Cottage Cheese Avocado Toast

Ingredients

Let’s take a quick look at some of the ingredients for this twist on the classic avocado toast. I’ll talk about changes to the recipe a bit lower in the post as well.

Cottage cheese: Any kind of cottage cheese and any fat percentage will be great in this recipe – whole fat, reduced fat, low fat, small curd, etc. I prefer whole milk large curd cottage cheese in most of my recipes. More tips on cottage cheese a little lower in the post.

Avocado: Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy fats and fiber. When shopping for an avocado, try to find ones with a little bit of the stem in the pointy end. If the stem is missing, the avocado has a good chance of having some rot inside where the flesh was exposed to the air. Buy firm, green, fresh avocados and allow them to ripen on your own counter. To tell if it’s ripe, gently press on the fat end of the avocado. If it gives to slight pressure, it’s probably ripe and ready to eat. Overripe avocados will be difficult to slice. Read more about avocados including different types of the fruit in my Avocado Reviews.

Bread: Use your favorite bread; any kind will work. I recommend sourdough, whole grain like whole wheat, artisanal white bread, gluten-free bread, or your favorite. Look for something that’s fairly hearty and will stand up to toppings.

Olive oil: You’ll be brushing the oil on the bread and pan searing it. I find that it makes this so much more special. And, olive oil offers numerous health benefits, particularly for heart health, due to its high content of monounsaturated fats. It can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and dementia due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Cottage cheese tips

For the cottage cheese, use fat free, low fat, or full fat – your choice. Obviously, fat free will have fewer calories, but it also tends to be a bit more watery and less flavorful. Full fat will make a thicker and more flavorful food, but will add more calories to your snack. So, it’s your choice.

I almost always use Lucerne full fat large curd cottage cheese. I find the flavor is always good, and the texture is great. Recently I bought a different brand of cottage cheese because I was shopping at a different store that didn’t carry Lucerne.

I was really surprised at the difference in texture between the two brands. The Lucerne was thick while the other brand was very thin and watery. It still tasted great, but the two will definitely give different results if used in this recipe.

If you start with a thin watery cottage cheese, the end product will be thinner. And for these toasts, they may end up being soggy if you use thin cottage cheese.

So, I recommend that if your cottage cheese is very thin and watery, place it in a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter over a bowl and refrigerate overnight to drain off the excess liquid. 

How to make

Think of this an open-faced sandwich; it’s a great quick dinner, brunch, or lunch option. And, it’s a great way to get your daily protein. With about 11 grams of protein and 9 grams of dietary fiber, this is a great way to start the day. You’ll also love my Avocado Miso Toast.

First, you’re going to toast the bread in a skillet or grill pan after brushing one side with oil. Once the bread is toasted to your liking, remove it from the pan and place on serving plates.

While the bread toasts, slice the tomato.

Prep the avocado. I’ve found that the easiest way to peel avocados for slices like these is to cut the avocado in half, revealing the pit. Remove the pit by placing the avocado on a cutting board work surface, move your hands away, and with a sturdy sharp knife give the pit a thwack. The knife should be stuck in the pit just a bit. Give the pit a twist and remove it from the avocado. Slice the avocado into thin slices. Now peel away the skin. You should have pretty slices.

Now comes the layering. Spread or dollop the cottage cheese over the grilled side of the toast. Place the avocado slices on top of the cottage cheese, then top with tomato slices. Sprinkle sprouts, salt, and pepper on the top. Serve right away. That’s it! Enjoy it with a delicious Lavender Collins drink for a great brunch!

Storage

This meal should be made and enjoyed right away. I don’t recommend storing it. The avocado will turn brown and the cottage cheese will make the toast soggy.

Does cottage cheese taste good on avocado toast?

Oh yessss! Cottage cheese is a divine addition to avocado toast. The lightly tangy creamy flavor of cottage cheese complements the avocado so well. And you get a nice balanced meal.

Is cottage cheese on toast healthy?

Again, the answer is a resounding, yes! You get a nice balance of protein from the cottage cheese (even more if you add an egg), healthy fats from avocado, and carbohydrates from the bread. This type of balanced meal will help you maintain steady blood sugar and keep you going with long-lasting energy.

Changes to the recipe

Avocado toast is a great meal that you can personalize, or make differently each time.

Add a poached, fried, or scrambled egg. Or add some smoked salmon.

Sprinkle on some Everything but the bagel seasoning, a drizzle of Sriracha, or some red pepper flakes. Dress it a bit with a little lemon juice, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, hot honey, hot sauce, a spoonful of pesto, or cilantro pesto.

Garnish with another kind of cheese like crumbled feta, queso fresca, or cotija

Spoon on some Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Add some fresh herbs like dill, basil, cilantro, oregano, or green onions

For added nutrition, add some flaxseed, wheat germ, or chia seeds to the cottage cheese, or just sprinkle them on top

If the texture of the cottage cheese is an issue for you, try blending the cottage cheese until smooth. Just know that this will make the cottage cheese a bit more runny and messy to eat.

Layer on some more veggies with cucumber, red onion slices, pickled onion, radishes, or sauteed mushrooms

Sprinkle with some crunchy nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, pepitas or sunflower seeds