If you’re anything like me, cottage cheese is a fridge staple. It’s the perfect quick snack or after dinner treat with canned peaches (iykyk), but this recipe takes it to a whole new level. With just a few simple ingredients and a trusty food processor, you can transform a tub of cottage cheese into creamy spread that feels downright gourmet. The best part is that it’s packed with protein so you can feel good about spreading on a little extra!

For this recipe you’ll want to use 4% milk fat cottage cheese. The lower fat cottage cheeses tend to be more liquidy and we want a nice thick spread. You’ll blend the cottage cheese until it’s very smooth, scraping down the sides of the food processor when necessary. For flavoring we’ve thrown in a clove of fresh garlic, some herby Italian seasoning, and onion powder for a little kick. Finish it off with a touch of black pepper and a sprinkle of salt (depending on how salty your cottage cheese is already!).

Slather it on a bagel and you’ve got yourself a breakfast that tastes delicious while sneaking in some extra protein. It’s also great served as a veggie dip without a lick of guilt! Honestly, it’s so delicious that I’ve even caught myself sneaking a spoonful straight from the jar. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll never look at cottage cheese the same way again!