Most cheeses provide between 5 and 10 grams of protein per ounce, with harder, aged varieties packing the most. That puts a single ounce of cheese roughly on par with one large egg (about 6 grams of protein), making it a meaningful protein source even in small amounts.
Protein Per Ounce for Common Cheeses
The protein content of cheese varies widely depending on the type. Hard, aged cheeses tend to have more protein because they contain less moisture, concentrating the nutrients into a denser package. Soft, creamy cheeses have more water and fat relative to protein, so they deliver less per ounce.
Here’s how popular varieties stack up per one-ounce serving (about the size of four dice):
- Parmesan: 10 g
- Swiss: 8 g
- Gruyère: 8.5 g
- Gouda: 7 g
- Provolone: 7 g
- Monterey Jack: 7 g
- String cheese: 7 g
- Cheddar: 6–7 g
- Mozzarella (whole milk): 6 g
- Blue cheese: 6 g
- Brie: 6 g
- American (processed): 5 g
- Goat cheese (soft): 5 g
- Feta: 4 g
- Cream cheese: 2 g
Parmesan stands out as the clear winner among hard cheeses. Because it’s so dense and intensely flavored, you can sprinkle a relatively small amount on pasta or salads and still get a solid protein boost. Cream cheese sits at the opposite end, delivering mostly fat with very little protein.
Cottage Cheese Is in a Different League
If you’re specifically looking for a high-protein dairy option, cottage cheese blows every other cheese out of the water. A single cup of low-fat (1% milkfat) cottage cheese contains about 28 grams of protein. Even a half-cup serving gives you roughly 12 to 14 grams, more than double what you’d get from an ounce of cheddar.
The difference comes down to how cottage cheese is made. It’s essentially fresh cheese curds in liquid, so a typical serving is much larger by volume than a slice of cheddar or a wedge of brie. That larger serving size, combined with its low fat content, makes it one of the most protein-dense foods in the entire dairy category. Ricotta fills a similar niche, with about 9 grams of protein per half cup.
How Reduced-Fat Versions Compare
Choosing a lower-fat version of cheese can slightly increase the protein you get per ounce. When fat is reduced, protein makes up a larger share of what’s left. Whole-milk mozzarella, for example, has about 6 grams of protein per ounce, while skim-milk mozzarella bumps up to 7 grams. The difference is modest for most varieties, so it’s not worth switching to low-fat cheese purely for protein unless you’re also trying to cut calories or saturated fat.
Cheese as a Protein Source: The Bigger Picture
Cheese contributes real protein to your diet, but it’s worth keeping perspective on how it fits in. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines classify cheese as a dairy food, not a protein food. That’s because its primary nutritional role is delivering calcium rather than competing with chicken, eggs, beans, or fish as a protein staple. One ounce of cheddar has about the same protein as one large egg (both around 6 to 7 grams), but the egg comes with far less saturated fat.
That said, cheese has a practical advantage: it shows up in meals you’re already eating. A couple of ounces of Swiss on a sandwich adds 16 grams of protein. A quarter cup of shredded Parmesan on a bowl of pasta adds around 10 grams. These amounts add up over the course of a day, especially when cheese is part of a meal that already includes other protein sources.
The protein in cheese is primarily casein, which your body digests slowly. This means it keeps you feeling full longer compared to faster-digesting proteins, a useful quality if you’re managing your appetite between meals.
Best Cheeses for Protein Per Calorie
Not all high-protein cheeses are equal when calories matter. Parmesan is one of the best options because it’s protein-dense and relatively low in calories for a hard cheese. You get 10 grams of protein from a single ounce, and its strong flavor means you rarely need large amounts. Swiss and Gruyère also score well, delivering 8 or more grams of protein per ounce.
On the other end, cream cheese and soft goat cheese provide the least protein for their calorie cost. A tablespoon of cream cheese gives you just about 1 gram of protein, and most of the calories come from fat. Brie and Camembert fall somewhere in the middle: respectable at 6 grams per ounce, but higher in fat than the harder options.
If maximizing protein is your goal and you don’t mind the texture difference, low-fat cottage cheese remains the standout. It delivers roughly 28 grams of protein per cup for around 160 calories, a ratio that rivals chicken breast.