Your morning bowl of oatmeal gets a protein boost, thanks to cottage cheese! These rich and creamy oats are so satisfying and you can make them in just 5 minutes!

cottage cheese
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Oatmeal is one of my go-to breakfasts, but I’ve been trying to make an effort to eat more protein. A serving of rolled oats has about 5g of protein and I usually top my bowl with some peanut butter or almond butter for another 5g of protein. But I wanted to see if I could bump it up a little more, since I often eat my oatmeal after a workout. I loved cottage cheese in my overnight oats so I thought, why not add it to my regular oatmeal? It turned out great!

Why I Love This Recipe

  • This oatmeal is packed with protein!
  • You can make this quickly in the microwave
  • It’s filling and delicious!

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Rolled oats: Also known as old-fashioned oats, these oats have a hearty, chewy texture. You can also use instant oats. Do not use steel-cut oats as they take much longer to cook.
  • Cottage cheese: I used 4% milk fat cottage cheese but 2% works well, too.
  • Honey or maple syrup: Feel free to substitute with any sweetener you like.
  • Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla extract adds a little sweetness but you can skip it if you don’t have it.
  • Toppings: I added fresh fruit, a drizzle of peanut butter, and chia seeds but you can use any topping you like.

Tips for Making Oatmeal in the Microwave

I like to make my oatmeal in the microwave because it’s fast and easy! Here are my tips for making oatmeal in the microwave:

  • Use a very large bowl as oatmeal will expand rapidly while cooking. To be safe, I use a bowl that holds about 6 cups when cooking 1/2 cup of oats.
  • You’ll want to add about one cup of water for every 1/2 cup of rolled oats.
  • Microwave for 2 1/2-3 minutes on 70% power. You may need to adjust slightly based on your microwave. You can avoid the oatmeal boiling over by not cooking at full power.
  • After 2 1/2 minutes, use oven mitts to remove the oats from the microwave and stir. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to let it thicken.
  • If the oatmeal is still runny, microwave for another 30 seconds for a thicker consistency.

How to Make Oatmeal with Cottage Cheese

Cook the oatmeal until it’s creamy and thick,
then stir in cottage cheese. The cottage
cheese will melt into the oats.
Add sweetener to taste then top
with fruit and/or nut butter.

How do you add protein to oatmeal?

For this recipe, I added cottage cheese to give this oatmeal a protein boost. But there are other ways you can increase the protein! Add half a scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder to the mix. Adjust the sweetener to taste. Or you can add a tablespoon of flaxseeds or chia seeds for a boost of protein and fiber.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I make oatmeal without cottage cheese? Yes! Try my blueberry oatmeal for a recipe without any cottage cheese.
  • Can I make these into overnight oats? Yep! Try my Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats recipe.
  • Can I make my oats on the stovetop? Yes, just follow the directions on the package as cooking times vary by type.
  • Are oats healthy? Oats are a whole grain which means they’re a good source of fiber and protein. They’re a great option for a healthy breakfast!
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Cottage Cheese Oatmeal

Cottage Cheese Oatmeal

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 bowl 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Microwave
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

Your morning bowl of oatmeal gets a boost of protein thanks to cottage cheese! These rich and creamy oats are so satisfying and you can make them in just 5 minutes!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup water or almond milk
  • 1/4 cup cottage cheese
  • Sweetener to taste

Instructions

  1. Add the oats and water to a very large bowl.  (The oatmeal will bubble while cooking so I use a bowl that holds about 5 cups when I’m cooking 1/2 cup of oats.)
  2. Microwave for 2 1/2-3 minutes on 70% power. You may need to adjust slightly based on your microwave. By not cooking at full power, you can avoid the oatmeal boiling over.
  3. After 2 1/2 minutes, use oven mitts to carefully remove the oats from the microwave and stir. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to let it thicken.
  4. Stir in the cottage cheese and any sweetener.
  5. Top with desired toppings.

Notes

I normally add salt to my oatmeal but since cottage cheese is typically salted, I don’t add any additional salt.