usually stick with just the cottage cheese to keep things a bit lighter.

After that, it’s simple! Toast your bread until golden brown, then add ¼ scoop of cottage cheese right on top (unless you are adding nut butter, then do that first!). The fun part is deciding what toppings you will add! Below are 6 of my favorite sweet and savory ways to enjoy cottage cheese on toast. 

Almond Butter & Berry 

• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1/4 cup mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc)

Almond butter and mixed berries offer a delightful mix of healthy fats, antioxidants, and vitamins. The creamy richness of almond butter pairs perfectly with the sweet and tart flavors of the berries, creating a balanced and nutritious topping. Think PB&J – but fresh and protein-packed!

Peanut Butter Banana

• 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter or homemade peanut butter
• 1/3 banana, sliced
• Sprinkle of cinnamon

Peanut butter and banana are a classic duo. Cottage cheese adds a creamy, tangy base that balances the sweetness of ripe banana, while peanut butter adds a nutty richness and staying power. A sprinkle of cinnamon ties it all together with a warm flavor note, making this combo taste almost like banana bread on toast.

Hard Boiled Egg

• 1 easy-peel hard-boiled egg, sliced 
• 1/2 teaspoon everything bagel seasoning

Think, everything bagel with cream cheese – just healthier and protein-packed! Hard-boiled egg slices topped with everything bagel seasoning, layered over creamy cottage cheese and toast. A simple, delicious, healthy breakfast option ready in minutes.

Avocado & Red Pepper Flakes

• 1/4 avocado, sliced into 
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Pinch of flaky sea salt

Think avocado toast – but creamier, packed with protein, and even more delicious! The red pepper flakes are optional – but I do love how they add the perfect spicy kick. Another great breakfast idea for busy mornings when you still want to have a healthy start to the day.

Smoked Salmon

• 1-2 ounces smoked salmon
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced red onion
• 1 tablespoon capers 
• *Optional fresh dill sprigs

This one feels fancy but comes together in minutes. The creamy cottage cheese balances the salty, smoky salmon so perfectly, and you’re also getting a big boost of protein and healthy fats. I love this for breakfast, lunch, or even a light dinner. Add a squeeze of lemon or a couple of capers if you want to take it over the top.

Tomato, Cucumber & Olive

• 1 tablespoon black olive tapenade (store-bought – this is the one I use)
• Sliced cucumbers & baby tomatoes
• A pinch of flaky sea salt and black pepper over the top

If you’re craving something fresh and savory, this one’s for you. Juicy tomatoes and crunchy cucumber bring brightness and crunch, while a spoonful of olive tapenade adds that briny, salty kick that ties everything together. It’s light, flavorful, and gives you a little Mediterranean vibe right at home.

PRO TIP! Add my avocado toast with hard-boiled eggs to your must-make list if you love a quick and easy breakfast toast in the morning. It’s always good to have options.

COTTAGE CHEESE TOAST RECIPE VIDEO

Thanks so much for reading! If you make this recipe, I would love for you to give it a ★ rating below.  And be sure to follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook for more healthy food inspiration. Cheers!

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Cottage Cheese Breakfast Toast

Cottage Cheese Toast is an easy, healthy breakfast idea that is packed with protein and quick to make. Enjoy these 6 sweet & savory combos!

Course BREAKFAST

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings 1 toast

Calories 249kcal

Author Dani Spies

Ingredients

Toast Base

• 1 slice sprouted bread or bread of choice
• 1/4 cup cottage cheese

Almond Butter & Berry

• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1/4 cup mixed berries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc

Peanut Butter Banana

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1/3 banana
• sprinkle of cinnamon

Hard Boiled Egg

• 1 hard boiled egg sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon everything bagel seasoning

Avocado & Red Pepper Flakes

• 1/4 avocado sliced into
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Pinch flaky sea salt

Smoked Salmon

• 1-2 ounces smoked salmon
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced red onion
• 1 tablespoon capers
• *optional fresh dill sprigs

Tomato, Cucumber & Olive

• 1 tablespoon black olive tapenade store bought
• sliced cucumbers & baby tomatoes
• a pinch of flaky sea salt and black pepper over the top

Instructions

• Toast bread until lightly browned or to your preferred doneness.
• Spread 1/4 cup of low-fat cottage cheese over the toast. Note: if the toast calls for nut butter or tapenade, spread these ingredients directly on the toast and then top with the cottage cheese.
• Add topping of your choice and enjoy!
  

Video

Notes

Nutritional information is for the almond butter and berry toast only.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1mg

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If you love an easy, healthy lunch recipe, chicken salad will never disappoint you! It’s a quick, protein-packed, tried-and-true staple that is delicious, nutritious, and can be made in minutes.

This classic chicken salad is made with simple, wholesome ingredients (plus a little rotisserie chicken shortcut!). The creamy dressing is lightened up with Greek yogurt, but if you prefer to skip the dairy, try my Avocado Chicken Salad — it’s just as creamy and every bit as delicious

Pro Tip: Most days, I grab a rotisserie chicken because, let’s be honest, it makes life easier. But on weeks when I’m feeling a little extra meal-preppy, I’ll use my slow-cooker shredded chicken or baked chicken breast instead. I’ve tested this recipe both ways — and trust me, they’re all juicy, flavorful, and perfectly Clean & Delicious.

Let’s take a look at the ingredient line-up:

Don’t you love a recipe with a short ingredient list? I know I do! It’s such a good reminder that we don’t need a trip to Costco (or the deli counter) to enjoy amazing chicken salad. With just a handful of simple, fresh ingredients, you can make your own healthy, delicious version in minutes — right at home.

How to make this yummy rotisserie chicken salad

Like most chicken salad recipes, chicken salad made with rotisserie chicken is very easy to make (actually, it’s easier!). So let’s not make this more complicated than it needs to be! Get all of your ingredients into a bowl, mix, and enjoy – (how’s that for an easy recipe?).

You may have noticed that I add baby spinach to my chicken salad! It’s such an easy way to sneak in some greens, and it makes the salad even more delicious (and beautiful).

A quick note about the chicken: I like to use chicken breast meat for this recipe because it’s leaner and higher in protein than the legs or thighs. It keeps the salad light, fresh, and satisfying — perfect for lunch or meal prep. That said, if you prefer dark meat or have a mix of both on hand, go for it! It adds a little extra flavor and is a great way to use up what you already have.

How to eat and enjoy this chicken salad

With a spoon right out of the is always a fantastic option (and one of my personal favorites!), but here are some other ways my family likes to serve (and eat!) this chicken salad:

• Make a sandwich. Toast your favorite whole-grain bread, then layer it on. You can never go wrong with a sammie.
• Serve with crackers. Sometimes I like to have more snacks for lunch. So I’ll serve this with some crackers and raw veggies on the side (carrots and cucumbers are my favorites). This is also great for kids and lunchboxes.
• Lettuce cups. If you want to keep your lunch super light and fresh, scoop the salad into romaine or butter lettuce cups. I love the crisp, crunch of the lettuce paired with the richness of the salad.

If you are a chicken salad lover like me, you may want to save my creamy cranberry walnut chicken salad or my curry chicken salad with raisins for another day. Because, let’s be so for real—can you ever really get enough chicken salad?

If you make this chicken salad recipe, be sure to leave a comment and ★ rating below letting me know how it turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).

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15-Minute Rotisserie Chicken Salad

This rotisserie chicken salad is a blend of shredded or chopped chicken and fresh veggies, all tossed together in a creamy dressing. A quick and easy meal that’s delicious served in a sandwich, with a side of crackers or in refreshing lettuce cups.

Course DIET, LUNCH, salad + dressing

Cuisine American, gluten free

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 165kcal

Author Dani Spies

Ingredients

• 2 cups rotisserie chicken chopped (skin and bones removed)
• 1/3 cup finely diced celery
• 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup baby spinach finely chopped
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Combine all of the ingredients in a big bowl and stir until everything is well combined. Enjoy!
  

Video

Notes

How-To Store Chicken Salad:

Chicken salad makes the perfect meal prep lunch because it keeps well for several days. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge, and it’ll stay fresh for up to 3–4 days.

Since it’s made with chicken, Greek yogurt, and mayonnaise, be sure not to leave it out at room temperature for too long. Once you’ve served what you need, pop it right back in the fridge. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, give it a quick stir to bring all the creamy goodness back together.

Note:
You can also make this salad with baked chicken breasts.  This is my go-to recipe when I want to make them from scratch.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 443mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 277IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

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I love all things pumpkin—especially for breakfast! So when pumpkin season rolls around, these blender pumpkin protein pancakes are on repeat in my kitchen. Thanks to the combination of egg whites and cottage cheese, each serving packs 13 grams of protein. They’re satisfying enough for busy mornings yet cozy enough for a lazy weekend breakfast.

Honestly, high-protein pancake recipes like these have completely ruined traditional pancakes for me — they don’t keep me satisfied the way these do. Some mornings, I’m in the mood for my Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes. Other times, it’s my Box-Mix Protein Pancakes. But once fall hits, nothing beats these cozy Pumpkin Protein Pancakes for a delicious, energizing start to the day.

Need a substitute for pumpkin pie spice? Use 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, or simply 1 tsp cinnamon.

Ingredients Highlights for Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

This protein pancake recipe is a leveled-up version of a traditional pancake. Made with rolled oats, egg whites, and cottage cheese, they have an outstanding balance of protein and complex carbohydrates without the sugar overload.

Keep in mind that rolled oats work best for this recipe — they create the perfect texture and help everything hold together beautifully. I also tested the recipe with quick oats, which work fine in a pinch, though the texture is a bit softer. Steel-cut oats, on the other hand, are too hard and won’t work here.

Pro Tip: 100% pure pumpkin purée is often mistaken for pumpkin pie filling — but they’re not the same thing! Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices, so be sure to grab the plain purée (trust me, I’ve made that mistake before!).

If you can’t find pumpkin purée, sweet potato, or butternut squash purée, make great substitutes. Both offer that same naturally sweet, creamy texture.

How to Make Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Grab your blender and don’t look away—these pancakes come together in a flash (aka in under five minutes).

Our favorite pancake add-ins and toppings

If you like adding a topping to your pancakes but want to avoid extra sugar from maple syrup, try topping them with coconut butter or almond butter. So good!

My kids almost always ask that I stir chocolate chips into the batter (so much for avoiding extra sugar, lol), but it’s delicious. My hubby requests walnuts and raisins, which are delightful as well.

Thanks so much for reading! You can watch the video down below, and if you make this recipe, I would love for you to give it a ★ rating below. 

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Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Nothing says fall like a stack of light, fluffy, and warmly spiced pumpkin protein pancakes! Made with just six simple ingredients, this easy recipe comes together in under 5 minutes right in your blender. You’ll get two servings of soft, deliciously healthy pancakes — perfect for a cozy, high-protein breakfast that tastes as good as it makes you feel.

Course BREAKFAST, DIET, pancakes

Cuisine American, gluten free, kids, low carb + keto, vegetarian

Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 250kcal

Author Dani Spies

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup egg whites about 6
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

• Pop everything into the blender and blend until you have a pancake-like batter.
  
• Heat a nonstick skillet over a medium heat. Lightly coat the pan with coconut oil or cooking spray and drop cup rounds of batter onto the pan. Cook until edges are bubbling and then flip and cook another two minutes or until edges are golden brown and pancakes are cooked though.
  
• Top pancakes with any favorite toppings, such as chopped nuts and maple syrup. Makes 2 servings.
  

Video

Notes

How to Freeze:
These pancakes freeze really well. Sometimes I double or even triple the recipe, and keep extra pancakes stored in the freezer for busy weekday mornings.
Let pancakes cool completely, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag, label, and store for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or toaster oven until warmed through.

If making extra pancakes for a crowd, place the cooked pancakes in a 200ºF oven to keep them warm while cooking the remaining pancakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 283mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4840IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 2.6mg

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