Crispy Baked Cottage Cheese Fries (Printable Version)
Crispy baked cottage cheese fries — a high-protein, gluten-free snack packed with garlic and smoky paprika flavor.
# What You'll Need:
→ Main
01 - 2 cups cottage cheese, full-fat, well-drained
02 - 2 large eggs
→ Dry Ingredients
03 - 1/2 cup chickpea flour or gluten-free flour
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ For Baking
08 - Olive oil spray
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Place the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor and blend until mostly smooth.
03 - Transfer the blended cottage cheese to a mixing bowl. Add eggs, chickpea flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until a thick batter forms.
04 - Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, forming a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Bake for 30 minutes until firm and golden around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
05 - Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the baked slab into fry-shaped strips.
06 - Carefully separate the fries and arrange them on the baking sheet. Lightly spray with olive oil. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes for extra crispiness, turning once halfway through.
07 - Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce such as marinara, ranch, or Greek yogurt dip.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These deliver that irresistible crunch factor while packing in 13 grams of protein per serving, which is basically a gift from the snack gods.
- The batter comes together in one bowl with zero frying mess, and the cottage cheese flavor magically disappears into something savory and addictive.
02 -
- If you skip draining the cottage cheese, your batter will be too wet and the fries will spread into a sad flat puddle instead of holding their shape.
- The two stage bake is not optional because the first bake sets the structure and the second bake creates the actual crunch on each exposed side.
03 -
- Press the cottage cheese through a fine mesh sieve or let it drain in cheesecloth for thirty minutes and you will be amazed at how much liquid comes out.
- The batter should look thicker than pancake batter but thinner than dough, and if you are unsure, err on the side of thicker because it firms up beautifully in the oven.