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Home / Recipes / Breakfast / Instant Pot Cottage Cheese

Instant Pot Cottage Cheese

March 10, 2017 By Jill Selkowitz / 163 Comments Updated July 11, 2020 / As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs I earn from qualifying purchases; see all disclosures.

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This Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe is so quick and easy. In under two hours, you will have delicious Homemade Cottage Cheese or Pot Cheese.

Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe

Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe

Not only can your Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker make wonderful Instant Pot Yogurt, but you can use them to make Homemade Instant Pot Cottage Cheese, Pot Cheese, Farmer Cheese and Indian Paneer as well!

Most of the major brand of Multi Cooker machines that have a yogurt button work in much of the same way.

As a kid, I hated cottage cheese. I was forced to eat cottage cheese because my parent(s) always had me on a diet.

I did, however, love pot cheese and farmer cheese, with Creamettes, sour cream and salt and pepper, which I was recently reminded. It’s a Jewish thing. In fact, I love it so much, I created a post with my beloved recipe. Check out my Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese recipe and I bet you will love it too!

Cottage cheese was big in Weight Watcher circles and I followed Weight Watchers as a very young kid. As I got older, I actually started liking cottage cheese. In fact, one of my favorite Weight Watchers treat is a Weight Watchers “cheese danish” made with cottage cheese, cinnamon and a sugar substitute melted on top of toast.

 

Cast of Ingredients for Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe

Cast of Ingredients for Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe

With a few ingredients, you will end up with about five cups of Instant Pot Cottage Cheese.

Jump to Section

  • What Type of Milk to Use?
  • Is it Cost Effective to Make Your Own?
  • Is There a Low Carb Keto Option?
  • Recipes Using Cottage Cheese
  • Which Lid To Use When Making Homemade Cottage Cheese?
  • How to Make Cottage Cheese in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker.
  • Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe

What Type of Milk to Use?

That my friends is up to you. Low fat, full fat, non-fat, whichever you please.

Just keep in mind that the less fat in the milk, the less dense and creamy cottage cheese.

Is it Cost Effective to Make Your Own?

It depends on the type of milk you are using. You will get a lot of whey out of the cottage cheese when straining. Since the homemade cottage cheese is super fresh, you could compare the cost to what you would spend in an organic store, which sells fresh cottage cheese.

 

Pour the Milk into the Instant Pot

Pour the Milk into the Instant Pot

Is There a Low Carb Keto Option?

Yes, pretty much there is and it is simple. Substitute the milk with heavy cream

For a low carb and keto option, use heavy cream in place of milk.

Recipes Using Cottage Cheese

I love to eat a scoop of Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe for breakfast, as a side dish to my Mexican Salsa Lime Chicken Omelet and my Pressure Cooker Spanish Tortilla and also on my Pressure Cooker One Pot Spaghetti Dinner.

 

Push Yogurt and then Adjust

Push Yogurt and then Adjust

Which Lid To Use When Making Homemade Cottage Cheese?

As Instant Pot Cottage Cheese is not made under pressure, like Instant Pot Yogurt, just a glass lid is needed.

Of course, you can use the lid that came with your pot.

 

The Boil Cycle is about 45 Minutes

The Boil Cycle is about 45 Minutes

It is easier for me to use the Instant Pot Glass Lid during the Boil Cycle, so that I can easily lift if off and Whisk the Milk.

Your Instant Pot will Beep after about 30-45 minutes, letting you know that it is ready and up to temperature.

 

Give the Milk a Whisking

Give the Milk a Whisking

If you Whisk the Milk a few times during the Boil Cycle, the Milk will come up to temperature quicker.

It will also prevent any milk from sticking on the bottom.

 

Take the Temperature

Take the Temperature

Because I am a perfectionist, I use a Digital Thermometer to take the temperature. It’s really not necessary, as exact temperature for this recipe is not key. 170-180 is fine.

There is a slight difference in getting up to 180, but really, not enough to worry, so if you feel like it, take the temp and get the milk up to 180.

By starting with a cool Cooking Pot AND Whisking during the boil cycle, I can get up to temp on the first try.

By the time I snapped this picture, the temp had already come down a bit, as I was trying a different set up and almost knocked the Instant Pot off the counter.

 

Slowly Pour in the Vinegar

Slowly Pour in the Vinegar

How to Make Cottage Cheese in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker.

  • The milk is warmed to about 180 degrees.
  • Lemon juice or White Vinegar is carefully mixed into the milk.
  • The curds will separate with the whey.
  • Whey is drained from the curds and cream and salt is added.

 

Cover and let sit for a bit

Cover and let sit for a bit

Turn off your Instant Pot or GoWise Electric Pressure Cooker and cover the Cottage Cheese.

Leave the Cottage Cheese alone for at least 30 minutes.

 

Prepare your Strainer

Prepare your Strainer

I have several Cooking Pots, so, if I am planning on saving the Whey, I place my Strainer Basket into my extra Cooking Pot, so that I can catch the Whey.

The  Whey from the Cottage Cheese will have vinegar in it, which essentially turns the Whey into a good substitute for “Buttermilk,” which is awesome!

I love to use the substitute “Buttermilk Whey” in my Banana Bread recipes and in my Country Sourdough recipe.

It is also good to use in my Instant Pot Dutch Oven Crusty Bread recipe.

 

Pour the Cottage Cheese into Strainer Basket

Pour the Cottage Cheese into Strainer Basket

If you want to make Farmer Cheese out of this recipe, line your basket with Butter Muslin, so that you can squeeze out all the liquid.

Keep squeezing until you get out every drop. Wrap it in plastic wrap and you can shape the Farmer Cheese.

YARKOR Tofu Press, Paneer Press, Farmer Cheese Press

YARKOR Tofu Press, Paneer Press, Farmer Cheese Press

Or check out this Yakor Tofu Press and easily drain the liquid. You can also use it for making Paneer, which is Indian cheese!

Cut it into cubes and you have an easy recipe for Indian paneer!

That’s it for the Farmer Cheese, Indian Paneer and tofu! 

 

Rinse the Strainer of Cottage Cheese under Cool Water

Rinse the Strainer of Cottage Cheese under Cool Water

Using a light stream of cold water and a Spatula, carefully move around the Curds, so that the Vinegar will be removed.

For Pot Cheese – drain the liquid, but don’t squeeze it out. That’s it. Stop here. You have Pot Cheese!!

Use Pot Cheese for my Pressure Cooker Creamettes and Pot Cheese recipe.

 

Mix Salt in the Cream

Mix Salt in the Cream

Add the Salt in to the cup with the Cream and give it a good Whisk. If you want to keep your Cottage Cheese lower in fat/calories, you can use Half & Half, if you like.

Milk actually works too, but the result will not be creamy.

 

Pour Cream into Cottage Cheese

Pour Cream into Cottage Cheese

Gently incorporate the Salt/Cream mixture into the Cottage Cheese, making sure not to break the Curds up too much.

For a smaller Curd, break them up more.

 

Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese

Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese

What a difference this Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe is from store bought.

It tastes so fresh and delicious.

Try it on top of my Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce, for a very healthy meal.

Kitchen Equipment and Essentials

  • Instant Pot DUO 6 Quart
  • GoWise 8 Quart Pressure Cooker
  • Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
  • Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk– a MUST have, probably my most used utensil
  • di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
  • Porcelain & Bamboo Salt Box with Spoon
  • Salbree Steamer Basket

Caring is sharing! If you would like to support This Old Gal, please share this recipe on Social Media, so that I can continue to bring you more wonderful recipes!

If you share a picture of something you make from our blog, tag it with #thisoldgalcooks so we can see it. We might feature it on Instagram! It makes my day when I see you’ve made one of our recipes!

Here is the handy printable recipe:

Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese

Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe

4.85 from 33 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Breakfast, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 281kcal
Author: Jill Selkowitz

Ingredients

  • 1 Gallon Whole Milk or Heavy Cream 2% or 1%
  • 2/3 cup Distilled Vinegar or Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream or Half & Half more as needed
US Customary - Metric

Recommended Products

Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk
Digital Thermometer
Butter Muslin
Salbree Steamer Basket / Colander
Yakor Tofu/Farmer Cheese/Indian Paneer Press

Instructions

  • Pour milk into Instant Pot cooking pot and cover with Glass Lid or Black IP Lid. 
  • Push the Yogurt button and then the Adjust button.  The display should read "Boil." 
  • During the Boil cycle, remove the lid and whisk the milk a couple of times during the cycle.
  • When Beep sounds, remove lid and take temperature..  Anywhere from 170-180 degrees is fine.  
  • Slowly pour in the lemon juice or vinegar and gently move around the milk.   It will begin to look curdled. 
  • Turn off the Instant Pot.  Cover the milk with the Glass Lid and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
  • Add salt to the cream and whisk.  Set aside.
  • Pour the Cottage Cheese into a Strainer Basket lined with butter muslin, sitting inside of a Cooking Pot or other device to drain.
  • Remove Strainer Basket to sink and run a slow stream of cool water over the Strainer Basket to remove excess Vinegar. 
  • Place Cottage Cheese into bowl. 
  • Gently pour in the cream with the salt and incorporate.
  • Refrigerate and enjoy.

Farmer Cheese and Indian Paneer

  • Follow the exact same instructions for Cottage Cheese, but don't add any cream or salt.
  • Instead of placing the cottage cheese into a bowl after draining out the liquid, gather the ends of the butter muslin and twist. Squeeze out as much liquid with your hands as you can. The cheese will form into a ball.
  • Shape the cheese into a block.
  • Place block of cheese into Tofu/Paneer Press and lock into position.
  • Let sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour, so that more of the moisture will be removed.
  • The farmer cheese/paneer can then be cut into pieces.

Notes

Recipe inspired by Mom'sThumb.
The nutrition information below is based on using heavy cream. For those using milk, the fat content will be considerably less.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 281 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 111mg37%
Sodium 79mg3%
Potassium 61mg2%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 1196IU24%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 53mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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© ThisOldGal.com - Sharing the recipe link to any of my recipes posts are both encouraged and appreciated. Unauthorized and improperly attributed or non-attributed use of this material, including screen shots, copy/paste of full recipes to any social media site, website, mobile application or service (e.g., copymethat, recipe keeper, pepper) or cookbook, without the requisite attribution or otherwise with express written permission from Jill Selkowitz is strictly prohibited. You may share a photo with a link back instead.

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Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese

Instant Pot Homemade Cottage Cheese

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March 10, 2017

About Jill Selkowitz

Hi, I'm Jill. I'm a mom to Tonkinese cats and enjoy sharing restaurant quality meals, easily made at home. With my easy step by step photos and directions, new cooks will be able to follow along and cook like rock stars.

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Hi, I'm Jill, cooking enthusiast. Here you'll find top chef quality recipes with step by step photos and directions. More About Me

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