The Hands-Down Best Cottage Cheese Brand Is The Most Expensive We Tried

The cottage cheese comeback is well-established. Thanks to its adaptability, high protein content, and mild taste, a tub of cottage cheese has likely found its way into your refrigerator over the past few years. However, with this increased popularity has come an increase in cottage cheese producers. To find out which variety is the cream of the crop, Chowhound's Robyn Blocker rated and ranked cottage cheese brands, naming a definitive winner: Good Culture 2% Cottage Cheese.

As Blocker found out, cottage cheese flavors and textures vary widely across milk fat percentages, so she focused her ranking on the cottage cheese type she prefers to eat, which is the low-fat variety. If you like a richer flavor, Good Culture also makes an Organic Classic version with a higher (4%) fat content.

Cottage cheese brands can also vary widely in price, though ultimately Blocker determined that Good Culture 2% Cottage Cheese was worth the cost, as it knocked her taste and texture criteria out of the ballpark. She was looking for a creamy (not watery) texture, complete with chewy cheese curds and a rich, tangy flavor. Good Culture checked every box.

Robyn Blocker paid $4.49 for her 16-ounce container of Good Culture 2% Cottage Cheese, which comes out to 28 cents per ounce. That's more than any other cottage cheese she tried for Chowhound by a pretty substantial margin, yet she still felt Good Culture was worth it right away for its appealing aroma when you open the container. This is an excellent start for a product that can sometimes look a bit off-putting at first glance. Blocker even noted that this cottage cheese brand makes a pleasing noise when stirred — a miracle for easily ick-ed out consumers.

Texturally, this cottage cheese is thick and creamy. Although Blocker preferred the curd size of other brands, she found that Good Culture's smaller curds still had a lovely chew. She also highlighted its flavor as deliciously tangy and salty, making it stand out against other more mellow varieties. This sharp, milk-forward flavor would make it a perfect protein-rich swap for recipes like ricotta-free gnocchi, creamy Alfredo sauce, and air fryer flatbread.

There's also a case to be made for its cost through its ingredients. While many other brands use artificial flavors and preservatives, which create a gummy quality, Good Culture features live and active cultures, organic milk, organic cream, and sea salt — not surprising for a company that makes a point of supporting regenerative agriculture.