Cottage Cheese Nuggets with 15 g of Protein per 100 g: A Step-by-Step Recipe from Styler

If you're tired of the usual cheese pancakes (syrniki), you can turn cottage cheese into golden, crispy nuggets with hard cheese — a snack that packs about 15 g of protein per 100 g of the finished dish. The recipe, published by the Styler project with a reference to Instagram food blogger “ptashka.oly,” is designed for simple home cooking: the main ingredients are cottage cheese, eggs, grated cheese, and flour, and the finished dish can be served as a standalone snack or paired with yogurt, jam, or your favorite sauce.

Ingredients and Dough Preparation

To make the cottage cheese nuggets, place the cottage cheese in a bowl, add two eggs and grated hard cheese, then mix until the ingredients are evenly combined. Next, incorporate the flour, baking powder, and salt, and knead an elastic dough. It is the combination of cottage cheese and cheese that gives the finished snack its high protein value, while the baking powder helps the dough stay soft on the inside with a crispy crust on the outside.

Shaping and Pan-Frying

Roll the finished dough out to about 1 cm in thickness and cut it into small sticks — the future nuggets. Heat oil in a pan and fry the sticks on both sides until a golden crust forms. Once the nuggets are flipped, you can cover the pan with a lid: this helps them heat through evenly inside without drying out. This cooking method produces a characteristic crispy crust and a soft cottage-cheese-and-cheese center.

Air Fryer Alternative to Reduce Calories

In the comments to the recipe, readers suggest not frying the nuggets in oil but cooking them in an air fryer — this method helps reduce the calorie content. Place the shaped dough pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket and bake until a golden crust forms, for approximately 20 minutes at 180 degrees. The exact time and temperature depend on the specific model of the device, so the recipe author recommends judging by the doneness of the nuggets rather than strict figures.

Serving and Presentation Options

The finished cottage cheese nuggets can be served as a standalone snack or paired with yogurt, jam, or your favorite sauce — to taste. The high protein content (about 15 g per 100 g) makes the dish suitable for those looking for a filling, nutritious snack or a complement to a main meal. The recipe stays simple: a minimum of ingredients, a familiar dough-shaping technique, and two cooking options — in a pan or in an air fryer.