We Tried 7 Brands Of Cottage Cheese And There Was A Clear Winner

Cottage cheese is a surprising superpower ingredient in a number of our recipes. Just like buttermilk in biscuits, cottage cheese can lend some extra tang and decadence to many comfort foods like lasagnas and casseroles.

There's also a dedicated following of folks who enjoy cottage cheese on its own. Southern Living editors tasted seven brands of cottage cheese to see what wins out in a taste test—and there was a clear winner.

How We Tested

For this taste test, we transferred each of the brands of cottage cheese into bowls which were numbered—no packaging in sight! Testers served themselves and tasted each cottage cheese.

Each was ranked on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. After tasting all of them, editors also selected their "overall favorite."

The Contenders

• Friendly Farms Cottage Cheese
• Breakstone 4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese
• Daisy 2% Cottage Cheese
• Good & Gather Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• Great Value 4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese
• Publix Brand Cottage Cheese
• Good Culture Whole Milk Classic Cottage Cheese

How Each Brand Scored

The tasting notes of these cottage cheese brands varied—and personal taste really showed! Several editors disagreed on whether they preferred a more flavorful curd or a more flavorful liquid, and we learned that cottage cheese varies widely in texture, curd size, and viscosity of the whey.

But despite some differences of preference, taste, and opinion, there was one clear winner.

Friendly Farms Cottage Cheese

Most tasters felt that this cottage cheese was sweet while some felt that its curds were a little salty. One editor noted that the creamy part was "miracle whip-ish." Editors felt this cottage cheese would be best on its own, rather than with toppings.

Breakstone 4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese

Breakstone cottage cheese is another brand that tasters compared to mayonnaise—its flavor has similar subtly tangy notes. Several tasters noted a thinner sauce around the curds, and suggested that they'd prefer it mixed into a savory baked application, like lasagna or casserole.

Daisy 2% Cottage Cheese

Curds are not the star of the show in this cottage cheese. Testers compared the texture and look of to yogurt, while flavor took the back seat. One editor noted that "flavor is mild" while several editors focused on its creaminess—a departure from some of the other cottage cheese with more obvious curds.

Good & Gather Small Curd Cottage Cheese

"Curds are flavorful," said one editor, who noted that some of the other cottage cheese have bland or mild curds. Some editors felt the curds had a firmer, grainier texture, and a tangy flavor.

Great Value 4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese

Editors noted the larger size of curds in this cottage cheese, and one taster appreciated that these "had a nice snap." Several editors noted a more mild tang in this cottage cheese, with a thinner surrounding whey liquid.

Publix Brand Cottage Cheese

Editors appreciated the savoriness of the Publix brand of cottage cheese. One editor said that this style of cottage felt like a standard cottage cheese, with a nice variety of curd sizes, standard level of saltiness, and mild but pleasant level of tang.

Good Culture Whole Milk Classic Cottage Cheese

This cottage cheese looked the most different—and tasted the most different. Editors raved about the texture and mouthfeel of this cottage cheese. Smaller and finer curds are more abundant and enmeshed with the surrounding whey, which made for a unique texture that tasters favored. One editor said it was "tangy, unique, and not too liquidy," perfect for eating on its own as well as with possible toppings.

The Results

Overall, most editors selected Good Culture cottage cheese as their favorite, noting that its curds and whey are tighter and more combined than separated as they are in other cottage cheeses. This cottage cheese also scored the highest in ranking. Editors liked that this cottage cheese wasn't too liquidy, perfectly savory, and felt fresh without any strong aftertaste. It still had a unique flavor, which editors praised. "It's the only one with distinguishable flavor," one editor said. "Perfect saltiness and tang."

Runner Up: Good & Gather

Editors liked this cottage cheese from Target's store brand Good & Gather, and it came solidly in second place. Much like the winner, Good Culture, its curds have a finer and firmer texture. One editor even preferred it as the most flavorful of the bunch.