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Make this cottage cheese fruit smoothie in under five minutes for a creamy, protein-rich drink that is great for breakfast or as a refreshing snack. The natural sweetness of banana and berries combined with the creamy texture of cottage cheese makes this smoothie as tasty as it is healthy.
At Healthy Little Foodies headquarters we've always been fans of cottage cheese, but with its recent surge in popularity (thanks to social media!), we've been experimenting with even more ways to enjoy it. Adding it to a smoothie is a great way to boost protein, creating a creamy and balanced drink that will keep little tummies satisfied.
If you're looking for more cottage cheese inspiration, give our Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese a try with fresh fruit, top your bagels with our Cottage Cheese and Egg combo, try some Cottage Cheese with Peaches or blend it into a deliciously creamy layer in our Lentil Lasagne.
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Reasons to Love this Recipe
- Protein Packed: Without the need for protein powder.
- Quick and Easy: Whip it up in less than 5 minutes.
- Adaptable: Use the recipe as a base but make the smoothie your own.
- Great Texture and Flavour: Thick, creamy and tastes like a berry cheesecake!
Ingredients Information (and Alternative Suggestions)
- Milk: I've used dairy milk, but any milk will work, such as almond milk, oat milk or soy milk.
- Cottage Cheese: The star ingredient! Helps boost the protein and provide a creamy texture. I use full-fat cottage cheese but low-fat will work too.
- Frozen Banana: Adds sweetness and helps make the smoothie thick and creamy.
- Frozen Berries: Helps with sweetness and adds flavour. I've used a mix of blueberry, raspberry and strawberry but you can opt to stick with one berry.
- Vanilla: Adds sweetness and flavour. Can be skipped or replaced with a little cinnamon.
- Sweetener: Only if needed, depending on the sweetness of fruit and taste buds. I recommend making it first then adding a touch of honey or maple syrup as needed.
See recipe card for quantities.
Nutritional Boosts & Substitutions
The great things about smoothies is that you can get creative and really make the recipe your own. Here are some things to add /try.
- Add seeds: such as chia, flax or hemp to provide extra fiber and healthy fats.
- Add nut butters: like peanut, cashew or almond butter for healthy fats, extra protein and a rich taste.
- Add veggies: frozen cauliflower rice is great for adding veggie goodness to smoothies without really noticing. A handful of spinach is also a good option, but will change the color.
- Use different fruit: Replace berries with mango and/or pineapple for a tropical twist!
- Make it a cottage cheese smoothie bowl: Reduce the milk or add more frozen banana to make it a thicker smoothie, ideal for smoothie bowls. Top with fresh berries, banana slices, seeds, nut butter, granola or your favourite toppings.
Step by Step Instructions (with Images)
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender (liquids and easier-to-blend ingredients at the bottom, nearest the blade)
- Blend until smooth, taste and adjust as needed (e.g add some sweetener, add extra liquid if too thick or more frozen fruit if too runny)
Top Tips
- Use a high speed blender: Make sure it can handle frozen fruit, because some blenders can't blend frozen fruit properly. If that happens, you might need to use fresh or partly frozen fruit instead.
- Make it blend easier: Put the liquids and softer ingredients in first so the frozen fruit doesn't get stuck under the blades.
- Change the speed: Start by pulsing to mix things up, then go from low speed to high speed.
Recipe FAQs
This smoothie is technically suitable after a baby's first birthday, but I'd recommend waiting until they're older, once they've had time to fully transition from drinking to chewing solid foods. Offering smoothies too soon may encourage drinking calories rather than eating them. Introducing textures is as important as flavours for developing healthy eating habits, and relying on smoothies can mask the texture and taste of whole foods.
For guidance only-each baby develops at their own pace. Make informed decisions for your child and consult a professional for personalised advice.
More Smoothie Recipes
Full Recipe
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Cottage Cheese Berry Smoothie
Equipment
- 1 High Speed Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250ml) milk
- 1 cup (230g) cottage cheese
- 1 medium frozen banana
- 1½ cups (190g) frozen berries
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the blender. Pulse to break up the frozen fruit then start on a slow seed and gradually increase the speed to high. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust texture and sweetness if needed (add more milk if too thick, sweetener for sweetness etc)
Video
Recipe Notes
- You can use milk of choice, dairy and dairy-free milk both work.
- I didn't think this smoothie needed any extra sweetness, but if you prefer a sweeter smoothie you can add a little honey or maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
Angelica
Hi Amy,
I tried this recipe today and it is delicious, I wasn't sure about adding cottage cheese to the smoothie but you can't really taste it, it is very creamy, filling and delicious.
I did the Mango variation as my little girl is not very keen on berries, plus chia and flaxseed for more nutrients,
Thank you!
Amy
Thank you so much for commenting and rating. I’m so glad you and your little one enjoyed the mango version and the extra nutrients from chia and flaxseed—it sounds delicious!