Whipped Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Published 11/6/2023 • Updated 11/11/2024
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Oh yes, we did! Whipped Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes NEED to be the mashed potatoes you serve at this year’s Thanksgiving. They’re made similarly to classic mashed potatoes with boiled Yukons, but we included whipped cottage cheese to make them extra fluffy and delicious.
Whipped cottage cheese mashed potatoes come out so fluffy and protein-packed all thanks to the special addition of whipped cottage cheese!
Mashed potatoes are hands down my favorite Thanksgiving side and my mom always made them with sour cream. We took that same idea but whipped up some cottage cheese (literally) in place of the sour cream and the result was epic – smooth, creamy, and protein-packed!
Did you know that 1 cup of cottage cheese has 25g protein in it? Sorry not sorry.
What You Need to Make Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Yukon gold potatoes
- Cottage cheese
- Butter
- Milk
- Salt and pepper
What are the best potatoes for mashed potatoes?
We prefer Yukon gold because it has a softer skin, but we’ve also made them with russet and Idaho.
What is the best way to cook potatoes for mashed potatoes?
We prefer to boil them on the stovetop because it’s foolproof, but you can also cook them in the Instant Pot or bake the potatoes in the oven.
Should I peel my potatoes first?
We’re HUGE fans of keeping the skin on. It adds great texture and lots of nutrition.
What kind of milk should I use?
Any type of milk works for this recipe, we tested this with normal cow’s milk and unsweetened almond milk and you pretty much couldn’t tell a difference.
Can you make this dairy-free?
Yes! We recently discovered a lactose-free cottage cheese and it’s actually delicious. Then, use vegan butter and unsweetened, plain almond milk and you’re on your way to d/f cottage cheese mashed potatoes!
Do I have to whip the cottage cheese first?
We do recommend whipping your cottage cheese in a blender or food processor first to make sure it’s nice and creamy. If you don’t, you’ll have cottage cheese lumps in your mashed potatoes!
Best Way to Mash Your Potatoes
Smooth: if you like your mashed potatoes nice and smooth, we recommend using a hand mixer.
Chunky: if you like a bit of texture, use a classic potato masher.
How long do cottage cheese mashed potatoes last in the fridge?
Store leftover mashed potatoes in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. We recommend reheating in the microwave on high for 60-90 seconds.
Thanksgiving Menu
We loved serving these mashed potatoes with cottage cheese with a pad of butter and extra salt and pepper. Either turkey gravy or mushroom gravy on top is also quite delicious. Complete your Thanksgiving menu:
Whipped Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, rinsed and quartered
- 3 teaspoons sea salt, separated
- 11 oz. 2% cottage cheese, ~1.5 cups
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup 2% milk, or any kind of milk*
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Optional Garnish
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh chives
Instructions
- Add the potatoes into a large pot and then cover with water. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and stir. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Turn heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender about 15-20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are cooking, whip the cottage cheese in a food processor until it’s completely smooth. You may need to scrape the sides a bit. Every food processor is different, but this should take between 2-4 minutes to become completely smooth. Set aside.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, strain them and transfer the potatoes back into the pot. Add the butter to the potatoes and use an electric mixture to mash the potatoes on high until smooth. If you like your mashed potatoes a bit chunkier, feel free to use a classic potato masher instead.
- Add the whipped cottage cheese, milk, pepper, and remaining salt to the potatoes and mix until combined.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and or chives and enjoy immediately.
Tips & Notes
- We prefer Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe but red potatoes or Idaho potatoes will work, too.
- You can peel your potatoes before boiling if you don’t like the skin.
- Milk*: feel free to add more milk until the potatoes have reached the desired consistency.
- Feel free to add more salt to the potatoes if needed.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was an amazingly delicious recipe!! I needed something to ramp up my protein intake as I eat relatively small portions and this is the perfect solution paired with some low-carb potatoes! Thank you so much 😀
Great!!
Could you do this with mashed sweet potatoes?
Definitely!
These were so easy to make simultaneously with other food and that was helpful. The potatoes were creamy and had great flavor. My in laws couldn’t believe there was cottage cheese in them. We had a box store mashed potatoes, too, but all agreed these were way better and so much thicker.
So glad you all loved these!!
These mashed potatoes are s so easy to make and so delicious. They have such a creamy texture. I love the slight tang from the cottage cheese. I will definitely make these again!!!
Thanks for your review, Alex!!
These are delicious! Not a fan of cottage cheese, but you can’t even taste it 🙂 I’ll add more salt next time, but overall super easy and delicious!
The hardest part about making this recipe was vying for a parking spot in the Trader Joe’s parking lot the Tuesday before Thanksgiving 😳.
Super simple, tasty recipe, but what is there not to like about potatoes?! Because I’m a garlic mashed potato kind of person, I used garlic salt in place of the plain salt.
LOL. Best comment.
I am loving the moment cottage cheese is having right now and this is another winner from FFF! Fluffy, creamy, and delicious. My favorite part is the leftovers weren’t like a brick, they were still fluffy and soft even cold. This is a keeper and an instant classic. I followed the recipe exactly.
These were great. My family didn’t even know there was cottage cheese in them. Added spinach for the adults which is such a tasty addition. Would make again.
Curious about making them a day or two before hand. Thoughts/suggestions? I don’t want anyone to see the cottage cheese.