Cottage Cheese Protein Shake

Before you start

Cottage cheese blends into a surprisingly smooth, mild shake, closer to a cheesecake milkshake than to anything cheesy. The secret is time and fat: blend it with a little milk on its own first until every curd disappears, then add the frozen fruit and flavorings. If you add everything at once, the curds get suspended in ice before they break down and the shake stays grainy.

Cottage cheese is naturally salty, so the sweetener and flavor have to account for that. Vanilla and a frozen banana are the simplest pairing; cocoa makes a chocolate version that hides the dairy tang completely. Full-fat or 4% cottage cheese blends silkier than low-fat.

Ingredients

• 225 g (1 cup) cottage cheese — 4% milkfat, small curd
• 120 ml (4 oz) milk — dairy, soy or oat
• 1 medium (about 110 g) frozen banana — sliced
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey — adjust to taste
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 ice cubes — optional, for a colder shake

Method

1. Add the cottage cheese and milk to the blender. Blend on high for 45 to 60 seconds, scraping down once, until it looks like smooth, pourable yogurt with no visible curds.
2. Rub a drop between your fingers; if you still feel grains, blend another 20 seconds.
3. Add the frozen banana, maple syrup and vanilla. Blend on high for 30 seconds until thick and creamy.
4. Taste. If the cottage cheese reads salty, add a little more sweetener or a few more banana slices. Add ice and blend briefly if you want it colder and thicker.
5. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.

Tips for success

• Drain any loose liquid from the top of the tub before measuring; it makes the shake thinner and saltier.
• A high-speed blender gives the smoothest result. With a standard blender, blend in a smaller jar or double the first blending time.
• Compare tubs: sodium varies a lot between brands, and a lower-sodium cottage cheese makes a better sweet shake.

Substitutions

Cottage cheese

Greek yogurt makes a tangier, less salty shake. Ricotta is sweeter and milder but has a looser, slightly grainy texture.

Frozen banana

Frozen mango or pineapple adds tropical sweetness; frozen strawberries make a pink shake that tastes like strawberry cheesecake.

Maple syrup

Two pitted dates soaked in hot water for 5 minutes add caramel sweetness. Skip sweetener entirely with a very ripe banana.

Variations

Chocolate

Add 1½ tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder and an extra teaspoon of maple syrup.

Strawberry cheesecake

Swap the banana for 120 g frozen strawberries and add a crumbled graham cracker on top.

Peanut butter cup

Add 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tbsp cocoa powder to the chocolate version.

Troubleshooting

The shake is grainy or curdy

The cottage cheese was not blended alone first. Blend it with the milk until fully smooth before adding frozen fruit.

It tastes salty

Add more banana or a teaspoon of sweetener and a squeeze of lemon. Choose a lower-sodium cottage cheese next time.

It tastes chalky

Low-fat cottage cheese can do this. Use full-fat, or add 1 tbsp nut butter for richness.

Storage

Best right after blending. You can refrigerate it, covered, for up to 24 hours; shake or re-blend before drinking. Keep cottage cheese refrigerated and do not leave the shake out for more than 2 hours.

Safety notes

Contains milk, a major food allergen according to FDA. Check labels on cottage cheese and add-ins if you are serving someone with allergies.