Kristen Bell’s Easy Summer Snack Is the Only Way I’ll Eat Tomatoes

Until a week ago, I’d never had cottage cheese. I missed last summer's cottage cheese trend completely! Strange, I know—especially coming from someone whose job revolves around trying all kinds of food.

Recently, Kristen Bell shared a photo in her Instagram story of “The KB:" a bowl of Good Culture cottage cheese with cherry tomatoes, spicy salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.

The simplicity of this snack hooked me immediately, so off I went to the grocery store.

What I Thought About Kristen Bell’s Snack

First, I needed to determine if I even liked cottage cheese. If I didn’t, this whole operation would grind to a halt. I picked up Good Culture, which is what Kristen uses, and the cottage cheese brand our experts recommend.

As it turns out, I love cottage cheese! I made an audible “Mmm!” as my eyebrows shot up in delight while eating my first spoonful.

I’ve been confused about whether cottage cheese is a sweet or savory ingredient, and after trying it, I think it’s neither. It’s a very neutral flavor, a blank canvas for whatever you’re making.

Once I established that I was Team Cottage Cheese, I was ready to test The KB. I bought more cottage cheese and some cherry tomatoes. (Kristen uses Jennifer Fisher Spicy Salt, but I was too impatient to order it. I whipped up a dupe that I'll share below.)

I was pretty sure this would be a slam dunk—and I was 100% correct.

The KB is one of those recipes where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts: It's perfectly salty, slightly sweet (thanks to cherry tomatoes), and oh-so creamy. While I’d still love to try it with the actual Jennifer Fisher Spicy Salt, my DIY salt more than did the trick.

While the Instagram story is long gone, the "recipe" couldn't be simpler: cottage cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of spicy salt.

Copycat Jennifer Fisher Spicy Salt

To make this dupe, I mixed 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon each onion powder, onion granules, and black pepper. I also used a pinch of cayenne for some extra heat.

I used a mortar and pestle to break down the parsley and red pepper flakes a bit. If you don’t have one, rub the parsley between your thumb and pointer finger a little, then skip the red pepper flakes in favor of a second pinch of cayenne.

You can’t really go wrong, so don’t overthink it. The result is always a satisfying snack that's high in protein. I’m officially as big a fan of The KB as I am of KB herself!