Cottage Cheese Sandwich Bread

An image of cottage cheese bread slice standing on a wooden chopping board.

Cottage Cheese Sandwich Bread

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1 30

Total Time: 1 40

Servings: slices

Calories: 263kcal

Author: Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju

Real sandwich bread made with cottage cheese — soft crumb, golden crust, 11g protein per slice. Yeasted loaf that holds up to sandwiches and toast.

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Ingredients

2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 standard packet
1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar
½ cup warm water about 110°F — warm to the touch, not hot
1 cup full-fat cottage cheese room temperature, blended smooth
1 large egg lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups bread flour plus more for dusting and as needed

Instructions

Activate the yeast. Stir the yeast and honey (or sugar) into the warm water in a small bowl. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy and bubbly. If no bubbles form, the yeast is dead — discard and start over with a fresh packet.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the blended cottage cheese, beaten egg, melted butter, and kosher salt until well combined.

Blend or mash the cottage cheese until smooth. Visible curds in the finished bread create textural pockets that some find off-putting. A quick pulse in a food processor works well.

Build the dough. Stir in the activated yeast mixture, then gradually add the flour, mixing until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.

Sticky dough is good — wet dough is not. The dough should be tacky but pull away from your hands when kneaded. If it's leaving wet streaks on the counter, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Knead. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. With a stand mixer: use the dough hook on medium speed for 6 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
First rise. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, or until doubled in size. A switched-off oven with the light on is the easiest warm spot.
Shape and second rise. Punch down the dough and shape it into a log roughly the length of a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place seam-side down in a greased loaf pan. Cover lightly and let rise for another 30–45 minutes, or until the dough puffs just over the rim of the pan.
Preheat and bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the loaf is deeply golden, sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, and an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 190–200°F.

Don't skip the internal temperature check. Cottage cheese batters can look fully baked on the outside while still being underbaked in the center. 190–200°F is the reliable signal.

Cool before slicing. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Slicing warm bread compresses the crumb.

Video

Notes

Bread flour is the default for a lighter, chewier crumb. To use all-purpose, start with 2¾ cups and add more 1 tablespoon at a time as needed.
Storage: Keeps at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze well-wrapped for up to 3 months — thaw at room temperature before slicing. Refresh slightly stale slices by toasting or warming in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.

Nutrition