Can I Make Sour Cream Out of Cottage Cheese
This marvelous creation came to be when I was creating a breakfast dish that will be posted this weekend. I needed something as a kind of cream component and, well, cream simply isn't an option, for IBS, GERD/Acid Reflux/Heartburn or Lactose Intolerance. Almond Milk (or lactose free milk in general) is an ok substitute in things like cream sauces, but I knew that wouldn't work for what I needed. Cream cheese would have been perfect but, again, couldn't be used (because of fat and dairy content). Vanilla yogurt was out due to the sugar (because another element of the breakfast already had a fair amount of sugar) and I didn't want the tang that comes along with plain yogurt. There is no non-dairy greek yogurt that I've found, at least not in the stores around here.
Then, just before closing the refrigerator door and giving up on the idea, I noticed the Lactaid lowfat cottage cheese in the door and had a moment of clarity! I blended up some cottage cheese to see what would happen and voila! It was smooth and super thick, like a cross between greek yogurt and cream cheese and man was it ever creamy! And since cottage cheese doesn't have much flavor on its own, it's truly right in line with cream. It worked out wonderfully for the breakfast recipe. It providing the smooth, creamy consistency I was going for without the lactose and fat. And let's not forget cottage cheese is packed with protein, so it only added to the healthiness factor of the recipe.
Now there are all kinds of ideas running through my head for what to use it for! Cream sauces are obvious, and I'm definitely going to delve into figuring out a Low FODMAP, IBS Friendly, GERD/Acid Reflux/Heartburn Friendly version of roasted butternut squash cream sauce now, but surely there will be many other uses for this as well.
Once I looked online, it seemed I'm a bit late arriving on the idea to blend cottage cheese and use it in recipes. One of the ways out there to use the blended cottage cheese is to make it into sour cream. This is simply genius, since I have yet to find a dairy free sour cream (maybe it's just the stores here don't carry it?). To do this, all you have to do is add in 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar per cup of cottage cheese, plus 1-2 Tbsp. of non-dairy milk if desired (depends on your consistency preference for sour cream). Sadly, lemon and vinegar are both on the "not ok" list for GERD/Acid Reflux/Heartburn and vinegar is not approved for Low -FODMAP eating for those with IBS. Since my GERD has practically disappeared from the weight loss, stress management and other lifestyle changes, I decided to give it a whirl with the lemon (which is ok with the Low FODMAP food plan for IBS) just so I would know what it's like. I went with the vinegar since there was some in the cupboard (for laundry) but there were no lemons on hand. It was wonderful! For those with IBS and those without GERD/Acid Reflux/Heartburn or those with it who aren't bothered by lemon, definitely give it a try! It tasted just like sour cream to me and would be amazing on a plain baked potato topped with some chives. (Yum!!) And again, this makes a much healthier version of the original since it is low fat and packed with protein.
Now I'm off to brainstorm all the other ways in which to use this wonderful new creation!
Blended Cottage Cheese (for use in cream sauces & soups, use as a sour cream substitute & so much more!)
Any signs of this being cottage cheese are obliterated during the blending process, leaving you with a completely smooth & creamy alternative to sour cream, heavy cream and cream cheeses for use in cream sauces, cream soups and so much more!
Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Servings: 16 servings (2 Tbsp. per serving)
Calories: 20 kcal
- 1 whole container (16oz) Lactaid lowfat cottage cheese
- Plain, Unsweetened Almond Milk to taste, depending on your desired consistency (if you want it a bit thinner, more like a heavy cream, use the milk. Otherwise it will be more along the lines of Greek Yogurt or thick sour cream consistency)
-
Place cottage cheese and milk (if using) into a narrow, deep container (wide enough to fit your immersion blender).
-
Using an immersion blender (see notes section below as to why you absolutely should use an immersion blender for this), blend until there are no chunks left and the mixture is completely smooth and creamy (for me, this meant stopping a couple of times & scraping sides of container as well as the end of the immersion blender).
-
If you want to make this into sour cream, simply add in 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice OR 2 Tbsp. white vinegar when blending. (using lemon juice is safe for IBS/Low FODMAP, whereas the white vinegar is not. Also, neither the lemon juice or vinegar are approved for everyone with GERD/Acid Reflux/Heartburn due to the acidity. However, if you have GERD/Acid Reflux/Heartburn and lemon doesn't bother you (or at least not in the limited quantity you would be ingesting here), then have at it! The sour cream tastes just like the real deal but with far lower fat AND the benefit of being lactose free! Use some on a plain baked potato and top with chives, or mix chives in and serve as a dip or whatever else your heart desires to do with sour cream!
I tried this using 3 methods: Regular Blender (I have a heavy duty Kitchenaid), Food Processor and Immersion Blender (my is Calphalon). The blender and food processor took much longer and involved many more stops for scraping down the sides than the immersion blender did. Plus, when done you can't get every bit out of the blender/food processor. I felt much less was wasted when using the immersion blender (and it just worked best overall). If you don't already have an immersion blender, I can't stress enough how wonderful they are and how much your life in the kitchen will improve if you get one! Just make sure to get a high quality brand, like Calphalon or Kitchenaid. They work for not only this, but for making perfectly smooth mashed potatoes, pureeing vegetables (or making homemade baby food), making cream soups/bisques and so much more. I got mine as a wedding gift and it has been an amazing tool to have. *Information above is without using any milk. If using unsweetened plain almond milk, though, the values won't change much since it is super low in calories/fat/etc.*
*Information above is based on the specific brands/types of ingredients I used (as one example, pink himalayan sea salt is lower sodium than regular salt). Values vary if using any other brands/types of ingredients.*
*The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.*
*Back to Top of Page*
Nutrition Facts
Blended Cottage Cheese (for use in cream sauces & soups, use as a sour cream substitute & so much more!)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 20
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 95mg 4%
Potassium 33mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 1g
Protein 3g 6%
Vitamin A 1%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 3%
Iron 0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Reader Interactions
Can I Make Sour Cream Out of Cottage Cheese
Source: https://healthyby40.com/blended-cottage-cheese-for-use-in-cream-sauces-soups-use-as-a-sour-cream-substitute-so-much-more/