High-Protein Quark Recipes: 8 Easy Ideas, Sweet and Savoury

If you have ever stood in front of the fridge wondering how to get more protein in without another shake, quark is the answer most people overlook. One tub of low-fat quark carries roughly as much protein as a chicken breast, costs little, needs no cooking and works sweet or savoury.

Written by Velion Physique. I have done nutrition coaching since 2019, alongside working as a personal trainer with five trainer licences.

Why quark works so well

Low-fat quark (in the UK and US you will also find it next to skyr or strained Greek yogurt) has around 12 g of protein per 100 g with very little fat or sugar. A 250 g portion lands at about 30 g protein – enough for one complete high-protein meal or snack. Skyr and strained Greek yogurt work in every recipe below if you can't find quark; the protein is slightly lower or similar depending on the brand.

8 easy quark ideas

Idea	What you need	Roughly
1. Berry breakfast bowl	250 g quark, a handful of berries, 30 g oats, cinnamon	~35 g protein
2. Chocolate quark mousse	250 g quark, 1 tbsp cocoa, splash of milk, a little honey or sweetener – whisk until fluffy	~30 g
3. 3-ingredient quark pancakes	125 g quark, 2 eggs, 40 g oats – blend, fry small pancakes	~30 g
4. Herb quark dip	200 g quark, chives, parsley, garlic, salt – with carrots, peppers, cucumber	~25 g
5. Jacket potato with herb quark	1 large potato, 200 g herb quark, side salad	~28 g
6. Quark overnight oats	150 g quark, 40 g oats, 100 ml milk, berries – fridge overnight	~27 g
7. Cheesecake cup	200 g quark, vanilla, lemon zest, a few crushed oat biscuits on top	~25 g
8. Smoked salmon on rye	2 slices rye bread, 100 g quark, 60 g smoked salmon, dill	~30 g

Numbers are rough and depend on the exact products you buy – check the label of your quark if you track closely.

Three tips that make quark taste better

• Whisk it with a splash of milk or water. Plain quark is thick and slightly dry; 30 seconds of whisking makes it creamy.
• Season savoury quark properly. Salt, garlic and plenty of fresh herbs – under-seasoned quark is why people think they don't like it.
• Keep two tubs in the fridge. One for sweet, one for savoury. When it is there, it gets eaten.

Fitting it into a desk-job day

Quark is ideal for the moments where protein usually falls apart: a rushed breakfast, the 3 pm snack at your desk, or a late dinner when you don't want to cook. A herb quark dip in a container plus vegetables travels well and needs no microwave – more ideas in high-protein lunch for work without a microwave.

If you have a milk allergy, lactose intolerance, kidney disease or follow a medically prescribed diet, check with your doctor or a dietitian before increasing dairy protein. This is general nutrition information, not medical or dietetic advice.

Common questions

Is quark the same as cottage cheese?

Both are fresh dairy with a lot of protein. Quark is smooth, cottage cheese is lumpy. Swap them freely – high-protein cottage cheese recipes has more ideas.

Can I eat quark every day?

For most healthy people, yes – as part of a varied diet. Mix it with other protein sources rather than relying on one food.

How much protein do I actually need?

That depends on your body weight and goal. The free Protein Calculator gives you a daily target and grams per meal in 30 seconds.

The short version

A 250 g portion of low-fat quark gives you about 30 g protein with no cooking. Sweet in the morning, savoury at lunch, chocolate mousse in the evening – it covers the gaps where protein usually goes missing.

More ideas: high-protein egg muffins, high-protein overnight oats and high-protein desserts. If you want complete meals already planned, see the High-Protein Cookbook or, for mornings, the High-Protein Breakfast Blueprint.

Everything in this area is in Nutrition.

→ See all high-protein recipes (250+ dishes)

→ Take the Sit Score: how hard is your workday on your body?
→ Free week plan with shopping list
→ Training plan finder
→ All guides and recipes