How Much Protein Is in Cheese, Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese? USDA Data per 100g

Short answer: most hard cheeses have 22 to 30g of protein per 100g (6 to 8g per ounce), and parmesan is highest at 35.8g. Cottage cheese has 10 to 12g per 100g and plain Greek yogurt about 10g, but because they carry far fewer calories they deliver roughly twice as much protein per calorie as any cheese.

Every number below comes from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy dataset), and each row links to its USDA entry so you can check it yourself.

USDA FoodData Central Quick Answers

• Cottage cheese, lowfat, 1% milkfat (FDC 173417): 12.4g of protein per 100g, 28.0g per cup (226g), 72 calories per 100g.
• Cottage cheese, lowfat, 2% milkfat (FDC 172182): 10.4g of protein per 100g, 23.6g per cup (226g), 81 calories per 100g.
• Cottage cheese, regular, 4% milkfat (FDC 172179): 11.1g of protein per 100g, 25.0g per cup (225g), 98 calories per 100g.
• Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat (FDC 170894): 10.2g of protein per 100g, 25.0g per cup (245g), 17.3g per 6oz container, 59 calories per 100g.
• Greek yogurt, plain, whole milk (FDC 171304): 9.0g of protein per 100g, 22.1g per cup (245g).
• Cheddar cheese (FDC 173414): 22.9g of protein per 100g, 6.5g per 1oz slice, 403 calories per 100g.
• Mozzarella, part-skim, low moisture (FDC 171244): 23.8g of protein per 100g, 6.7g per ounce.
• Parmesan, hard (FDC 170848): 35.8g of protein per 100g, 10.1g per ounce.

Protein in Cheese

What the table shows:

• Hard, aged cheeses lead. Aging drives out water, which concentrates protein. Parmesan, romano and gruyère all sit near or above 30g per 100g.
• Per slice, the gap is small. A 1oz slice of swiss has 7.6g of protein and a slice of cheddar has 6.5g. Most everyday cheeses land between 6 and 7g per ounce.
• Parmesan also wins per calorie among cheeses at 9.1g per 100 kcal, followed by part-skim ricotta, romano and part-skim mozzarella at about 8g. Cheddar sits at 5.7g because most of its calories come from fat.
• Cream cheese is not a protein food. It has 6.2g of protein but 34.4g of fat per 100g.

Grated parmesan adds flavor more than protein: a tablespoon (5g) has about 1.4g. A 1oz piece of hard parmesan has 10.1g.

Protein in Cottage Cheese

A cup of 1% cottage cheese gives you 28g of protein for about 163 calories, which is why it has become a staple for anyone chasing a protein target. The nonfat dry curd cup looks low only because loose dry curds are lighter: USDA weighs a cup at 145g rather than about 225g.

Branded cottage cheese varies more than these averages, and some newer brands are noticeably higher. Our high protein dairy rankings list verified label numbers for specific products.

Protein in Greek Yogurt

Straining removes liquid whey, so Greek yogurt has about twice the protein of regular yogurt: 17.3g in a 6oz container of plain nonfat versus 8.9g for regular low fat. USDA lists 245g for a cup of plain yogurt; thick strained yogurt can weigh a little more per cup, so treat the cup column as a close estimate.

Flavored Greek yogurts usually have less protein and more sugar per serving. For specific brands, see our verified rankings of the best high protein yogurt and the highest protein yogurt, our guide on how to choose Greek yogurt for protein, and Greek yogurt vs skyr vs cottage cheese.

Protein per Calorie: Where Dairy Wins

Protein per 100g favors dry, dense foods. Protein per 100 kcal tells you how much protein you get for the calories you spend, which matters if you are trying to lose weight or eat on a small appetite.

Nonfat Greek yogurt and 1% cottage cheese are essentially level with chicken breast per calorie, and roughly double cheddar. That is why they are staples for people hitting a protein target on limited calories, including people on GLP-1 medications (see is cottage cheese good on Ozempic and our best yogurt for Ozempic ranking).

Is Dairy Protein High Quality?

Yes. Dairy proteins are among the highest quality proteins available:

• Casein is the main protein in cheese, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. It digests slowly, giving a steady release of amino acids over several hours.
• Whey is the protein in the liquid drained off when making cheese and Greek yogurt. It digests quickly and is rich in leucine, which makes it useful for muscle building.

Both score 1.0 on the PDCAAS scale, meaning they provide all essential amino acids in the proportions your body needs.

Easy Ways to Add Dairy Protein

1. Swap regular yogurt for Greek yogurt. A 6oz container goes from 8.9g to 17.3g of protein.
2. Add half a cup of 1% cottage cheese to toast, eggs or a smoothie for 14g of protein.
3. Choose part-skim mozzarella or ricotta when you want cheese with more protein per calorie.
4. Use hard cheese as a snack, not a sprinkle. A 1oz piece of parmesan has 10.1g; a tablespoon of grated has 1.4g.
5. Know your number. Our free protein calculator gives you a daily target, and Protein Pal logs a slice or a pot in seconds. It is free to download on iPhone and Android.

The Bottom Line

Hard cheeses pack the most protein per gram, led by parmesan at 35.8g per 100g, but they bring a lot of fat with it. Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt have less protein per 100g and far more per calorie: about 17g per 100 kcal, matching chicken breast. Use cheese for flavor and a few extra grams, and lean on cottage cheese and Greek yogurt when you need to move your daily protein intake.

Related Reading

• How Much Protein Is in Eggs?
• How Much Protein Is in Milk?
• How Much Protein Is in Chicken?
• Greek Yogurt vs Skyr vs Cottage Cheese: Which Has the Most Protein?