Herby Cottage Cheese Dip

By Yossy Arefi

Published Nov. 13, 2024

Herby Cottage Cheese Dip
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi.
Total Time
30 minutes, plus 45 minutes’ cooling and chilling
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes, plus 45 minutes’ cooling and chilling
Rating
4(255)
Comments
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Cottage cheese provides a rich and creamy base for this herb-packed dip that makes a perfect appetizer, snack or light lunch along with crudités and bread or crackers. A handful of browned onions give the dip a depth of flavor more impressive than the work it took to achieve it. Salt levels vary quite a bit from brand to brand of cottage cheese, so make sure to taste as you go and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 servings (2½ cups)
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 1cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1pint full-fat cottage cheese
  • ⅓cup roughly chopped fresh basil
  • ⅓cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼cup thinly sliced chives or scallions, plus more for garnishing
  • 2tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
  • Chips, crackers, bread or crisp veggies, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

74 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 150 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onion, and sprinkle with salt. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the cooled onions, cottage cheese, basil, parsley, chives and lemon juice to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

  3. Step 3

    Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving topped with a sprinkle of chives and a few cracks of black pepper. Serve with chips, crackers, bread or crisp veggies.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
255 user ratings
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Comments

Marie

This is the recipe for Special Dip!! My mom whipped this up one Thanksgiving, and it became a tradition in our house. This was many years ago, and she has passed on. None of us knew the recipe, but here it is. I'm sharing it with all five of my siblings!

Michelle O

Wanted this to have a bit more of a kick, so added a dash of white vinegar along with the lemon juice. Came out a little more ranch-y. All hail cottage cheese.

Kelli

Will this be good if made a day ahead?

Aloha Glenn

How long can this live in the fridge?

Julie in GA

I thought this was really delicious and at least one of my kids did too. I accidentally omitted the onion for the first batch and have been making it without since. I add a bit more lemon juice and herbs. It’s a great snack/light lunch when I’m busy with work and need something to munch at my desk (with carrot sticks and crackers). Not adding onion has the nice side benefit of allowing our dog to be able to clean out the container it’s stored in after it’s used up and goes in the dishwasher.

Rae

This is great. Gives the creaminess of a mayo/sour cream-based dip, but much healthier. I threw in some celery with the frying onions for some added greenery - I recommend really browning the onions for a good depth of flavor. Really any fresh herbs would work, whatever you have in the fridge. I completely blanked on adding the lemon juice, but didn't find it needed it, though again, you could be flexible with the acid (various vinegars, even a small dollop of whole-grain mustard would fit).

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