The Top 10 Highest Protein Cheeses to Add to Your Diet

Rich, creamy, and endlessly versatile, cheese is on many peoples’ list of favorite foods. You may use it to make an appetizer platter. Or it could be a topping for pasta. In all ways, cheese adds a savory, rich flavor to your favorite dishes. And it adds some protein to your diet. Curious just how much it adds? Let’s take a look at 10 of the highest-protein cheeses.

1. Parmesan

Protein (per oz): 10 g

Parmesan cheese (or Parmigiano-Reggiano) originally comes from Northern Italy. It’s a hard, aged, cow’s milk cheese with more protein per ounce than other cheeses. It’s also the highest in calcium. And Parmesan is very low in lactose, the natural sugar in milk. This is because it has a long aging process (often 12 months or more). During this time, the bacteria convert lactose to lactic acid. 

But Parmesan is also high in sodium. Luckily, with its hard texture and sharp, salty taste, people usually eat Parmesan cheese in small quantities. 

Parmesan may be most popular as a topping for pasta. But you can also sprinkle it onto salads, soups, or pizza. And you can use it as an ingredient in meatballs, sauces, and risotto, an Italian rice dish.

2. Romano

Protein (per oz): 9 g 

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Another popular hard cheese from Italy, Romano cheese is a close second place for protein. Romano is made from sheep’s milk. It’s stronger and even saltier than Parmesan cheese. Like Parmesan, Romano cheese is high in both protein and calcium and naturally low in lactose. 

Note that Romano has more sodium — ounce per ounce — than any other cheese on the list. So it may be one to limit or avoid if you’re on a low-sodium diet. But most of the time, people use Romano cheese in small amounts.

You can use grated Romano cheese similar to the way you’d use Parmesan. Romano is the key ingredient in the popular Italian dish cacio e pepe (pasta with cheese and pepper).

3. Gruyère

Protein (per oz): 8.5 g 

Gruyère is a salty cow’s milk cheese originally from Switzerland. It’s aged 6 to 24 months — the longer it ages, the stronger its flavor. Gruyère is higher in fat than many cheeses. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat it. Just try to enjoy it in moderation.

Gruyère melts smoothly. And for this reason, it’s often used in cheese fondue, French onion soup, and gooey cheese omelets. 

4. Swiss

Protein (per ounce): 7.7 g 

Swiss cheese, originally from Switzerland, is a hard cheese made from cow’s milk. Swiss cheese is instantly recognizable because of the holes (called “eyes”). These holes are a result of the probiotic bacterial culture added to the cheese during processing. Probiotics are live microorganisms (namely bacteria and yeast) that can benefit your digestive and overall health. 

Swiss is the lowest in sodium of all the hard cheeses on this list. It has a sweet, mild taste, and it’s often paired with ham in sandwiches. 

5. Gouda and Edam

Protein (per ounce): 7.1 g 

Gouda and Edam are semi-hard cow’s milk cheeses originally from the Netherlands. The two share a spot on this list because they have very similar nutrition profiles. Both have a creamy, mild flavor. And both come with a thin layer of wax around them (which you remove before eating). Manufacturers add the wax to prevent mold growth. 

Gouda and Edam are often used in sandwiches or on burgers.

6. Cheddar

Protein (per ounce): 6.5 g

Popular, versatile Cheddar cheese is a hard cow’s milk cheese that originated in England. The longer cheddar is aged, the sharper it tastes. 

While regular cheddar is high in fat, you can also buy reduced-fat and low-fat versions. There are many different kinds of cheddar, which is one reason it’s used so much. Cheddar is popular on burgers, paired with crackers, or melted into macaroni and cheese. 

7. Mozzarella

Protein (per ounce): 6.3 g

Mozzarella is a semi-soft Italian cheese that can be made from cow’s milk or buffalo milk. Mozzarella is mild-tasting and creamy. It’s lower in both calories and fat than other cheeses on this list. But it still provides a moderate amount of protein. 

Mozzarella is often used on pizza, in sandwiches, and in salads. Because of its mild taste, it’s often popular with kids (or anyone else) who steer clear of cheeses with sharper flavors. 

8. Cottage cheese

Protein (per ounce): 3 g 

Cottage cheese is a soft cheese with a curdy texture. It’s low in calories and fat. But it contains plenty of nutrients, including calcium, phosphorus, and selenium. And don’t let the seemingly low protein content fool you. Cottage cheese isn’t usually eaten by the ounce: A more standard serving size is ½ cup. In that amount, it provides excellent nutrition, with 12 g of protein and 125 mg calcium. Some cottage cheeses also contain probiotics.

Cottage cheese is delicious on its own. But people often enjoy it with fresh fruit, as a spread on toast, or as a dip for veggies.

9. Ricotta

Protein (per ounce): 2.1 g 

Ricotta is a soft Italian cheese made from sheep, cow, buffalo, or goat milk. It’s often used in Italian-inspired dishes like lasagna, ravioli, or stuffed pasta shells. You can also use it in desserts like cheesecake and cannoli. 

Like with cottage cheese, people tend to eat more than 1 oz of ricotta at a time. A typical serving is ½ cup, which contains 14 g protein. Ricotta is a great source of calcium too. 

Comparing the nutrient content of cheese

The following nutrition table lists the above cheeses by protein content (per 1 oz serving).

*Note that cottage cheese and ricotta are usually eaten in larger quantities. A ½ cup (4 oz) serving is more typical.

Are there any downsides to eating cheese for protein?

Some cheeses are high in calories, sodium, and/or fat. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on your nutritional needs. 

Cheese contains different types of fat. It has a small amount of unsaturated fat, in the form of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). This is a healthy type of unsaturated fat. CLA may help prevent heart disease, obesity, and inflammation. 

But most of the fat in cheese is saturated fat. Experts recommend limiting your saturated fat intake to less than 10% of overall calories. In a diet with 2,000 calories per day, that’s around 200 calories, or 22 g of fat. Cheese has about 4 g to 6 g of saturated fat per ounce, so it can fit into a balanced diet. 

Though cheese can add to your overall protein intake, it can’t provide all or even most of the protein you need. It’s best to fill your diet with a variety of protein-rich foods, such as:

• Greek yogurt

• Chicken

• Fish and seafood

• Turkey

• Lean meat

• Tofu

• Beans and lentils

• High-protein grains

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Written by:

Cara Rosenbloom, RD

Cara Rosenbloom, RD, has been a registered dietitian for 22 years. She began her career working as a dietitian at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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