Cottage cheese egg salad is creamy, protein-packed, and absolutely delicious! It has simple ingredients like hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and crunchy celery that come together in minutes for the perfect lunch or sandwich filling.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Creamy, protein-packed, and a lighter twist on the classic that still feels comforting and satisfying. The cottage cheese adds a fresh, tangy creaminess that pairs perfectly with tender chopped eggs and simple seasonings. It’s quick to make, great for meal prep, and perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or an easy lunch straight from the bowl.
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Cottage Cheese Egg Salad
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: About 2½ cups
Description
A healthier take on classic egg salad made with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt for extra protein and creaminess. This easy 10-minute recipe features hard-boiled eggs, crunchy celery, tangy Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs for a satisfying lunch that’s perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Egg Salad:
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 2–3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise (your preference)
- 1–2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (to taste)
- 2–3 tablespoons finely chopped celery
- 1–2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or green onion
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (optional: parsley, dill, chives)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Optional Add-Ins:
- Paprika or smoked paprika
- Lemon juice (½–1 teaspoon)
- Pickle relish or chopped pickles
- Chopped fresh dill
Instructions
Chop the hard-boiled eggs into bite-size pieces and place in a mixing bowl. I like mine chunky, but if you prefer a smoother texture, you can mash them a bit with a fork.
In a separate small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard. Stir until smooth and evenly blended. This is where the magic happens – you want that cottage cheese really worked into the yogurt so you get a creamy, cohesive dressing instead of lumpy cottage cheese chunks (unless you LIKE those chunks, then you do you!).
Add the chopped celery and chopped onion to the bowl with the eggs. Pour the dressing over the egg mixture. Gently fold everything together until all ingredients are coated. Be gentle here – you want to mix it well, but you don’t want to turn your eggs into mush. Think of it like folding in whipped cream.
Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add optional extras like lemon juice, paprika, or fresh herbs if using. Taste as you go! I always add a squeeze of lemon because it brightens EVERYTHING.
Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy on whole-grain bread, in lettuce wraps, or with crackers. My favorite way? On toasted sourdough with butter lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
Notes
For perfectly boiled eggs every time, use older eggs (they peel easier!) and add a teaspoon of baking soda to your boiling water. When you’re done boiling, immediately transfer them to an ice bath for at least 10 minutes. The shells practically fall off!
Don’t skip the Dijon mustard – even if you think you don’t like mustard, it adds depth without being mustardy, I promise. If you make your egg salad and it feels too thick, thin it out with a tiny splash of pickle juice or lemon juice. If it’s too thin, add more cottage cheese.
The biggest mistake people make? Over-mixing! Fold gently and stop as soon as everything is combined. You want distinct pieces of egg, not egg paste.
For meal prep, keep the dressing separate from the chopped eggs and veggies until you’re ready to serve. This keeps everything fresh and prevents sogginess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Egg Salad:
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 2–3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise (your preference)
- 1–2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (to taste)
- 2–3 tablespoons finely chopped celery
- 1–2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or green onion
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (optional: parsley, dill, chives)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Optional Add-Ins:
- Paprika or smoked paprika
- Lemon juice (½–1 teaspoon)
- Pickle relish or chopped pickles
- Chopped fresh dill
Note: Can’t find cottage cheese? Try ricotta cheese for a similar creamy texture! For a tangier version, go all Greek yogurt instead of mayo. If you’re sensitive to onions, scallions are gentler and just as flavorful.
Why These Ingredients Work
The cottage cheese is the star here – it adds creaminess, tang, and a serious protein boost without the heaviness of all mayo. The curds give you little pockets of richness throughout the salad.
Greek yogurt brings extra tanginess and keeps things light, while Dijon mustard adds that classic egg salad zip with a sophisticated edge. The celery is essential for crunch – it keeps the salad from being one-note and adds freshness.
Red onion gives you a sharp, zesty bite that wakes up all the flavors, while fresh herbs like dill or chives add brightness and make the whole thing taste restaurant-worthy. The hard-boiled eggs are obviously the foundation, giving you that comforting, familiar flavor we all crave in egg salad.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl (for dressing)
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Fork or potato masher (for chopping eggs)
- Rubber spatula or large spoon (for folding)
- Pot for boiling eggs (if making fresh)
How To Make Cottage Cheese Egg Salad
Step 1: Prep the Eggs
Chop the hard-boiled eggs into bite-size pieces and place in a mixing bowl. I like mine chunky, but if you prefer a smoother texture, you can mash them a bit with a fork.
Step 2: Make the Dressing
In a separate small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard. Stir until smooth and evenly blended. This is where the magic happens – you want that cottage cheese really worked into the yogurt so you get a creamy, cohesive dressing instead of lumpy cottage cheese chunks (unless you LIKE those chunks, then you do you!).
Step 3: Combine the Salad
Add the chopped celery and chopped onion to the bowl with the eggs. Pour the dressing over the egg mixture. Gently fold everything together until all ingredients are coated. Be gentle here – you want to mix it well, but you don’t want to turn your eggs into mush. Think of it like folding in whipped cream.
Step 4: Season
Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add optional extras like lemon juice, paprika, or fresh herbs if using. Taste as you go! I always add a squeeze of lemon because it brightens EVERYTHING.
Step 5: Serve
Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy on whole-grain bread, in lettuce wraps, or with crackers. My favorite way? On toasted sourdough with butter lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
You Must Know
Your eggs MUST be fully cooled before you start chopping – warm eggs will make the cottage cheese watery and weird. I always make my hard-boiled eggs the night before or run them under cold water for a solid 5 minutes after boiling.
Personal Secret: I blend half the cottage cheese with the Greek yogurt in my little blender for 10 seconds to make it ultra-smooth, then stir in the other half unblended. This gives you the creamiest base with some texture still there.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
For perfectly boiled eggs every time, use older eggs (they peel easier!) and add a teaspoon of baking soda to your boiling water. When you’re done boiling, immediately transfer them to an ice bath for at least 10 minutes. The shells practically fall off!
Don’t skip the Dijon mustard – even if you think you don’t like mustard, it adds depth without being mustardy, I promise. If you make your egg salad and it feels too thick, thin it out with a tiny splash of pickle juice or lemon juice. If it’s too thin, add more cottage cheese.
The biggest mistake people make? Over-mixing! Fold gently and stop as soon as everything is combined. You want distinct pieces of egg, not egg paste.
For meal prep, keep the dressing separate from the chopped eggs and veggies until you’re ready to serve. This keeps everything fresh and prevents sogginess.
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
Spicy Sriracha Egg Salad: Add 1–2 teaspoons of sriracha to the dressing for a kick. Top with sliced jalapeños!
Dill Pickle Lovers: Swap out the regular onions for 2 tablespoons of finely diced dill pickles and add 1 teaspoon of pickle juice to the dressing.
Mediterranean Style: Use all Greek yogurt instead of mayo, add sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and fresh oregano.
Avocado Egg Salad: Mash in half an avocado with the cottage cheese for extra creaminess and healthy fats.
Everything Bagel Version: Add 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning and serve on toasted bagels – SO GOOD!
Curry Egg Salad: Add ½ teaspoon curry powder and a handful of golden raisins for a sweet and savory twist.
Make-Ahead Options
This egg salad is PERFECT for meal prep! You can hard-boil your eggs up to 5 days in advance and keep them peeled in the fridge in an airtight container covered with a damp paper towel.
The fully assembled egg salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days in an airtight container. Just give it a quick stir before serving since the dressing may settle.
For the freshest texture, I recommend storing the chopped eggs and veggies separately from the dressing, then mixing them together the morning you want to eat it. This keeps the celery extra crunchy!
Unfortunately, this recipe doesn’t freeze well due to the cottage cheese and eggs – they get watery and grainy when thawed. But honestly, it’s so quick to make that you don’t need to freeze it anyway!
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
The texture of your cottage cheese matters! Small curd cottage cheese blends more smoothly, while large curd gives you more texture. I personally love small curd for this recipe, but use what you have!
If you want an even higher protein version, use all cottage cheese and skip the Greek yogurt or mayo entirely. Just know it’ll have a stronger cottage cheese flavor.
Fresh herbs make a HUGE difference here. Dried herbs just don’t give you that same bright, fresh flavor. If you can only get one herb, make it dill – it’s classic with eggs.
The salad tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for 15–30 minutes because the flavors have time to mingle and marry. Patience pays off here!
Serving Suggestions
This cottage cheese egg salad is incredibly versatile! Here are my favorite ways to enjoy it:
Pile it high on toasted whole-grain bread with crisp lettuce and juicy tomato slices for a classic egg salad sandwich. Stuff it into hollowed-out tomatoes for a low-carb lunch that’s as pretty as it is delicious. Serve it in butter lettuce cups for a light, refreshing wrap. Spread it on crackers for an easy appetizer or snack. Top toasted English muffins with the egg salad and a sprinkle of paprika for a protein-packed breakfast.
I also love serving it alongside fresh fruit, veggie sticks, and pita chips for a balanced lunch box. For brunch, serve it with bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon, and fresh fruit. It’s SO good on everything!
How to Store Your Cottage Cheese Egg Salad
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Make sure to keep it cold – egg salad should never sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Room Temperature: This salad must be kept cold for food safety! Only take out what you’ll eat within an hour or two.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this egg salad. The cottage cheese and eggs will separate and become watery when thawed, and the celery will turn mushy. Trust me, I tried it once and it was NOT good!
Reheating: No need to reheat – this salad is meant to be enjoyed cold or at room temperature. Just give it a good stir if the dressing has settled, and you’re ready to eat!
Allergy Information
Contains: Eggs, dairy (cottage cheese, Greek yogurt)
Gluten-Free: Yes! This recipe is naturally gluten-free as long as you serve it with gluten-free bread or crackers.
Dairy-Free Substitutions: This is tricky since cottage cheese is the star! You could try dairy-free cream cheese or cashew cream blended with lemon juice for tanginess, but it won’t be quite the same.
Egg-Free: Unfortunately, eggs are the main ingredient here, so this recipe can’t easily be made egg-free.
Nut-Free: Yes, this recipe is naturally nut-free!
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I use regular mayo instead of Greek yogurt?
Absolutely! Use 3–4 tablespoons of mayo if you want a more traditional egg salad flavor. The Greek yogurt just adds extra protein and tanginess, but mayo works beautifully too. Some people even do half and half!
My egg salad looks watery – what happened?
This usually means your eggs weren’t fully cooled before mixing, or you used warm cottage cheese. The heat causes the dairy to separate and get runny. Always chill your eggs completely! You can also drain your cottage cheese in a fine-mesh strainer for 5 minutes before using to remove excess liquid.
How do I make perfectly hard-boiled eggs?
My foolproof method: Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, then immediately remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10–12 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath for at least 10 minutes. Perfect eggs every time!
Can I make this with egg whites only?
Yes! Use 12 hard-boiled egg whites instead of 6 whole eggs for an even lighter, lower-cholesterol version. You might want to add an extra tablespoon of cottage cheese to keep it creamy.
Do I have to use celery?
Celery adds important crunch, but if you really don’t like it, try diced bell peppers, radishes, or cucumber instead. You want SOMETHING crunchy in there to break up the creamy texture!
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how you made it your own – did you add pickles? Go spicy? Let me know in the comments!
