Meal PrepCottage Cheese Protein Bowls
Cottage cheese has become the internet's go-to protein hack for a reason — a single cup packs around 25g of protein for very little cost. Most recipes go sweet (fruit, honey, cinnamon), but this one goes savory instead: roasted vegetables and a soft egg over a scoop of cottage cheese, built to actually work as a lunch, not just a snack.
- for the bowls
- 2 cups cottage cheese (4% or 2%)
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
about 30g protein per bowl between the cottage cheese and egg.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the zucchini and bell pepper with the oil and roast 15–18 minutes, until lightly charred.
- Soft-boil or fry the eggs to your preference.
- Divide the cottage cheese between 4 containers, top with the roasted vegetables, and store the eggs separately.
- Add the egg on top just before eating, and finish with black pepper and a pinch of everything-bagel seasoning if you have it.
Don't like cottage cheese's texture? Blend it smooth in a food processor for 30 seconds first — it turns creamy without losing the protein.
No zucchini or bell pepper? Any quick-roasting vegetable works — cherry tomatoes and mushrooms are good options.
Want it spicier? A drizzle of chili crisp or hot honey over the top wakes the whole bowl up.
Dairy-sensitive? Lactose-free cottage cheese exists at most grocery stores now and works identically here.
Kantan tip — keep the egg separate until serving — a soft or fried egg reheated inside a sealed container gets rubbery fast.