Cottage cheese gets no respect. It’s been around for centuries, but it doesn’t appear on restaurant menus, it’s never center of the plate, and it doesn’t even make it onto a cheese board.

But cottage cheese is an incredibly versatile, fresh cheese that delivers creamy richness, minus the fat and calories of traditional aged cheese. It’s tasty straight out of the carton, and it’s an awesome low-fat swap for ricotta in Italian dishes, for cream cheese in cheesecake or for sour cream in casseroles and egg dishes.

Cottage cheese comes in three basic versions; non-fat, low-fat and full fat. For this taste test, we gathered low-fat versions, which have minimal fat and are higher in protein than full fat versions. Non-fat cottage cheese, unfortunately, tends to be tasteless and watery, as it can’t be finished with cream, which is essential to the texture of true cottage cheese.

Cottage cheese is made by adding acid or culture to nonfat milk, which separates the milk into whey and curds. The mix is drained, then finished with salt and cream. Many include emulsifiers, preservatives and stabilizers. While the ingredients between brands vary little, and the nutrition details are nearly identical, there are vast differences in flavor, consistency and texture.

The best cottage cheese is made with just a few ingredients, and the resulting curds are buttery, tender and enveloped in creaminess. Bad cottage cheese is sour, slimy, watery or chalky. The worst are bitter, with rubbery curds floating in bubbly liquid that’s reminiscent of spit.

Here’s the scoop on the creamy, dreamy low-fat cottage cheeses to grab — and the regrettable tubs guaranteed to make anyone hate cottage cheese. Nutrition info refers to ½ cup.

Good Culture Low-Fat Classic Organic Cottage Cheese

This super creamy mix is rich and slightly tangy due to the addition of lactobacillus. It’s unusual and incredibly tasty. 80 calories, 2.5 g fat, 340 mg sodium, 14 g protein. $5.49 for 16 ounces at Whole Foods. (4 stars)

Daisy Low Fat Cottage Cheese

The fresh, buttery flavor of this cheese is a win. It’s extra-creamy, with tender, medium-sized curds. Made with just four ingredients, this cheese has enough natural sweetness to pair well with fruit. 90 calories, 2.5 g fat, 350 mg sodium, 13 g protein. $2.99 for 16 ounces at Safeway. (4 stars)

Clover Sonoma Organic Low Fat Cottage Cheese

Those who don’t mind a less creamy cottage cheese will be won over by the rich cream flavor of these curds. Replace a bit of the whey with cream, and it would be perfect. 90 calories, 2.5 g fat, 390 mg sodium, 14 g protein. $4.99 for 16 ounces at Whole Foods. (3½ stars)

Sunnyside Farms Lowfat Cottage Cheese

Keep it simple. This store brand with few ingredients is a bit salty but it has bold milk flavor and a slight tang, making for a thick, delicious scoop. 90 calories, 2.5 g fat, 410 mg sodium, 12 g protein. $2.48 for 16 ounces at Raley’s. (3 stars)

365 Organic Cottage Cheese

If flavor was the only criterion, this would be a top contender. The buttery curds taste like sweet cream. Sadly, the curds are literally floating in milk soup. 90 calories, 2 g fat, 360 mg sodium, 13 g protein. $3.99 for 16 ounces at Whole Foods. (2½ stars)

Bayview Low-fat Cottage Cheese

Dense texture and clean flavor make this an enjoyable but salty bite. 90 calories, 2.5 g fat, 360 mg sodium, 13 g protein. $4.02 for 32 ounces at Foodmaxx. (2 stars)

Lucerne Lowfat Cottage Cheese

This cheese gets points for appearance, but aside from the salt, it’s decidedly bland. 90 calories, 2.5 g fat, 420 mg sodium, 12 g protein. $2.99 for 16 ounces at Safeway. (2 stars)

Knudsen Lowfat Cottage Cheese

Much about this brand is good: the large curds are tender and fresh. But it has an unpleasant, chalky finish. 90 calories, 2.5 g fat, 410 mg sodium, 11 g protein. $2.99 for 16 ounces at Raley’s. (1½ stars)

Trader Joe’s Low Fat Cottage Cheese

This watery tub of rubbery curds is never going to win over cottage cheese-haters. It’s a good reason to opt out. 90 calories, 2 g fat, 320 mg sodium, 13 g protein. $2.29 for 16 ounces. (1 star)

Sprouts Organic Low Fat Cottage Cheese

Curds floating in bubbly, slippery milkiness make this seriously unappetizing. It might work in cooking, but not as a side dish. 90 calories, 2 g fat, 360 mug sodium, 13 g protein. $3.99 for 16 ounces. (1 star)

Nancy’s Probiotic Lowfat Cottage Cheese

If I wanted a vat of sour cream, I would have bought one. This ultra-thick cheese is far too sour to even be considered cottage cheese. 80 calories, 2 g fat, 300 mg sodium, 14 g protein. $5.99 for 16 ounces at Whole Foods. (½ a star)

O Organics Low-fat Cottage Cheese

No, thank you. Really. This watery mix tastes old, sour and bitter — and the curds look like they are floating in spit. 90 calories, 2.5 t fat, 390 mg sodium, 14 g protein. $3.99 for 16 ounces at Safeway. (No stars)

Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com. Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.