Pillowy soft, lightly sweetened, Farmer’s Cheese Casserole is a traditional Russian breakfast dish. It is somewhat similar to a cheesecake, but a much healthier alternative.

Tvorog Zapekanka - Traditional Russian Cheesecake - Farmer's cheese breakfast casserole

This recipe is perfect for beginners. Following just a few easy steps, you’ll be able to make a healthy breakfast, dessert, or late night snack, with very little effort. Pair it with a spoonful of cold sour cream and some fresh berries or fruit for a traditional Russian cheesecake taste.

Try this easy Farmer’s Cheese Casserole for yourself to see why people love it so much!

What is Farmer’s Cheese?

Farmer’s cheese (or tvorog) is a fresh cheese, similar in texture to dry ricotta. It is very popular in most European countries.

You can either make your own homemade farmer’s cheese, using this easy recipe, or buy it at your local European store or online. If you have a Publix near you, they also carry farmer’s cheese now. It is located next to cream cheese and bagels in the store.

Growing up in Belarus (a small European country), I’ve definitely developed a special love for all things farmer’s cheese, or so called “tvorog”. It is so versatile! You can enjoy it on its own for a healthy midnight snack, or bake a delicious cheesecake out of it, and so much more. And that is the exact reason, why I have a whole collection of recipes calling for tvorog on my website.

Healthy Breakfast - Farmer's Cheese Coffee Cake and a cup of fresh Lavazza Espresso

How to serve Tvorog Zapekanka

Russian Cheesecake, or Tvorog Zapekanka, is usually served cold with a spoonful of sour cream and fruit preserves for breakfast or dessert.

But like I always say, let’s have fun with our food and get creative!

Here’s some of my topping ideas. Feel free to leave yours down in the comments. I’ll be happy to get inspired from you. For more cooking inspiration and easy breakfast ideas, visit my Instagram.

Nutella (or healthier Pongo spread) and banana slices
strawberry sauce, recipe from natashaskitchen.com
melted chocolate
greek yogurt
maple syrup or honey
yogurt and granola
homemade whipped cream

Also, I wanted to mention that this Russian cheesecake tastes absolutely amazing with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. I’m a huge coffee fan, and my favorite coffee beans at the moment are these. They work really well with my Breville coffee machine.

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Tips and Tricks

substituting tvorog for cottage cheese

If you can’t find farmer’s cheese or tvorog near you and don’t feel like making your own, use cottage cheese instead.

Just make sure to rinse and drain cottage cheese really well before using in this recipe. Excess liquid can affect the texture of the casserole.

cooling tvorog zapekanka

After your tvorog zapekanka is done baking, make sure to cool in a turned off oven until room temperature. This way, it won’t deflate as much.

adding flavor

To add more flavor to your farmer’s cheese casserole, try topping unbaked casserole with fresh blueberries, or banana slices. In fact, most berries and fruit will work really well here. Baking time shouldn’t change.

Also, always feel free to experiment with different toppings. I shared some of my favorite topping ideas in the paragraph above.

making a bigger batch

It is so easy to double or triple this recipe! Simply use a bigger baking dish and add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time.

make-ahead farmer’s cheese casserole

This sweet cheese casserole is perfect for make-ahead breakfast or dessert.

Simply bake your casserole and let it cool til room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Enjoy cold, straight out of the fridge. Don’t forget to add some fun toppings!

More Russian-inspired recipes

The Best Syrniki – Russian pancakes

Cheese Blintzes – crepes, filled with sweetened farmer’s cheese

Ricotta Fritters – a variation of Syrniki

Homemade Farmer’s Cheese – easy step-by-step recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Farmer’s Cheese Casserole – Tvorog Zapekanka

Pillowy soft, lightly sweetened, farmer's cheese casserole is a traditional Russian breakfast dish. It is somewhat similar to a cheesecake, but a much healthier alternative.

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Russian

Keyword: breakfast, casserole, cheesecake, coffee cake, cottage cheese, dessert, farmer’s cheese, healthy, healthy snack, russian, syrniki, tvorog, zapekanka

Servings: 4 people

Author: Cristina

Cost: $3-5

Ingredients

20 g Sugar or more to taste
2 Eggs separated
1 tsp Lemon Zest optional
20 g Corn Starch
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
150 g Milk
250 g Farmer's Cheese (Tvorog) or well-drained Cottage Cheese
pinch of Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Butter (for buttering the baking dish)

Instructions

Using a fork or immersion blender, mix all the ingredients, except for the egg whites, until well combined.
In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks are formed.
Carefully mix in the egg whites into the cheese mixture, leaving some fluffs. Don't over mix!
Butter your 8*8 inch baking dish. Pour in the batter. Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes.
Let the casserole cool down to room temperature inside the turned off oven.
Serve with your favorite toppings, or store in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 2-3 days.