Cottage Cheese Is The Ingredient You Need For A New Twist On Egg Salad

Lovingly squished between two pieces of bread, piled high amongst other family barbecue favorites, or eaten straight from the bowl, egg salad is an endlessly satisfying dish that always has more to give. Whether it's the eye-catching yellow color, creamy, mayo-based consistency, jewels of crunchy celery, or garnish of brilliantly green herbs, egg salad is always met with enthusiasm. And while it's already a masterpiece that needs virtually no improvement — cottage cheese may be what takes your egg salad recipe to the next level.

Formed of a multitude of white, creamy curds, cottage cheese is the ultimate tangy alternative to mayonnaise. But where does it belong in your egg salad? Just blend the cottage cheese in a food processor, and bingo, it becomes a delicious binder, helping all the ingredients unite. It's slightly lighter than mayonnaise but is equally as tangy and delicious. Cottage cheese takes center stage in this new version of egg salad, proving to be the mayonnaise substitute you never knew you needed.

Aside from its excellent tangy and salty taste, there is another reason to introduce cottage cheese to your egg salad. Although individual brands may fluctuate, cottage cheese is relatively high in protein, yet low in calories – especially compared to mayonnaise, which is generally described as the opposite. The only aspect of cottage cheese to be wary of is that it has a high sodium content. For egg salad, if you are apprehensive about the sodium, choose a variety that contains low levels.

On the topic of varieties, cottage cheese is extremely diverse, from big curds to whipped, full-fat to low, flavored with sugar, or even with added fruit. In an egg salad, it may be best to avoid sweetened cottage cheese as this may skew the flavors of your salad toward the dessert-tasting end. Pre-whipped varieties would not require blending beforehand but may benefit from softening before use. Take your egg salad on an adventure and see which variety you prefer.

Cottage cheese blends effortlessly with many of the usual suspects found in egg salad: Dijon mustard, finely chopped red onion, celery, and fresh herbs like parsley or dill. For less conventional ingredients, diced dill pickles add a bright acidity, while the flavors of cucumber and tomato add freshness, although be aware of the higher water content. If you use wet ingredients and find your salad sitting in a puddle, you can always stir in more hard-boiled eggs to thicken the consistency. If you're so inclined, you may even scatter crumbled bacon on top of your classic egg salad.

If you're looking for an out-of-the-ordinary finishing touch, a drizzle of tahini dressing would add sesame flavor, or sliced jalapeños would add a spicy kick. Or, just keep it classic with a generous garnish of sliced scallions or chives. Introducing cottage cheese into the delightfully layered flavors in egg salad is a fantastic way to innovate this beloved classic — whether for the health benefits, or the taste.