Quark has become quite a staple in my diet and helped me lose so much weight. Here is a selection of quark recipes, ranging from pasta dishes to desserts and cheesecakes. Some of them are even “unofficial” Slimming World recipes that you should definitely try.
What is Quark?
Quark is a soft cheese made with skimmed milk. It has a thick consistency similar to Greek yoghurt or sour cream. Whilst it has been around since the 14th century, especially in Germany and Eastern Europe it has become more popular over recent years with people following low-fat diets.
It is high in protein and very low in fat. This ingredient is very versatile. It can be used in dips, main meals, and even desserts. There is a wide variety of recipes that use it. Flavoured options are also now available but they are not all quite as low in calories.
I have compiled a selection of quark cream cheese recipes. I am sure you will love them. Some of these recipes are in blog posts with other recipes that you will enjoy.
Disclaimer: Just Average Jen is not connected with any weight loss plan. Please check nutritional values and/or syns yourself as these are approximate to the best of my knowledge.
Quark on Slimming World and other diets, Is quark healthy?
Quark is generally syn-free on Slimming World unless it is flavoured in any way before purchase as these sometimes have sugar added. The simple way around this is to flavour it yourself!
Quark is a soft cheese made with skimmed milk, virtually fat-free. Many diets encourage its use because of this.
How to make quark taste better?
Plain Quark does not taste great; it is rather bland and has minimal flavour however, you can make it taste better by adding flavourings or using it as an ingredient in the recipes I share below.
Can I cook with quark? What can I do with it? Don’t worry! Here are lots of quark ideas.
How is quark usually used?
Quark has so many uses, some of which you may be very aware of, others you may be surprised by! Here are the main ways people use quark.
As a Substitute for Cream Cheese
Quark is a healthier and tastier substitute for cream cheese. It has a lower fat content and more protein per serving. Use it as a spread on a bagel or use it as a base for dips. Add some herbs or spices to give it some flavour. The possibilities are endless.
In Baked Goods
Quark can be used in baked goods like cakes, muffins, and bread to give them a richer texture and flavour. Use quark in place of sour cream or buttermilk in the recipe. The result is a moist and flavourful product. Try making quark pancakes or waffles for breakfast. They are fluffy, creamy, and delicious.
In Salad Dressings and Dips
Whisk some quark with olive oil, vinegar, and herbs to make a creamy salad dressing. Use it as a dip for crudités or a sauce for grilled meat. Add different flavours to match the type of dish you’re serving. For example, if you are making a Tex-Mex dish, use quark with lime juice, coriander, and chilli powder.
As a Breakfast Bowl
Make a breakfast bowl with quark as the star ingredient. Mix quark with fruits, nuts, seeds, and honey. It’s a healthy and satisfying breakfast that will fuel you for the day. Quark can also be used as a substitute for Greek yoghurt in smoothie bowls.
Savoury Quark recipes – Snacks or starters
If you are looking for savoury recipes using quark for snacks or starters, then these should really help you. They are all easy to make and well-tested to ensure you always have tasty food.
Courgette Bakes – these are like mini quiches and are delicious with vegetables or as a starter.
Mushroom Pate – quick and easy to make with lots of mushrooms.
Garlic Quark Dip – an alternative to garlic mayonnaise.
“Sour Cream” – not quite sour cream but much healthier.
Mini pepper quiches – quiches with a crust that almost feel as good as pastry quiches.
Savoury Quark recipes – main meals
If you are looking for savoury recipes with quark for main meals then I am sure you will love this selection.
Garlic Mushroom and Spinach Pasta Bake – tasty and full of flavour with the spinach good for your iron levels.
Creamy Cheese and Ham pasta bake – popular with kids this is creamy and healthy too.
Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagne – a great veggie lasagne for all the family.
Spaghetti Primavera – an easy and tasty spaghetti dish with a difference from the usual spaghetti bolognese.
Lentil and Vegetable Moussaka – if you like moussaka you will love this one.
Leek Macaroni Cheese – Mac and cheese for Slimming World, definitely not one to miss.
Sweet Quark recipes – including quark cheesecake
Blueberry and vanilla semifreddo – easy to make and stores well in the freezer for those days you need something sweet.
Vanilla Baked Cheesecake – Tasty and naughty but still quite low in calories.
Strawberries and Cream (sweetened Quark) – simply sweeten the quark and enjoy as you would strawberries and clotted cream.
Carrot Cake – This is a popular low-syn cake but tastes just as good as the shop ones! Honestly, I promise you will love this one so do give it a try.
Deconstructed Frozen Berry Cheesecake – Easy and low syn especially if using your healthy extra b choice for the cereal bar.
Coffee and chocolate cheesecake – A low-syn cheesecake with no base but still tasty.
Bailey’s Cheesecake – Amazing, nothing more needs to be said!
Tips for using quark
These tips are based on using plain quark as that is the one you are mostly likely to use in recipes in my experience.
Using it for a cheese sauce
If you want to use it to make a creamy topping for lasagne or moussaka mix 250g quark with 3 tbsp fat-free fromage frais and a pinch of nutmeg.
This could also be used to make a cheese sauce for pasta but I prefer mixing it with a small amount of stock to make a sauce. Which do you prefer?
How to stop quark splitting when making quark recipes
Why does quark split when heated? It is because of the low-fat content so whilst that is good if you are trying to diet, it can make it a bit more difficult to cook with.
Don’t heat quark on its own (it’s fine when mixed with other things like stock, fromage frais etc), or it will curdle/split! I recommend making a small amount of stock in a jug and then carefully stirring in the quark to make a sauce.
Alternatives to quark
An alternative to quark is low-fat soft cheese as they often do not split. Consider quark as skimmed milk, low-fat soft cheese as semi-skimmed milk and full-fat soft cheese as whole milk. This is how they are made; otherwise, they are essentially the same.
It can be used instead of cottage cheese in many recipes. I sometimes blend cottage cheese if it is substituted in my shopping and I had planned for quark!
Using quark in a sandwich
Plain quark can be bland in sandwiches, wraps or similar but adding a few fresh herbs or tomatoes can help. This is well worth trying if you don’t want to use syns or WW points on Philadelphia!
Using it to make a spicy meal milder
If a curry or chilli is too spicy stirring in some quark can help! Remember to do this off the heat and when it has cooled slightly to prevent it from splitting.
It is an easy solution when you get to the table and realise you got a bit carried away with the chilli powder!
How to make mashed potato creamy
To make mashed potato creamier without adding milk or butter add a spoonful of plain quark!
It doesn’t sound like it would work but it really does, especially if you also add an egg yolk!
Alternatives to flavoured varieties
To avoid the syns or extra calories of flavoured versions when making quark recipes, use some flavourings or essences to flavour it!
Have a look around different supermarkets, some have salted caramel flavouring, for example, you could try coffee syrups as an alternative but be sure to buy a low-calorie or syn free version.
Is plain quark allowed on an SP day on Slimming World?
Quark can be eaten on a Slimming World SP day! It is a great alternative to yoghurt.
If you want to have overnight oats on a Slimming World SP day you could use quark instead of yoghurt with your porridge oats!
Alternative ideas to use quark
These basic ideas to use quark do not need recipes as such and they may help you think of other ideas and experiment a little.
Quark Pancakes
Who doesn’t love a stack of fluffy pancakes for breakfast? But it’s hard to ignore the sugar, the carbs, and the unhealthy calories that go with it.
This recipe is a fantastic alternative to conventional pancakes, as it substitutes flour and sugar with oats and Quark.
In a bowl, mix one egg, half a cup of oats, a teaspoon of baking powder, and a quarter cup of Quark. Pour this mixture into a skillet and cook for a couple of minutes each side.
Serve the pancake stack with some fresh fruits and a dollop of Quark as a topping. This recipe is easy to make, healthy, and delicious.
