Gluten-Free Cottage Cheese Egg Salad

If you ask me, egg salad gets a bad rap for being boring and heavy.

This protein-packed cottage cheese egg salad puts a lighter spin on the classic lunch staple that your family will actually get excited about. Creamy cottage cheese teams up with mayo and dijon to create a tangy base that’s less rich than traditional egg salad.

Hard-boiled eggs are separated and chopped into different sizes for interesting texture in every bite. Fresh scallions and a kick of red pepper flakes help the whole thing come together.

It’s a simple weekday lunch that works great in sandwiches or scooped onto crackers, perfect for when you need something quick but satisfying.

What Kind of Cottage Cheese Should I Use?

For this egg salad, you can use whatever cottage cheese you have on hand – small curd, large curd, or even whipped cottage cheese will all work just fine. Full-fat cottage cheese will give you the creamiest texture and richest flavor, but if you’re watching calories, low-fat or even fat-free versions work well too since the mayo adds some richness. If you’re not a fan of the curds in your egg salad, give the cottage cheese a quick blend in a food processor before mixing it in, and you’ll get a smoother, almost cream cheese-like consistency. The beauty of this recipe is that cottage cheese is pretty forgiving, so don’t stress too much about finding a specific brand or type.

Options for Substitutions

This egg salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Cottage cheese: You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of cottage cheese for a similar creamy texture. If you want it smoother, blend the cottage cheese before mixing it in.
• Scallions: No scallions? Try finely chopped red onion, chives, or even shallots. Just use a bit less if you’re going with regular onion since it has a stronger bite.
• Mayonnaise: If you’re looking to cut calories, you can replace some or all of the mayo with extra cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. Just keep in mind it’ll be a bit tangier.
• Dijon mustard: Regular yellow mustard works fine here, though you might want to use a little less since it’s milder. Whole grain mustard is another good option if you like a bit of texture.
• Red pepper flakes: Feel free to leave these out if you don’t like heat, or swap them with a dash of paprika or cayenne pepper for a different kind of kick.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

Overcooking your eggs is the biggest mistake you can make here, as it leads to that unpleasant gray-green ring around the yolk and a rubbery texture – stick to the 7-8 minute timing after turning off the heat for perfectly creamy yolks.

Skipping the ice bath after boiling makes peeling a nightmare, so always transfer those eggs to cold water for at least 2 minutes to stop the cooking process and make the shells slide right off.

Don’t forget to drain your cottage cheese if it’s sitting in liquid, since excess moisture will make your egg salad watery and less flavorful.

For the best texture, make sure to mash the yolks thoroughly with the cottage cheese mixture until smooth – lumpy yolks can make the whole salad feel grainy instead of creamy.

What to Serve With Cottage Cheese Egg Salad?

This egg salad is perfect piled high on toasted whole wheat bread or stuffed into a soft croissant for a filling lunch. I love serving it with some crispy potato chips on the side and maybe some pickle spears for that classic deli-style meal. If you want to keep things low-carb, try scooping the egg salad onto butter lettuce leaves or serving it with crackers and fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and bell pepper strips. You can also make it into a wrap with a whole wheat tortilla, adding some extra lettuce and tomato for crunch.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your cottage cheese egg salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s actually one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to hang out together. Perfect for meal prepping your lunches for the week!

Serve: Give the egg salad a good stir before serving since the cottage cheese might separate a bit while sitting. I like to eat mine cold straight from the fridge on crackers, toast, or stuffed into a pita pocket with some fresh lettuce.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 540-620
• Protein: 44-50 g
• Fat: 36-42 g
• Carbohydrates: 9-12 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 4 hard-boiled egg yolks (mashed until completely smooth)
• 2 tbsp cottage cheese
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for its creamy tang)
• 2.5 tsp dijon mustard

For the salad:

• 6 2/3 cups cottage cheese (I always use Good Culture for better curd texture)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 4 hard-boiled egg whites (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 7 tbsp scallions
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Step 1: Boil and Cool the Eggs

• 6 hard-boiled eggs

Bring a pot of water to a boil and carefully add 6 hard-boiled eggs.

Once the water returns to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 7-8 minutes—this ensures perfectly cooked yolks that are creamy, not chalky.

Transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water and let sit for 2 minutes to stop the cooking process, then peel and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the Eggs for Mixing

• 4 hard-boiled egg yolks
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 4 hard-boiled egg whites

Separate the yolks from 4 of the cooled eggs and place them in a bowl—keep these whole for now.

Dice the remaining 2 whole eggs into 1/2-inch pieces and finely chop the 4 egg whites into 1/4-inch pieces.

Keep the diced whole eggs and chopped whites separate; you’ll need them at different points in the recipe.

Step 3: Create the Creamy Yolk Base

• 4 hard-boiled egg yolks
• 2 tbsp cottage cheese
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2.5 tsp dijon mustard

In the bowl with the 4 egg yolks, add 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard.

Mash everything together until completely smooth and creamy—this creates the flavor-packed base that will bind the entire salad.

I like to use a fork and really work it until there are no lumps; this ensures even distribution of the mustard’s tang throughout the salad.

Step 4: Combine All Components

• 6 2/3 cups cottage cheese
• creamy yolk base from Step 3
• 2 hard-boiled eggs from Step 2
• 4 hard-boiled egg whites from Step 2
• 7 tbsp scallions
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

In a large bowl, add the remaining 6 2/3 cups of cottage cheese as your base.

Pour in the creamy yolk mixture from Step 3, then fold in the diced whole eggs and chopped egg whites.

Add the scallions and season with salt and black pepper, folding gently until everything is evenly combined.

I always taste at this point and adjust the seasoning—sometimes I add another pinch of salt if the cottage cheese is particularly mild.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Transfer the egg salad to a serving bowl and top with red pepper flakes for a subtle heat and visual appeal.

Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Gluten-Free Cottage Cheese Egg Salad

Delicious Gluten-Free Cottage Cheese Egg Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 580 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dressing

• 4 hard-boiled egg yolks (mashed until completely smooth)
• 2 tbsp cottage cheese
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for its creamy tang)
• 2.5 tsp dijon mustard

For the salad

• 6 2/3 cups cottage cheese (I always use Good Culture for better curd texture)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 4 hard-boiled egg whites (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 7 tbsp scallions
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

 

• Bring a pot of water to a boil and carefully add 6 hard-boiled eggs. Once the water returns to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 7-8 minutes—this ensures perfectly cooked yolks that are creamy, not chalky. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water and let sit for 2 minutes to stop the cooking process, then peel and set aside.
• Separate the yolks from 4 of the cooled eggs and place them in a bowl—keep these whole for now. Dice the remaining 2 whole eggs into 1/2-inch pieces and finely chop the 4 egg whites into 1/4-inch pieces. Keep the diced whole eggs and chopped whites separate; you'll need them at different points in the recipe.
• In the bowl with the 4 egg yolks, add 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard. Mash everything together until completely smooth and creamy—this creates the flavor-packed base that will bind the entire salad. I like to use a fork and really work it until there are no lumps; this ensures even distribution of the mustard's tang throughout the salad.
• In a large bowl, add the remaining 6 2/3 cups of cottage cheese as your base. Pour in the creamy yolk mixture from Step 3, then fold in the diced whole eggs and chopped egg whites. Add the scallions and season with salt and black pepper, folding gently until everything is evenly combined. I always taste at this point and adjust the seasoning—sometimes I add another pinch of salt if the cottage cheese is particularly mild.
• Transfer the egg salad to a serving bowl and top with red pepper flakes for a subtle heat and visual appeal. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.