Use in Moderation
Cottage Cheese
3.80g net carbs per 1/2 cup
Half a cup brings 3.8 g net carbs along with a solid 12.5 g of protein, so it can work on keto in moderation. Watch your portions, since the carbs from a couple of servings add up faster than you might expect.
Built by Barron Hansen · Last updated July 2026
Nutrition Facts
Fits My Daily Budget?
Set your daily net carb limit to see how one serving fits.
One serving uses 19% of your 20g daily budget.
Plan the rest of your day
Good to Know
Reach for full-fat (4%) versions like Good Culture or Daisy, since low-fat and fat-free tubs trade away fat without cutting many carbs. Skip anything labeled with fruit on the bottom or honey, as those can add 10 g of sugar or more per serving. A practical move is to pair a small scoop with avocado, olive oil, or nuts to raise the fat and keep the meal closer to keto ratios.
Is Cottage Cheese Keto? The Full Answer
Cottage Cheese contains 3.80g net carbs per 1/2 cup (3.80g total carbs minus 0.00g fiber). Half a cup brings 3.8 g net carbs along with a solid 12.5 g of protein, so it can work on keto in moderation. Watch your portions, since the carbs from a couple of servings add up faster than you might expect.
On a standard ketogenic diet, most people target 20-25g net carbs per day. A single serving uses 19% of a 20g daily carb limit. Track your portions carefully and account for other carbs in your meals.
Better Keto Swaps
A few options work better when you want to keep carbs low. Cream cheese is the easiest swap, with about 0.8 g net carbs per ounce and a much higher fat ratio, so it sits comfortably in a keto day. Full-fat ricotta is another pick at roughly 3 g net carbs per quarter cup, and it gives you a similar soft, spoonable texture for both sweet and savory dishes. Mascarpone is the richest choice, landing near 0.7 g net carbs per ounce, which makes it handy when you want creamy with almost no carb cost. Each of these keeps the protein-and-dairy feel while trimming the 3.8 g you get from a half-cup serving here.
Track Your Ketone Levels
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