Creamy Cucumber Avocado Salad with Cottage Cheese

This cucumber avocado salad with cottage cheese is the creamy, refreshing, high-protein side dish your summer needs! Easy, healthy, and ready in minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Cucumber Avocado Salad with Cottage Cheese

I first tossed together this cucumber avocado salad with cottage cheese on a sweltering July afternoon when all I had in the fridge were bits and pieces of a grocery run that never got finished. Half a cucumber. One ripe avocado. A lonely tub of cottage cheese in the back. Somehow, magic happened.

This healthy summer salad has quickly become a go-to in our house — refreshing, satisfying, and ridiculously easy. I love that it hits all the marks: creamy, crunchy, tangy, and light. Plus, it’s a high-protein salad that feels like a treat, not a chore.

Here’s why this one’s a keeper:

• Creamy without mayo – Thanks to avocado and cottage cheese • Low-carb and high-protein – Great for keeping you full • Quick to prep – Ready in under 15 minutes • Naturally gluten-free – And easy to customize • Perfect for summer – Picnics, BBQs, or lunch on the porch

For another creamy take, try this creamy cucumber avocado broccoli salad. It’s a cousin to this recipe — equally fresh, equally loved.

Printable Recipe : Creamy Cucumber Avocado Salad with Cottage Cheese

Print

Ingredients You’ll Need

This avocado cottage cheese salad keeps things beautifully simple — just a few wholesome ingredients you can find at any store.

Here’s what you’ll need: Creamy Cucumber Avocado Salad with Cottage Cheese

• 3/4 cup cottage cheese (full-fat or low-fat – full-fat gives extra creaminess) • 1 medium ripe avocado, diced • 1 1/2 cups cucumber, thinly sliced (English or Persian cucumbers work best) • 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed • 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill or parsley • Salt & pepper, to taste

Optional Add-Ins:

• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds • 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped (for extra protein)

Eva’s Note: If you can find herbed or chive cottage cheese — oh my, game-changer! I get mine at a little corner market near us, but I’ve seen it at Trader Joe’s, too.

How to Make Cucumber Avocado Salad with Cottage Cheese

This salad comes together with very little effort and a whole lot of flavor. Here’s how I do it:

1. Salt the cucumbers. Place sliced cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and let sit for 10 minutes. Then blot them dry with a paper towel.Eva’s Tip: This keeps the salad crisp and prevents watery dressing — just like my mom used to do with her marinated cucumbers.
2. Dice and mash the avocado. Dice half of it as-is, and mash the other half gently in a bowl.Why? Mashing some avocado turns the dressing creamy — no need for mayo!
3. Combine the base. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed avocado, cottage cheese, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Add veggies and herbs. Toss in the cucumbers, diced avocado, and chopped herbs (plus any optional mix-ins).
5. Chill before serving. Let the salad sit in the fridge for 15–30 minutes. This step is key.Eva’s Tip: Just like my grandma used to say — a little chill time makes the flavors dance.

Why Cottage Cheese Works So Well Here

Is cottage cheese good in salads? I say yes, yes, and absolutely yes.

This ingredient gets a bad rap, but it’s long been a staple in my fridge. When I was a kid, my mom would plop a scoop next to fruit or tuck it into her pasta salads. I didn’t appreciate it then, but now I get it — cottage cheese is creamy, light, tangy, and full of protein.

It makes this a high-protein salad without any meat, and it pairs beautifully with the richness of avocado.

Nutrition Note: A ¾-cup serving of cottage cheese packs in around 18 grams of protein, plus calcium and B vitamins.

If you’re a fan of this ingredient, here’s a cool and creamy way to use up extra cottage cheese that might surprise you!

Customization Ideas & Tasty Add-Ins

Once you’ve made the base recipe, the fun part begins — making it your own! Here are a few ideas we’ve loved:

Add Protein

• Chopped hard-boiled egg (my husband loves this version) • Grilled chicken or shrimp

Make It Vegan

• Use mashed avocado + plain dairy-free yogurt in place of cottage cheese

Add Crunch

• Toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds • Diced celery or radishes

Boost the Flavor

• Red onion or shallots • Feta or crumbled goat cheese • Sprinkle of chili flakes or sumac

Serve in Lettuce Cups

My kids call these “salad tacos” — so fun and light! Perfect for little hands or picnic plates.

Eva’s Note: One time, my sister tossed in leftover roasted corn — game changer. We now call that “the August version.”

What to Serve With This Salad

Wondering what pairs well with cucumber and avocado? You’ve got options — this healthy summer salad plays well with all kinds of mains.

Try it with:

• Grilled lemon herb chicken • Turkey burgers or veggie patties • Roasted salmon • Toasted pita wedges + hummus • A slice of sourdough with olive oil and za’atar

We’ve even scooped it up with tortilla chips like a chunky dip during family movie nights.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cucumber Avocado Salad with Cottage Cheese

Final Thoughts — Fresh, Creamy, and So Easy

This cucumber avocado salad with cottage cheese is the kind of recipe that feels like sunshine in a bowl. It’s fast, fresh, and full of nourishing goodness.

It’s also the salad I bring to last-minute picnics, toss together when lunch feels boring, or share when a neighbor needs a little pick-me-up. Food that comforts without being heavy — that’s the sweet spot.

Give it a try, and let me know how you made it your own. Join the conversation on our Facebook page — I love seeing your versions!

With love and lemony hands, Eva 🍋