Creamy Cottage Cheese Tomato (Printable)
A vibrant salad bowl with creamy cheese, roasted tomatoes, greens, and a zesty herb dressing.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Roasted Tomatoes
01 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Salad Base
05 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach, romaine)
06 - 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
07 - 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
08 - 1/2 avocado, sliced
→ Creamy Cottage Cheese
09 - 1 cup cottage cheese
10 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
11 - 1/2 tsp lemon zest
12 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
13 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Herb Dressing
14 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
15 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
17 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
18 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
19 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Optional Toppings
20 - 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes until softened and caramelized. Set aside to cool slightly.
03 - In a small bowl, mix cottage cheese with chives, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until creamy and well combined.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, parsley, salt, and pepper to create the herb dressing.
05 - Arrange salad greens in two serving bowls. Top with cucumber, red onion, and avocado slices.
06 - Spoon the creamy cottage cheese mixture into the center of each bowl.
07 - Distribute the roasted tomatoes evenly over the salads.
08 - Drizzle with herb dressing and sprinkle with optional toasted seeds. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasted tomatoes become little bursts of sweet umami that transform simple cottage cheese into something extraordinary
- Everything comes together in under 45 minutes but tastes like you spent much longer thinking about it
02 -
- The cottage cheese mixture can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator
- Roasted tomatoes are best fresh but can be roasted earlier in the day and kept at room temperature
03 -
- Let the roasted tomatoes cool for just 5 minutes so they are warm but not hot enough to wilt the greens
- Room temperature cottage cheese mixes more easily with the herbs and seasonings