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A creamy, high-protein tuna spread made with canned tuna, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, fresh veggies, and a touch of mayo. This lighter twist on traditional tuna salad is perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or crackers and packs around 16g of protein per serving.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 7 oz canned tuna (5 oz drained)
  • ½ cup cottage cheese
  • ⅓ cup finely diced red bell pepper (about half a pepper)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons mayo (such as avocado oil mayo)
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 green onion or scallion, thinly sliced
  • 1–2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Instructions

  1. Bring eggs to a boil and cook about 9 minutes until firm.
  2. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for at least 5 minutes, then peel and set aside.
  3. While eggs cook, finely dice the red bell pepper, thinly slice the green onion, and chop the fresh dill.
  4. Open the canned tuna and drain thoroughly in a sieve, pressing gently with the back of a spoon or blotting with paper towels to remove excess liquid.
  5. If cottage cheese is watery, drain it in a fine mesh strainer or pulse it briefly in a blender for a smoother texture.
  6. Grate the peeled hard-boiled eggs into a medium bowl using a cheese grater.
  7. Add drained tuna, cottage cheese, diced red bell pepper, mayo, dijon mustard, tomato paste, chopped dill, sliced green onion, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder to the bowl.
  8. Mix everything with a fork, mashing as you combine to create a spreadable paste.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning; add more mayo or softened cream cheese if you want it creamier.
  10. For a silky smooth dip alternative, pulse all ingredients except fresh herbs a few times in a food processor or blend the cottage cheese alone and then fold it into the mixture.

Notes

Drain tuna thoroughly to avoid a watery spread., Manage cottage cheese moisture by draining or blending for creaminess., Boil eggs for about 9 minutes for firm yolks and chill in ice water., Choose texture by mashing for chunky or blending for smooth., Adjust flavors at the end; add lemon juice, salt, or cayenne for brightness or spice., Prevent soggy sandwiches by keeping spread separate until serving and using lettuce as a barrier., Add fresh herbs just before serving and reserve some for garnish., Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days; press plastic wrap on the surface to reduce oxidation., Swap cottage cheese with Greek yogurt or cream cheese, noting changes in texture and calories., Try small batches when adding new flavors to adjust taste as needed.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cozyovenkitchen.com/easy-tuna-cottage-cheese-salad-high-protein-tuna-spread/