Elevate Ground Beef Dishes With A Creamy, High-Protein Add In

If you're an avid home chef, there's a solid chance you rely on ground beef as a primary source of protein. Still, whether you enjoy a classic meatloaf or some chili on the regular, or prefer to transform leftover taco meat into the best soups of your life, most ground beef dishes can benefit from a little extra protein and flavor. To sufficiently upgrade your next beef-based meal with an ingredient that's rich, creamy, and high in protein, look no further than cottage cheese.

Believe it or not, ½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains approximately 14 grams of protein while ½ cup of full-fat cottage cheese contains roughly 11 grams. While they're both nutritionally similar, when prioritizing protein, low-fat cottage cheese typically contains more protein per serving. However, if your primary goal is building at-home recipes with the best possible flavor, you may want to use full-fat varieties.

Aside from the usual tips for adding more flavor to ground beef, like using a decent amount of dried spices and choosing the right ratio of meat to fat, combining full-fat cottage cheese with cooked ground beef can give your meals a creamier, more satisfying bite. So, whether you're choosing whole or low-fat cottage cheese, this ingredient is an easy way to elevate all your favorite ground beef meals. You can add cottage cheese directly into hot recipes as they cook, or use it as a last-minute topping at mealtime.

Many popular dishes can naturally benefit from cottage cheese's high protein levels. For example, use cottage cheese to make a light, easy "Alfredo sauce" with grated Parmesan cheese, milk, and seasonings. Then, use ground beef as your protein of choice along with select veggies like broccoli or asparagus.

When it comes to the many ways to use cottage cheese in baking, stir this creamy ingredient directly into popular ground beef casseroles like a Mexican taco bake, lasagna, or a Philly cheesesteak casserole made with noodles, peppers, onions, and provolone cheese. You can also use cottage cheese in a beefy version of your favorite homemade macaroni and cheese recipe. All in all, feel free to use cottage cheese to replace portions of milk, cream cheese, or sour cream in most recipes. Just know that in order to achieve an ultra-creamy consistency, there are a few important tips worth following.

For the best texture, pre-blend cottage cheese for up to three minutes before adding it to hot meals. Also, don't add cottage cheese to pans or skillets with ingredients that are boiling, which can cause cottage cheese to turn gritty or separate. For the best results, use low and slow heat. You can also skip the heat altogether and use cottage cheese as a topping for ground beef bowls made with avocado and sweet potatoes, or as a creamy addition to a simple Thai beef salad. The choice is up to you.