5 cottage cheese recipes you have to make

Cottage cheese is finally getting the followers it deserves. What was once considered a bland diet food is now the star ingredient in a lot of trending recipes on social media. Cottage cheese is essentially the curds produced from skimmed milk when the whey is drained. You can purchase it in a smooth or chunky consistency and you can even find flavoured options on Woolies shelves. Sure, you can spread it on toast but why stop there? Here's how you can use a tub of cottage cheese to make just about anything.

1. The ultimate roasted side: 3-cheese roast potatoes

Name a better combo than cheese and potatoes. We'll wait...

Khanya's cheesy take on roast potatoes includes caramelised leeks, twice-baked potatoes and an overload of cheese. The cottage cheese adds creaminess to this recipe, and offsets the saltiness of the potatoes and rich melted Cheddar and mozzarella.

Get the recipe for 3-cheese roast potatoes here. 

2. The midday snack: Cheese asparagus sticks with herbed dip

The best dips have even better dippers. These phyllo-wrapped asparagus spears are the perfect vessel for "scooping" herby cottage cheese. This is an easy recipe that you can easily adapt if asparagus isn't in season. Wrap phyllo pastry around green beans or Tenderstem broccoli. You can also swap the chives in the cottage cheese for your favourite herbs. This versatile recipe is definitely one to add to your midday snack roster.

Get the recipe for cheese asparagus sticks with herbed dip here. 

3. The creamiest dressing: Super mielie salad

This dressing is addictive! It's creamy, sweet and salty, and the cream-style corn adds a bit of texture. This salad is loosely inspired by Mexican elote, a street food consisting of corn on the cob that's coated in mayo, dipped in a crumbled cheese called Cotija, sprinkled with coriander and ancho chilli powder and served with a wedge of lime. Get the recipe for super mielie salad here. 

4. The bougie one: Polenta pancakes with trout pâté

Make an easy trout pâté by combining cottage cheese, mayo and Woolies' poached trout. Khanya keeps this pâté slightly chunky, straying from the usual smooth pâté with a rich element on top. The polenta pancakes complement the trout-and-cottage cheese pâté perfectly. If you want to go all out for brunch, this is the recipe to make. Get the recipe for polenta pancakes with trout pâté here.

5. The glaze: Granadilla cake

On social media, cottage cheese has seen the most popularity in the cottage cheese ice cream trend. That's not the only dessert you can make using this cheese. Hannah has a simple glaze that you can drizzle on any simple sponge cake. Novices and pro-bakers: this is the glaze your bakes are missing!

Get the recipe for granadilla cake here.