Give Your Tuna Salad A New Lease On Life With Creamy Cottage Cheese

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Tuna salad is a timeless classic, but it can get a little boring after a while. If you want to make your tuna salad taste like heaven with one simple swap, swap mayo for avocado. Looking to give your tuna salad more character? Add Everything But The Bagel seasoning. But if you want to give your tuna salad a creamy (and protein-rich — four ounces has over 12 grams of protein) new lease on life, the most crucial component is one single substitution: cottage cheese.

The swap is super simple. When you're mixing your ingredients together, just leave out the mayonnaise and add equal parts cottage cheese in its place. If you love a good, creamy tuna salad, add about two to four tablespoons of mayo (or cottage cheese in this case) per every five-ounce can of tuna. You can always add more or less to suit your personal taste. From there, it's just a matter of throwing in salt and pepper to taste, along with any other add-ins you love. Celery is a popular option for its crunch factor. Walnuts and apple chunks make for a good textural addition, too, but the sky's the limit.

So, the big question: Why the cottage cheese swap-out in the first place? Everyone has a method to their madness. Even Julia Child elevated her tuna sandwiches in delicious ways, usually to achieve certain flavor or textural goals. Subbing in cottage cheese is just more of the same, but it also gives you some important nutritional boosts. If you're looking for something a little more nutritious than mayo (yet still wonderfully creamy), cottage cheese is your bet. It contains crucial minerals like potassium, vitamin D, and calcium. It also contains phosphorus, which is a vital mineral for our bones, teeth, and for our bodies to make protein.

On top of that? It's a great flavor chameleon. Cottage cheese itself has a mild, slightly tangy, creamy flavor profile. It's got a high moisture content and often ends up compared to mozzarella or very mild cheddar or feta. There's saltiness and sweetness to it that makes it a perfect balance for the briny, meaty goodness of a tuna salad sandwich.