High-Protein Cottage Cheese Queso

Every time I go online, I see another recipe using cottage cheese. And I can’t blame people for liking it and wanting to use it more! I’ve been a fan of cottage cheese for years and using it to add more protein into my diet is a no-brainer. We’ve got the Super Bowl coming up and who doesn’t love a high-protein version of everyone’s favorite recipe. This cottage cheese queso dip is so easy to make and uses just a few ingredients, making it an easy recipe to for any last-minute gatherings. Is there a bad time to enjoy queso? I think not! It’s a recipe for everyone to enjoy and it’s going to be on repeat for you like it is for me. We all need some favorite appetizer recipes to have on repeat and this queso recipe is definitely that for me.

Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Queso

• Ground turkey: Any ground protein will work, but ground turkey is lean, inexpensive, and is one of the ingredients that makes this high protein queso so high in protein.
• Olive oil: ground turkey is very lean, so to brown it we need to use just a little bit of olive oil.
• Cottage cheese: Another ingredient to add to the protein content of this recipe! Cottage cheese is having a moment and rightly so, it’s a great way to make these queso dip extra cheesy and add protein. If you don’t like the texture of cottage cheese, you can blend it quickly in a food processor or blender to make it smoother.
• Rotel: Rotel is a classic ingredient to add to queso, and for good reason! The tomatoes, the spice, it’s all perfect and exactly what we want in this recipe.
• Taco seasoning: You can make your own blend or buy a packet of the store-bought version. Something about a little foil packet of store bought taco seasoning is just perfect.
• Shredded cheese: I like to use a Mexican cheese blend but cheddar cheese also works!
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Sliced green onion to taste: Optional for a little bit of garnish!

How to Make High-Protein Queso Dip

• First, heat your olive oil in a skillet and brown the ground turkey, breaking into pieces as it cooks. Once it’s browned, add the taco seasoning and still to combine.
• If you’d like, blend up the cottage cheese until smooth. Or if you’re short on time, you can skip this step, it’s delicious either way! Add the cottage cheese and Rotel. Stir to combine and cook until the mixture is heated through.
• Stir half of the shredded cheese into the mixture until melted. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
• Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe baking dish.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the dip and place in the oven until melted.
• Top with sliced green onions, if desired. Serve warm!

What to Serve with Queso Dip

• Tortilla chips, pita chips, or your favorite crackers!
• Raw veggies: I love sliced bell peppers to dip in queso, but carrots and celery are also great options.
• Your other favorite dips like salsa and guacamole.

If you have any leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container and reheated in the oven or microwave. I like to make the dip in a ceramic dish that comes with a lid to make storing leftovers as easy as possible. You may not have any leftovers, this high-protein cottage cheese queso dip is one that everyone will love. It’s the perfect appetizer to make for game day or anytime!