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Cheese high in protein

The most protein per typical portion among 198 USDA records of cheese: cottage cheese, 24 g in 1 cup, 48% of the 50 g Daily Value. 3 of the 45 foods ranked give at least 20% of the Daily Value in one portion.

Updated · By · data: USDA FoodData Central, April 30, 2026 release · how the figures are checked

Which cheese have the most protein per portion?

  1. 1
    Cottage cheese
    Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 2% milkfat · 1 cup (220 g)
    24g48% DV · 11 g per 100 g · 26 g per 200 calories
  2. 2
    Ricotta cheese
    Cheese, ricotta, part skim milk · 0.5 cup (124 g)
    14g28% DV · 11 g per 100 g · 17 g per 200 calories
  3. 3
    Parmesan cheese
    Cheese, parmesan, hard · 1 oz (28 g)
    10g20% DV · 36 g per 100 g · 18 g per 200 calories
  4. 4
    Romano cheese
    Cheese, romano · 1 oz (28 g)
    9.0g18% DV · 32 g per 100 g · 16 g per 200 calories
  5. 5
    Cheddar cheese
    Cheese, cheddar, nonfat or fat free · 1 serving (28 g)
    9.0g18% DV · 32 g per 100 g · 41 g per 200 calories
  6. 6
    Goat cheese
    Cheese, goat, hard type · 1 oz (28 g)
    8.7g17% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 14 g per 200 calories
  7. 7
    Gruyere cheese
    Cheese, gruyere · 1 oz (28 g)
    8.5g17% DV · 30 g per 100 g · 14 g per 200 calories
  8. 8
    Swiss cheese
    Cheese, swiss, low sodium · 1 slice (28 g)
    8.0g16% DV · 28 g per 100 g · 15 g per 200 calories
  9. 9
    Monterey cheese
    Cheese, monterey, low fat · 1 slice (1 oz) (28 g)
    7.9g16% DV · 28 g per 100 g · 18 g per 200 calories
  10. 10
    Mozzarella cheese
    Cheese, mozzarella, low sodium · 1 slice (1 oz) (28 g)
    7.7g15% DV · 28 g per 100 g · 20 g per 200 calories
  11. 11
    Fontina cheese
    Cheese, fontina · 1 oz (28 g)
    7.3g15% DV · 26 g per 100 g · 13 g per 200 calories
  12. 12
    Provolone cheese
    Cheese, provolone · 1 oz (28 g)
    7.3g15% DV · 26 g per 100 g · 15 g per 200 calories
  13. 13
    Caraway cheese
    Cheese, caraway · 1 oz (28 g)
    7.1g14% DV · 25 g per 100 g · 13 g per 200 calories
  14. 14
    Edam cheese
    Cheese, edam · 1 oz (28 g)
    7.1g14% DV · 25 g per 100 g · 14 g per 200 calories
  15. 15
    Gouda cheese
    Cheese, gouda · 1 oz (28 g)
    7.1g14% DV · 25 g per 100 g · 14 g per 200 calories
  16. 16
    Pasteurized process cheese
    Cheese, pasteurized process, swiss · 1 oz (28 g)
    7.0g14% DV · 25 g per 100 g · 15 g per 200 calories
  17. 17
    Mexican cheese
    Cheese, Mexican, blend, reduced fat · 1 oz (28 g)
    7.0g14% DV · 25 g per 100 g · 18 g per 200 calories
  18. 18
    Tilsit cheese
    Cheese, tilsit · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.9g14% DV · 24 g per 100 g · 14 g per 200 calories
  19. 19
    Muenster cheese
    Cheese, muenster, low fat · 1 slice (28 g)
    6.9g14% DV · 25 g per 100 g · 18 g per 200 calories
  20. 20
    Low fat cheese
    Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.9g14% DV · 24 g per 100 g · 28 g per 200 calories
  21. 21
    Low-sodium cheese
    Cheese, low-sodium, cheddar or colby · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.9g14% DV · 24 g per 100 g · 12 g per 200 calories
  22. 22
    Cheese
    Cheese, port de salut · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.7g13% DV · 24 g per 100 g · 14 g per 200 calories
  23. 23
    Colby cheese
    Cheese, colby · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.7g13% DV · 24 g per 100 g · 12 g per 200 calories
  24. 24
    Cheshire cheese
    Cheese, cheshire · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.6g13% DV · 23 g per 100 g · 12 g per 200 calories
  25. 25
    Mexican blend cheese
    Cheese, Mexican blend · 0.25 cup shredded (28 g)
    6.6g13% DV · 24 g per 100 g · 12 g per 200 calories
  26. 26
    Brick cheese
    Cheese, brick · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.6g13% DV · 23 g per 100 g · 13 g per 200 calories
  27. 27
    Cheese food
    Cheese food, pasteurized process, swiss · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.2g12% DV · 22 g per 100 g · 14 g per 200 calories
  28. 28
    Roquefort cheese
    Cheese, roquefort · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.1g12% DV · 22 g per 100 g · 12 g per 200 calories
  29. 29
    Blue cheese
    Cheese, blue · 1 oz (28 g)
    6.1g12% DV · 21 g per 100 g · 12 g per 200 calories
  30. 30
    Brie cheese
    Cheese, brie · 1 oz (28 g)
    5.9g12% DV · 21 g per 100 g · 12 g per 200 calories
  31. 31
    5.7g11% DV · 16 g per 100 g · 15 g per 200 calories
  32. 32
    Limburger cheese
    Cheese, limburger · 1 oz (28 g)
    5.7g11% DV · 20 g per 100 g · 12 g per 200 calories
  33. 33
    Camembert cheese
    Cheese, camembert · 1 oz (28 g)
    5.6g11% DV · 20 g per 100 g · 13 g per 200 calories
  34. 34
    Cheese spread
    Cheese spread, pasteurized process, American · 1 slice (34 g)
    5.6g11% DV · 16 g per 100 g · 11 g per 200 calories
  35. 35
    5.5g11% DV · 20 g per 100 g · 18 g per 200 calories
  36. 36
    Imitation cheese
    Imitation cheese · 1 slice (21 g)
    5.3g11% DV · 25 g per 100 g · 13 g per 200 calories
  37. 37
    4.6g9% DV · 16 g per 100 g · 11 g per 200 calories
  38. 38
    Feta cheese
    Cheese, feta · 1 oz (28 g)
    4.0g8% DV · 14 g per 100 g · 11 g per 200 calories
  39. 39
    American cheese
    Cheese, American, nonfat or fat free · 1 serving (19 g)
    4.0g8% DV · 21 g per 100 g · 33 g per 200 calories
  40. 40
    Pasteurized process cheese product
    Cheese product, pasteurized process, American, reduced fat, fortified with vitamin D · 1 slice 3/4 oz (21 g)
    3.7g7% DV · 18 g per 100 g · 15 g per 200 calories
  41. 41
    American cheddar cheese
    Cheese, american cheddar, imitation · 1 slice (21 g)
    3.5g7% DV · 17 g per 100 g · 14 g per 200 calories
  42. 42
    Mozzarella cheese substitute
    Cheese substitute, mozzarella · 1 oz (28 g)
    3.3g7% DV · 11 g per 100 g · 9.3 g per 200 calories
  43. 43
    Cream cheese
    Cheese, cream, fat free · 1 tbsp (18 g)
    2.8g6% DV · 16 g per 100 g · 30 g per 200 calories
  44. 44
    Gjetost cheese
    Cheese, gjetost · 1 oz (28 g)
    2.7g5% DV · 9.7 g per 100 g · 4.1 g per 200 calories
  45. 45
    Neufchatel cheese
    Cheese, neufchatel · 1 oz (28 g)
    2.6g5% DV · 9.2 g per 100 g · 7.2 g per 200 calories

Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, Foundation, Survey), April 30, 2026 release; typical portions are USDA's NLEA servings or the household measure nearest FDA's reference amount; Daily Value: 21 CFR 101.9.

Per 100 g, the list starts elsewhere

The portion ranking compares everyday foods at the portion FDA's reference amounts describe (USDA's NLEA serving where it lists one). Seasonings, sauces, powders, dried and concentrated forms, raw meat and fish, uncooked grains and dry beans, restaurant items and foods without a household measure near that portion are ranked per 100 g only: nobody eats a cup of dried thyme. Per 100 g, these lead:

FoodProtein per 100 gIn the portion ranking
Parmesan cheese topping, fat free40 gnot an everyday portion (rule above)
Cheese, parmesan, hard36 granked 3
Cheese, cheddar, nonfat or fat free32 granked 5
Cheese, romano32 granked 4
Cheese, goat, hard type31 granked 6
Cheese, gruyere30 granked 7
Cheese, swiss, low sodium28 granked 8
Cheese, monterey, low fat28 granked 9

Source: USDA FoodData Central, April 30, 2026 release.

Every food high in protein

Protein: the Daily Value and where it comes from

Download: this list as CSV (CC BY 4.0).

Sources for this page
USDA FoodData Central
the food and product records, April 30, 2026 release. fdc.nal.usda.gov
USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies
the survey foods and their portions. ars.usda.gov
21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food
the label format, rounding and Daily Values. ecfr.gov
21 CFR 101.12, Reference amounts customarily consumed
the serving each kind of food is labeled by. ecfr.gov
FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
the Daily Values in a table. fda.gov