There are evenings when my kitchen calls for something utterly satisfying and packed with goodness, but without the usual fuss. This High Protein Veggie Bake with Cottage Cheese is precisely that dish. It’s the recipe I turn to when I want a meal that feels both nourishing and indulgent, a colourful tray of roasted vegetables enveloped in a surprisingly creamy and savoury cottage cheese sauce, all hiding under a blanket of golden, bubbly cheddar. It’s a true testament to how humble ingredients can come together to create something genuinely special.

What I adore about this bake is its creamy texture, which comes entirely from blended cottage cheese rather than a traditional, heavy béchamel. It delivers all the comfort you crave from a cheesy bake but leaves you feeling wonderfully light and energised. Friends always ask me for this recipe after trying it at dinner parties, often surprised that the secret to its luscious sauce is cottage cheese. It’s become a staple in our home for meat-free nights, for meal-prepping healthy lunches for the week, and for those times when we just need a big, warm hug in a dish.

This recipe is for anyone looking to eat more vegetables, boost their protein intake, or simply find a new, reliable weeknight dinner that the whole family will enjoy. The combination of sweet roasted peppers, tender courgettes, and sharp red onion with the rich, cheesy sauce is just divine. It’s a wonderful change of pace from our usual weeknight dinners, and it even works as a fantastic side dish alongside something simple like our Lemon Garlic Chicken.

Recipe Overview

This veggie bake transforms simple cottage cheese into a rich, creamy sauce that beautifully coats tender roasted vegetables. The final dish is savoury, cheesy, and packed with flavour, with a wonderfully golden-brown top. On my first few attempts, I learned that using full-fat cottage cheese is non-negotiable; it creates the smoothest, most decadent sauce without any graininess.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Servings: 4-6 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Veggie Bake Cottage Cheese

• Genuine Flavour: The natural sweetness from the roasted red peppers and onions is perfectly balanced by the tangy cottage cheese sauce, which is seasoned with garlic and oregano. The sharp cheddar on top adds a savoury depth that ties it all together.
• Ready in Under an Hour: With just 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes in the oven, this dish comes together efficiently, making it ideal for those busy evenings when you want something wholesome without spending hours in the kitchen.
• Flexible Recipe: This recipe is incredibly adaptable. You can easily swap the vegetables based on what’s in season or what you have in the fridge – think aubergine, mushrooms, or even broccoli florets. It’s a bit like our versatile Low Carb Chicken Casserole in that you can really make it your own.
• Great for Meal Prep: It works beautifully for a healthy meal-prepped lunch. The bake holds up well in the fridge and reheats wonderfully, providing a nutritious and satisfying midday meal for several days.
• Family Tested: My husband, who’s usually picky about veggie-centric dishes, asked for seconds the first time I made this! That’s when I knew it was a keeper, and it’s been a regular feature on our meal plan ever since.

Veggie Bake Cottage Cheese

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 45 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the best results, I recommend using a good quality full-fat cottage cheese. The lower-fat versions can sometimes contain more water, which can affect the consistency of the final sauce. I often use Longley Farm or a similar brand with a high-fat content for the creamiest texture.

• For the Vegetables:
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium courgettes (about 400g), chopped into 2cm chunks
• 2 red bell peppers, deseeded and chopped into 2cm chunks
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
•  
• For the Cottage Cheese Sauce:
• 500g full-fat cottage cheese
• 1 large free-range egg
• 25g grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
•  
• For the Topping:
• 100g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Sara’s Tip: Don’t be shy with the freshly ground black pepper! Its sharp, peppery bite is essential for cutting through the richness of the cheeses and brightening up the flavour of the vegetables.

How to Make Veggie Bake Cottage Cheese

The process is straightforward. We start by giving the vegetables a head start in the oven to ensure they become perfectly tender and slightly caramelised, which is key to a flavourful bake. While they’re roasting, we’ll whip up the simple, high-protein sauce.

1. Preheat and Prep: First, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch (or similar size) baking dish.
2. Roast the Vegetables: In a large mixing bowl, toss the chopped courgettes, bell peppers, and red onion with the olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer in your prepared baking dish. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and get a little colour. This step is crucial for developing flavour and preventing a watery bake. For more tips on getting the perfect roast, BBC Good Food has a great guide.
3. Make the Creamy Sauce: While the vegetables are in the oven, add the full-fat cottage cheese, egg, grated Parmesan, and Dijon mustard to a blender or food processor. Blend for 30-60 seconds until completely smooth and creamy. What works best for me is scraping down the sides halfway through to ensure there are no lumps.
4. Combine and Mix: Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven. Pour the blended cottage cheese sauce all over the partially roasted vegetables. Use a spatula to gently stir everything together, ensuring all the veggies are coated in the sauce.
5. Add the Topping: Sprinkle the grated mature cheddar evenly over the top of the vegetable and sauce mixture.
6. Bake to Perfection: Return the dish to the oven and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is melted, golden brown, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
7. Rest and Serve: Let the veggie bake rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to set slightly, making it easier to serve. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before bringing it to the table.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control: Make sure your oven is properly preheated before the vegetables go in. A hot oven ensures they roast and caramelise rather than just steaming in their own juices, which is key to the deep, savoury flavour of this dish.
• The Secret Step: I learned that blending the cottage cheese is the single most important step for achieving a luxuriously smooth sauce. It emulsifies the fat and protein, transforming the lumpy curds into something that rivals a classic cream sauce, but with far more protein. Don’t skip this!
• Make-Ahead: You can prepare the components ahead of time to make assembly even quicker. The vegetables can be chopped and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The cottage cheese sauce can also be blended and kept in the fridge for a day. Just give it a quick stir before pouring over the veg.
• Storage: Leftovers are fantastic! Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot, or place the entire baking dish back in the oven at 160°C for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. You can find more food storage advice from the Food Standards Agency.

Equipment You’ll Need

• 9×13 inch (or 23×33 cm) baking dish
• Blender or food processor
• Large mixing bowl
• Sharp knife and chopping board
• Spatula

What to Serve With Veggie Bake Cottage Cheese

This bake is a satisfying meal on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with a few simple sides to round out the meal.

• Crusty Sourdough Bread: A thick slice of fresh sourdough is ideal for mopping up every last bit of that delicious, creamy sauce from the dish.
• A Simple Green Salad: A crisp salad of rocket and mixed leaves with a sharp lemon vinaigrette provides a fresh, acidic contrast that cuts through the richness of the cheese.
• A Light Wine: A chilled glass of a dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio complements the vegetable and cheese flavours wonderfully.

Frequently Asked Questions

Veggie Bake Cottage Cheese

A creamy and cheesy vegetarian bake featuring roasted courgettes, peppers, and onion in a smooth, high-protein blended cottage cheese sauce. A wholesome and easy-to-make main course perfect for a weeknight dinner.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Modern European

Calories: 415

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Vegetables

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium courgettes about 400g, chopped into 2cm chunks
• 2 red bell peppers deseeded and chopped into 2cm chunks
• 1 large red onion cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
•  

For the Cottage Cheese Sauce

• 500 g full-fat cottage cheese
• 1 large free-range egg
• 25 g grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

For the Topping

• 100 g mature cheddar cheese grated
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)

Method

 

1. Preheat and Prep: First, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch (or similar size) baking dish.
2. Roast the Vegetables: In a large mixing bowl, toss the chopped courgettes, bell peppers, and red onion with the olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer in your prepared baking dish. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and get a little colour. This step is crucial for developing flavour and preventing a watery bake. For more tips on getting the perfect roast, BBC Good Food has a great guide.
3. Make the Creamy Sauce: While the vegetables are in the oven, add the full-fat cottage cheese, egg, grated Parmesan, and Dijon mustard to a blender or food processor. Blend for 30-60 seconds until completely smooth and creamy. What works best for me is scraping down the sides halfway through to ensure there are no lumps.
4. Combine and Mix: Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven. Pour the blended cottage cheese sauce all over the partially roasted vegetables. Use a spatula to gently stir everything together, ensuring all the veggies are coated in the sauce.
5. Add the Topping: Sprinkle the grated mature cheddar evenly over the top of the vegetable and sauce mixture.
6. Bake to Perfection: Return the dish to the oven and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is melted, golden brown, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
7. Rest and Serve: Let the veggie bake rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to set slightly, making it easier to serve. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before bringing it to the table.

Notes

Let the bake rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set, making it easier to serve. Stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I really hope this Veggie Bake with Cottage Cheese becomes a new favourite in your home, just as it has in mine. It’s such a rewarding and delicious way to enjoy your vegetables and pack in some extra protein. If you give it a try, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below—I always love hearing about your kitchen adventures! Happy cooking,
Sara