Cottage Cheese, Sausage & Veggie Egg Bake
These days it seems like protein is all the rage, and that’s a good thing! However, it can be hard to get your recommended daily intake. Cottage cheese will help you meet your protein goals, but if you’re not a fan of eating it plain, there’s plenty of ways to sneak it in to other recipes! This Cottage Cheese, Sausage & Veggie Egg bake not only adds the protein you need, but it also makes this egg bake have a light and fluffy texture. We call that a win! Member’s Mark™ Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn Grinder enhance the flavor of this incredibly tasty dish.
What is Up with Cottage Cheese?
Cottage cheese is so high in protein mainly because of how it’s made and what part of milk it concentrates.
1. It’s mostly casein protein
Milk contains two main proteins: whey and casein. When cottage cheese is made, enzymes or acid cause the casein to coagulate into curds. Those curds are what you’re eating—so you’re basically getting a concentrated form of casein protein.
- Casein digests slowly → keeps you full longer
- It’s naturally high in protein compared to fat and carbs
2. The liquid (whey) is drained off
During production, much of the liquid whey (which contains some protein but mostly water and lactose) is removed. That leaves behind the dense, protein-rich curds.
Less water = higher protein concentration per bite
3. It’s minimally diluted
Unlike milk or yogurt, cottage cheese isn’t heavily diluted after processing. Even though some versions add a little cream for texture, it still stays very protein-dense.
4. Low fat versions boost protein ratio
Low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese has:
- Less fat
- Nearly the same amount of protein
So protein makes up a bigger percentage of the calories.
Quick comparison (per ~1 cup)
- Cottage cheese: ~20–28g protein
- Greek yogurt: ~15–20g protein
- Milk: ~8g protein
Bonus: why people love it for nutrition
- High protein, relatively low calorie
- Rich in calcium and B vitamins
- Great for muscle repair and satiety
Cottage Cheese, Sausage & Veggie Egg Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 lb Bulk breakfast sausage
- ½ cup Green onions thinly sliced
- 2 cloves Minced garlic
- 1 Bell pepper of your choice diced
- 2 cups Fresh baby spinach chopped
- 12 large Eggs
- 16 oz Cottage cheese preferably full-fat
- 1½ cups Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ tsp Member's Mark™ Sea Salt
- ¼ tsp Member's Mark™ Black Peppercorn Grinder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add breakfast sausage and cook approximately 10 minutes, breaking into crumbles, until fully cooked through. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside to cool.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add green onions, minced garlic, and red bell pepper. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
- Add 2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat. Allow mixture to cool at least 5 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine eggs, cottage cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, Member's Mark™ Sea Salt, and Member's Mark™ Black Peppercorn Grinder. Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth.
- Add cooled sausage and cooled sautéed vegetables to blended egg mixture. Stir until combined. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until casserole is completely firm in center and a knife inserted into center should come out clean. If the top browns before the center is set, cover loosely with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.
- Allow egg bake to cool at least 10 minutes before cutting into 8 even slices.