Healthy, Protein-Rich Cheesecake

Updated: September 6, 2022

This delicious recipe replaces the more traditional cream cheese element of a cheesecake with a mixture of cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to pack a real bone health punch!

There’s a generous serving of calcium and magnesium in each slice. But the real star of the show here is protein. If you’re a regular reader of the AlgaeCal blog, you’ll know that protein is involved in calcium absorption and keeps your muscles nice and strong too. You can read all about why that’s important on our “Everything You Need to Know About Protein and Bone Health” page.

The best thing about this cheesecake though? There are only 2 tablespoons of sugar in the entire recipe (not counting the natural sugar from any toppings)! Plus, it’s super easy to make– as you’ll see in the video below– and your options for customization are nearly endless! Fruits, nuts, granola, fresh herbs… which will you try first?

Healthy, Protein-Rich Cheesecake

Monica Straith
This delicious recipe replaces the more traditional cream cheese element of a cheesecake with a mixture of cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to pack a real bone health punch!
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling time 3 hours
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 130 kcal

Ingredients
  

Main cheesecake

  • 1 cup cottage cheese 2%
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 egg large
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1.5 tbsp almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • zest of a lemon

Optional Toppings

  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup granola
  • 1/2 cup peach sliced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and grease a springform pan. A 6-inch pan is preferable, but if you don’t have one, you can use a larger pan and double the recipe.
  • Blend the cottage cheese and yogurt until you have a smooth texture. Make sure there are no lumps!
  • Add the remaining ingredients (except your toppings) and combine until everything is mixed in nicely.
  • Pour your mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes. You’re looking for a smooth but solid cheesecake. It should jiggle a little, but shouldn’t be too loose.
  • Let your cheesecake cool completely, and then pop it in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
  •  Arrange your choice of toppings on your cheesecake and serve!

Notes

Get creative with your toppings! You can try fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, granola (try our gluten-free, cinnamon granola recipe here) and much more.

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 8gFat: 4gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 169mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 95IUVitamin C: 2.1mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 0.7mg
Keyword cheesecake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Healthy Cheesecake Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoy this recipe! The slices may be a little thinner than a regular cheesecake, but it’s just as delicious and you don’t need to feel guilty about this one.

When it comes to toppings, I used peaches, blueberries and granola in the video here. But it’s totally easy to customize the cheesecake to your specific tastes! So experiment with different combinations to find your all-time favorite.

I’d love to hear how your cheesecake turns out! And I’m always on the lookout for other bone-healthy sweet dishes, so feel free to share any you might have in the comments section below 🙂

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Recipe Rating




  1. cat dillon

    March 23, 2019 , 10:15 am

    So many ways to make this recipe shine without using sugar.

    Why not use alternative , like yacon or stevia?

    And forgo the granola (sugar) and top with nuts or cacao nibs?

  2. Jenna AlgaeCal

    March 27, 2019 , 9:42 am

    Hi Cat,

    You can absolutely use a sugar alternative if you prefer! We used granola with no added sugar, but it’s a great idea to mix up the toppings with nuts or cacao nibs. 🙂

    – Jenna @ AlgaeCal

  3. Kat

    March 23, 2019 , 2:27 pm

    I must have missed something … what size or weight is one serving? Thanks!

  4. Jenna AlgaeCal

    March 27, 2019 , 9:50 am

    Hey Kat! If you split up the cheesecake into 6 slices each serving will be about 130 kcal.

    – Jenna @ AlgaeCal

  5. Linda

    March 24, 2019 , 5:06 am

    Thanks for this recipe. I am anxious to try it. The serving size seems extremely small (1/6th of a 6″ round pan) but still a nice treat. Could I substitute Stevia or maple syrup for the sugar? I plan to purée some raspberries for the topping.

  6. Jenna AlgaeCal

    March 27, 2019 , 10:12 am

    Hi Linda,

    Feel free to cut larger slices if you’re craving a little more! 😉 You can definitely use a sugar alternative — click here for a guide on sugar substitutes for baking. Enjoy!

    – Jenna @ AlgaeCal

  7. Gerri Campbell

    March 25, 2019 , 9:48 am

    5 stars
    My husband and I really enjoyed this dessert..
    Very satisfying and easy to make!!

  8. Jenna AlgaeCal

    March 27, 2019 , 10:13 am

    So glad you both enjoyed it, Gerri! 😀

    – Jenna @ AlgaeCal

  9. Sara jones

    May 18, 2019 , 1:46 pm

    I have a big sweet tooth. My hubby too. Can’t wait to make this cheesecake and many others. Thanks

  10. Crystal

    April 3, 2019 , 9:45 am

    How to change this out to be dairy-free?

  11. Jenna AlgaeCal

    April 9, 2019 , 8:45 am

    Hi Crystal,

    You can click here for a dairy-free cheesecake recipe that has lots of good reviews! 🙂

    – Jenna @ AlgaeCal

  12. Virginia Naeve

    April 3, 2019 , 9:46 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! My husband asked me to make it again! No guilt.

  13. Jenna AlgaeCal

    April 9, 2019 , 8:39 am

    Love that! Thanks for sharing, Virginia ?

    – Jenna @ AlgaeCal

  14. Irene Belcher

    December 25, 2019 , 2:32 pm

    I greatly appreciate your sharing these delicious recipes with us. Now I can eat sweets without feeling guilty. They taste like or better than the ones that are filled with unhealthy sugars and fats.
    It’s been hard for me to figure out what to eat. These recipes give me more options. Thanks again!

  15. Blaire AlgaeCal

    December 26, 2019 , 3:31 pm

    So happy to hear that, Irene! You absolutely can enjoy this yummy dessert guilt-free 😀

    – Blaire @ AlgaeCal

  16. Sandra

    December 26, 2019 , 7:28 am

    Dairy products and eggs are inflammatory foods, so not a good recipe even if substituting something else for the sugar. Eating inflammatory foods is not good for the bones or anything else.

  17. Blaire AlgaeCal

    December 27, 2019 , 4:01 pm

    Thanks for your feedback, Sandra! We have an in-depth blog post exploring the relationship between milk and osteoporosis if you’re interested. Feel free to check it out here ?

    – Blaire @ AlgaeCal

  18. Donna

    March 25, 2020 , 9:15 am

    Sandra, I agree.
    Also, if eating a healthy Whole Foods, plant based diet, it would not include dairy. But it does look and sound good. Most of America does not have a clue about real nutrition.

  19. Kathryn Burcham

    December 29, 2019 , 7:48 am

    5 stars
    Just made this — WONDERFUL! Haven’t had any cheesecake for a while due to the high sugar content, this one was fabulous! Thanks for sharing.!

  20. Megan AlgaeCal

    December 31, 2019 , 10:05 am

    So glad you enjoyed it as much as we did, Kathryn!!

    We hope you’ll try some of our other bone-healthy recipes here. 🙂

    -Megan @ AlgaeCal

  21. Paula Symonds

    May 13, 2020 , 5:30 pm

    To the person who doesn’t eat inflammatory foods. A little treat on the rare occasion will not break your bones. I began taking AlgaeCal Plus and Stontium Boost 10 years ago. In that time I still eat yogurt everyday and have the occasional egg. I also no longer have low bone density. I run 3 miles 5 times a week and exercise and addition hour each evening. I feel great and not one knows how old I am.

  22. Blaire AlgaeCal

    May 14, 2020 , 9:28 am

    We are SO happy you are doing well, Paula! Keep up the great work ❤️

    – Blaire @ AlgaeCal

  23. Suzanne

    May 14, 2020 , 12:58 pm

    Did u use regular flour? I hate to buy a bag of almond flour.

  24. Megan AlgaeCal

    May 15, 2020 , 9:25 am

    Hi Suzanne!

    Yes, you can substitute all-purpose flour for the almond flour 🙂

    Let us know how your cheesecake turns out!

    -Megan @ AlgaeCal

  25. Loretta

    May 14, 2020 , 5:19 pm

    This really sounds like a great cheese cake recipe.

    Can I use raw coconut flour in place of the almond flour? If so will it still be the same measurement?

  26. Megan AlgaeCal

    May 15, 2020 , 9:32 am

    Hi Loretta!

    We haven’t tried substituting coconut flour for almond flour. Coconut flour absorbs a lot more moisture, so it’s typically substituted in a 1:3 ratio to almond flour (you’d use half a tablespoon in this recipe). If you prefer, you can also use all-purpose flour and it would be the same measurement (1.5 tablespoons).

    Let us know which you decide to try and how it turns out! 😀

    -Megan @ AlgaeCal

  27. Carla

    May 15, 2020 , 8:56 am

    Want to try this, sounds so good. I don’t have almond flour , can I use any other flour?

  28. Megan AlgaeCal

    May 15, 2020 , 9:26 am

    Hi Carla, no worries!

    You can substitute all-purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio 🙂

    Hope you enjoy this delicious cheesecake!

    -Megan @ AlgaeCal

  29. Shannon H Gallagher

    May 19, 2020 , 9:42 am

    This was delicious and easy.
    Even had all of the ingredients.

    Made strawberry topping.

    Yum ?

    Thank you

  30. Blaire AlgaeCal

    May 19, 2020 , 1:37 pm

    So great to hear that, Shannon! The strawberry topping sounds delicious ?

    – Blaire @ AlgaeCal

  31. Judy McCartt dickson

    June 3, 2020 , 9:41 pm

    I made this today and was really surprised how much like Real cheese Cake it tasted.. it was a tasty not too sweet, but very good dessert as is. I did not even use
    Fruit. Will definitely make it again and double the recipe.

  32. Megan AlgaeCal

    June 4, 2020 , 11:21 am

    So glad to hear you enjoyed this bone-healthy cheesecake, Judy!

    Feel free to try out some of our other recipes here. 😀

    -Megan @ AlgaeCal

  33. Susan

    June 19, 2020 , 1:38 pm

    Would the recipe taste or bake differently if I used Cassava flour instead of almond flour?

  34. Megan AlgaeCal

    June 19, 2020 , 3:51 pm

    Hi Susan!

    Cassava flour has a more neutral/mild taste compared to almond flour. We haven’t tried substituting it into this recipe, but you should be able to do so in a 1:1 ratio using the same directions.

    Let us know how it turns out! 🙂

    -Megan @ AlgaeCal

  35. LuAnn

    August 17, 2021 , 12:20 pm

    I tried this recipe. The first go-around it was grainy. The texture subtracted from the taste. An online search for why cheesecake would be grainy suggested excessive heat. I tried it a second time and dropped the temperature. Fearing the grainy outcome, I think I under baked it. It began to fall apart when I released the springform pan. It now sits in the fridge on the pan bottom waiting to be eaten. The jury is out as to whether tastiness wins over the trouble and it becomes a keeper in our house.

  36. Megan AlgaeCal

    August 19, 2021 , 10:32 am

    Hi LuAnn, sorry to hear about the hiccups!

    Let us know what you think of the taste! If you do try again, you could try the lower temperature with a slightly longer baking time. ❤️

    – Megan @ AlgaeCal

  37. Ofelia Valente

    December 6, 2022 , 4:46 pm

    5 stars
    Fabulous, easy and delicious!

  38. Shelby AlgaeCal

    December 7, 2022 , 7:11 am

    Hello Ofelia,

    Thank you for wonderful feedback – we’re so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our recipe! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  39. June Parks

    June 3, 2023 , 6:44 am

    Can you substitute honey for the sugar if so how much honey

  40. Samantha AlgaeCal

    June 5, 2023 , 12:05 pm

    That’s a great question, June! Honey can indeed be used as a substitute for sugar in baking. You can refer to this guide here for information on sugar substitutes and their required amounts in baking. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask. 🙂

    – Sam @ AlgaeCal

This article features advice from our industry experts to give you the best possible info through cutting-edge research.

Lara Pizzorno
MDiv, MA, LMT - Best-selling author of Healthy Bones Healthy You! and Your Bones; Editor of Longevity Medicine Review, and Senior Medical Editor for Integrative Medicine Advisors.,
Dr. Liz Lipski
PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMP, BCHN, LDN - Professor and Director of Academic Development, Nutrition programs in Clinical Nutrition at Maryland University of Integrative Health.,
Dr. Loren Fishman
MD, B.Phil.,(oxon.) - Medical Director of Manhattan Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Founder of the Yoga Injury Prevention Website.,
Prof. Didier Hans
PHD, MBA - Head of Research & Development Center of Bone Diseases, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV, Switzerland,