Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes (Creamy & Fluffy)

Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes are creamy Yukon Gold potatoes made with blended cottage cheese, butter, milk, and garlic. They're an easy side dish for weeknight dinners, Thanksgiving, or Christmas when you want classic mashed potatoes with a little extra protein. My version blends the cottage cheese smooth first, then whips the potatoes in a stand mixer for just 10-15 seconds so they stay light and fluffy instead of turning gummy.

Why I make mashed potatoes with cottage cheese

With my background as a nutrition coach, I spent years helping people find ways to make everyday meals more satisfying without taking the joy out of food. That's how I cook at home too. I still want mashed potatoes to taste like mashed potatoes, so cottage cheese has to earn its place in the bowl.

The first time I made these for my family, everyone kept talking about how creamy they were. After a few bites, someone asked what my secret was. When I said cottage cheese, nobody believed me! They've been part of our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners ever since.

The trick is blending the cottage cheese until completely smooth before mixing it into the potatoes. You get a little tang and extra creaminess, much like sour cream, but there are no noticeable curds. I still use real butter and whole milk because flavor matters here. I'm not trying to turn mashed potatoes into diet food. I just want a classic comfort-food side that tastes great and happens to have a little extra protein.

If you normally add sour cream to mashed potatoes, try blended cottage cheese instead. It melts right into the warm potatoes and gives them that smooth, creamy texture without changing the flavor everyone expects.

If you are looking for more cottage cheese recipes, check out my High Protein Banana Bread, Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse, Taco Dip With Cottage Cheese, or Cottage Cheese Mac And Cheese.

You can also explore my other classic potato side dishes like Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Traeger Scalloped Potatoes, or Potato Salad With Green Onions. 

Ingredients You'll Need

• Yukon Gold Potatoes: I've found Yukon Golds give these mashed potatoes the best creamy, buttery texture. I leave the skins on because I like the extra texture, and it saves a little prep time too. Red or yellow potatoes can work, but I personally don't use russets here because I find them starchier and less creamy for this method.
• Garlic: One clove adds a mild garlic flavor without overpowering the potatoes. I boil it right along with the potatoes, so it gets soft and blends in completely when everything is whipped together. If you're not a garlic fan, you can leave it out.
• Cottage Cheese: This is the ingredient that makes the recipe different, so quality matters. Good Culture is my favorite, and I prefer full-fat cottage cheese for the creamiest texture. Low-fat works too, but I skip fat-free because it doesn't give the potatoes the same richness. I blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth before adding it to the potatoes so you don't end up with noticeable curds.
• Grass-Fed Butter: A little real butter keeps these tasting like classic mashed potatoes. I use unsalted grass-fed butter so I can control the seasoning, and Kerrygold is one of my go-to brands.
• Whole Milk: Whole milk loosens the potatoes and adds creaminess without making them as rich as mashed potatoes made with heavy cream. I like grass-fed whole milk, and I often use raw milk at home when I can source it from a farm I trust. Heavy cream or half-and-half will work if you want a richer version.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper: Simple seasoning goes a long way here. I like a fine mineral salt such as Redmond Real Salt because it distributes easily through the potatoes, but kosher salt works too. Add the salt and pepper gradually, then taste before adding more.
• Fresh Chives: Chives add a mild onion flavor and a fresh pop at the end. I like folding in a little or sprinkling them over the top just before serving.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Mashed Potatoes With Cottage Cheese

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Step 1. Wash the potatoes and cut them into quarters. Place them in a large pot of cold water with the garlic. Bring the potatoes to a gentle boil and add a large pinch of sea salt. Boil them over medium-high heat for 15-20  minutes or until they are fork-tender.

Step 2. While the potatoes are cooking, add the cottage cheese to a food processor and blend until completely smooth and creamy. This breaks down the curds so the cottage cheese disappears right into the mashed potatoes.

Step 3. Drain the hot potatoes and garlic, and place them in the bowl of your KitchenAid stand mixer.

Step 4. Add the butter, milk, blended cottage cheese, salt, and pepper. Using the whisk attachment, whip the potatoes on medium speed for just 10-15 seconds, or until light and fluffy. Stop as soon as they come together since overmixing can make mashed potatoes gummy.

Step 5. Taste the potatoes and adjust the seasoning. Add a little more milk or butter if they seem too thick, then add salt and black pepper a small amount at a time until the flavor is right.

Step 6. Spoon the mashed potatoes into a serving dish, then finish with fresh chives and extra black pepper if you like.