What Is Quark? Taste, Uses, Substitutes and Carbs
What is quark? Quark is a soft, smooth, fresh curd cheese made by souring milk, usually skimmed milk, with lactic acid bacteria and then straining off some of the whey. It's white, mild and slightly tangy, isn't aged and usually has no salt added. It's especially popular in Germany and Eastern Europe, and it's used in cheesecakes, dips, spreads and breakfasts.
At a glance
- Made fromsoured milk, usually skimmed
- Tastesmild, fresh and lightly tangy
- 3.7gcarbs per 100g (Graham's quark label)
- 3 daysto use it once opened (UK pack instructions)
On this page
You'll find it in a small tub near the cottage cheese, and it turns up in German cheesecake recipes and plenty of breakfast bowls. But if you've never bought it, it's fair to ask what is quark, and how it differs from cottage cheese, cream cheese or yoghurt. This guide explains what quark is, how it's made, what it tastes like, how to use it, what to swap it for, how to store it and how many carbs it has.
What is quark?
Wikipedia describes quark (sometimes spelled quarg) as a fresh dairy product made from milk that has been soured, usually by adding lactic acid bacteria, and then strained once it has curdled. It belongs to the group of fresh acid-set cheeses. Quark is soft, white and unaged, and usually has no salt added. In English it's sometimes called curd cheese.
BBC Good Food calls it a soft, smooth curd cheese with a refreshingly light acidity. It explains that, originally and properly, quark is the German name for soft, acid-curd cheese. BBC Food adds that it's very popular in Germany and Eastern Europe and very handy for baking.
The word itself is old. Wikipedia says "Quark" has been used in German since the 14th century and probably comes from a West Slavic word such as the Czech and Slovak tvaroh, and Wikipedia says the Slavic root is linked to a word meaning "form", so the name can be read as "milk that solidified and took a form". Similar names are used across Europe, including twaróg in Polish, túró in Hungarian and kwark in Dutch.
Searching "what is quark" also brings up physics. The subatomic quark is unrelated to the cheese. Wikipedia explains that physicist Murray Gell-Mann named the particle in 1963 after the line "Three quarks for Muster Mark!" in James Joyce's Finnegans Wake.
How quark is made
Wikipedia explains that quark is usually made from pasteurised skimmed milk. Mesophilic Lactococcus starter cultures are added, and the bacteria feed on lactose, the natural sugar in milk, turning it into lactic acid. As the milk reaches a pH of about 4.6, the acid makes casein, the main milk protein, clump together into a soft curd. Most dairies also add a small amount of rennet. Cream can be added afterwards to make richer versions.
Some of the whey is then removed to get the right thickness. Traditionally, Wikipedia says, the curd was hung in a muslin bag or cheesecloth so the whey could drip away. In industrial production, a centrifuge does the job. BBC Good Food notes that draining is kept to a minimum, which keeps quark soft and moist, and that it's usually sold with some liquid whey still present.
Originally, BBC Good Food explains, the milk was often left to sour naturally, or curdled with lemon juice or vinegar, then gently heated to firm the curd slightly. Wikipedia adds that in the 19th century quark was produced entirely for home use.
What quark tastes like
Quark tastes mild, fresh and a little tangy, and Wikipedia notes it usually has no salt added. BBC Good Food describes a refreshingly light acidity, and says quark is meant to be eaten quite fresh, when that acidity gives a pleasant tang. It adds that quark used as a spread tastes less acidic at room temperature or just below.
The texture is smooth and thick. Waitrose describes quark as sitting between Greek yoghurt and cream cheese, with a mild flavour that works in sweet and savoury recipes. Wikipedia says German quark, which is stirred as it's made, has the firmness of sour cream but is slightly drier, with a slightly crumbly texture like ricotta.
Types of quark
In Germany, quark is sold in three main grades, based on how much fat is in the dry part of the cheese.
| Type | What it is | Fat in dry mass |
|---|---|---|
| Magerquark | Skimmed quark, the basic type | Under 10% |
| Regular quark | Some cream added | 20% |
| Sahnequark | "Creamy quark" with added cream | 40% |
| Fruit quark | Quark with sugar and fruit, sold as a dessert | Varies |
Based on Wikipedia. Checked 10 November 2026.
Wikipedia says basic skimmed quark contains about 0.2% fat. It also mentions Schichtkäse, a firmer "layer cheese" used for baking, with a layer of cream between two layers of quark. In the UK and Germany, Wikipedia adds, flavoured fruit quark is commonly sold as a dessert, much like a flavoured yoghurt.
Quark vs other soft cheeses
Quark is often grouped with other fresh cheeses. Wikipedia says it's similar in taste and texture to cottage cheese, farmer cheese and the French fromage blanc, but distinct from Italian ricotta, which is made from scalded whey rather than soured milk.
- Quark vs cottage cheese. Both are fresh curd cheeses, but Wikipedia says they're made differently and cottage cheese has separate grains that are chewier. Quark is smooth.
- Quark vs Greek yoghurt. Strained yoghurts and yoghurt cheeses such as labneh are made with yoghurt bacteria, Wikipedia explains, while quark uses different, mesophilic cultures.
- Quark vs ricotta. Wikipedia says ricotta is made from scalded whey, not from soured milk.
Here's how quark compares with similar foods per 100g, using CoFID, the UK's main food composition dataset.
| Per 100g | Carbs | Fat | Protein | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quark | 4.0g | Trace | 14.6g | 74 |
| Fromage frais, natural | 4.6g | 0.1g | 7.7g | 49 |
| Cottage cheese | 3.1g | 6.0g | 9.4g | 103 |
| Ricotta | 2.0g | 11.0g | 9.4g | 144 |
| Greek-style yoghurt | 4.8g | 10.2g | 5.7g | 133 |
| Cream cheese | 3.0g | 24.4g | 5.3g | 252 |
| Mascarpone | 4.3g | 44.5g | 4.6g | 435 |
CoFID 2021 codes 12-174 (Cheese, Quark: skimmed milk soft cheese), 12-528 (virtually fat free natural fromage frais), 12-539 (plain cottage cheese), 12-176 (ricotta), 12-555 (plain Greek-style yoghurt, whole milk), 12-551 (full-fat soft white spreadable cheese) and 12-490 (mascarpone). UK carbohydrate figures don't include fibre. Checked 10 November 2026.
The biggest difference is fat. CoFID lists only a trace of fat in skimmed quark, against 24.4g in cream cheese and 44.5g in mascarpone. For more on mascarpone, see our guide to what mascarpone is, and for carbs across hard and soft cheeses, see is cheese keto?
How to use quark
BBC Good Food says quark can be eaten just as it is, and works in both savoury and sweet recipes. These are its most common uses.
| Use | Examples | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Baking | German cheesecake (Käsekuchen) | BBC Good Food, Wikipedia |
| Dips and fillings | With herbs, vegetables, nuts or fish | BBC Good Food |
| Spreads | In place of other spreads | BBC Good Food |
| Breakfast | With fruit or muesli | Wikipedia |
| Desserts | Sweetened with fruit; Polish sernik; syrniki | BBC Good Food, Wikipedia |
| Savoury dishes | Kräuterquark with potatoes, pierogi fillings | Wikipedia |
Checked 10 November 2026.
Quark in cheesecake
Cheesecake is quark's best-known use. BBC Good Food says quark is classically used in baked German cheesecakes, and that it can go into any cheesecake recipe, baked or unbaked. It warns that you may need to adjust the other ingredients to allow for how wet or acidic your quark is. Wikipedia adds that in the Netherlands, kwarktaart is a no-bake version on a biscuit base, with quark mixed with whipped cream, gelatine and sugar and left in the fridge to set.
Quark in savoury food
Because it's mild and unsalted, quark takes on other flavours easily. BBC Good Food suggests mixing it with herbs, puréed or chopped vegetables, nuts or fish for dips and sandwich fillings. In Germany, Wikipedia says, quark mixed with chopped onions and herbs such as parsley and chives is called Kräuterquark and is often eaten with boiled potatoes. In Poland it's mixed with mashed potato as a filling for pierogi, and in German home baking it's mixed with oil and flour to make a quick dough raised with baking powder.
BBC Good Food notes that quark is usually sold with some liquid whey still in the tub, and that you can drain this away if it's too wet for your recipe. Graham's, a Scottish dairy that makes quark, says to stir it before use.
Quark substitutes
If you can't find quark, BBC Good Food says any sort of soft cheese can be substituted for it, whether as a spread, an ingredient or in baking. The differences, it says, will be in acidity, fat and moisture. Using the CoFID figures above as a guide:
| Swap | What changes |
|---|---|
| Fromage frais | Similar fat, at 0.1g per 100g |
| Greek-style yoghurt | Yoghurt cultures, 10.2g fat |
| Cottage cheese | Chewier curds, 6.0g fat |
| Ricotta | Made from whey, 11.0g fat |
| Cream cheese | Much more fat, 24.4g |
Fat per 100g from CoFID 2021. Other notes from Wikipedia. Checked 10 November 2026.
In baking, BBC Good Food says you may need to adjust the other ingredients to suit how wet or acidic your cheese is, so a recipe written for the cheese you're using is the safest bet.
Buying and storing quark
BBC Good Food says supermarkets and specialist shops often sell quark made in Germany. Wikipedia notes that quark is also made by several independent producers in the UK. Graham's Naturally Fat Free Quark, for example, comes in a 250g pot and lists just one ingredient: quark (milk).
For storage, follow the pot. The Graham's pot, as listed by Sainsbury's and Waitrose, says to keep it refrigerated below 5°C, to use it within 3 days of opening and not to freeze it, with the use-by date on the lid. BBC Good Food says quark should be kept refrigerated and sealed, and used quickly once opened.
The NHS doesn't name quark, but it lists pasteurised soft cheeses, including cottage cheese, cream cheese and ricotta, among the cheeses that are safe to eat in pregnancy. It adds that most dairy products sold in supermarkets are pasteurised, and you can check the packaging to make sure.
Carbs in quark
All of the carbohydrate in plain quark is sugar from the milk, which is lactose. These figures are for plain quark per 100g.
| Plain quark | Carbs | Sugars | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham's, per 100g | 3.7g | 3.7g | 12.2g |
| Graham's, 250g pot | 9.3g | 9.3g | 30.5g |
| CoFID quark, per 100g | 4.0g | 4.0g | 14.6g |
Graham's Naturally Fat Free Quark 250g: same figures on the Graham's, Sainsbury's and Waitrose pages. Pot figures are our own calculation (per 100g × 2.5). CoFID 2021 code 12-174. Checked 10 November 2026.
Graham's lists 65kcal and 0.1g of fat per 100g, and Sainsbury's shows the fat as less than 0.5g. Flavoured fruit quark is a different matter: Wikipedia explains that it typically contains sugar and fruit, so check the label on any flavoured pot.
Is quark keto?
Plain quark can fit into a keto diet if you count the portion. On the Graham's label, a 100g serving adds 3.7g of carbohydrate, and a whole 250g pot about 9.3g. It has much less fat than cream cheese or mascarpone (see the CoFID table above). Our guide to carbs in yoghurt covers Greek yoghurt, skyr and other pots you might use in the same way.
Quark with our products
BBC Good Food suggests sweetening quark with a little sugar to serve with fruit, and Wikipedia says it's eaten for breakfast with fruit or muesli. If you'd rather not use sugar, here's how our products can fit in, based on what each product page says.
- To sweeten it. Powdered Erythritol & Stevia Blend is a fine powder of erythritol and stevia glycosides in a 1kg pouch. The product page says it replaces icing sugar 1:1, dissolves quickly so it suits cold recipes, and lists cheesecakes among its uses.
- For a few drops of flavour. Groovy Keto Liquid Stevia Drops come in Vanilla, Caramel and Chocolate, in 50ml bottles. The page suggests them for yoghurt, starting with a few drops at a time.
- For a breakfast bowl. Keto Granola Cinnamon comes in a 360g pouch, with 3.1g net carbs per 30g serving. The page suggests layering it over yoghurt with berries. With 100g of Graham's quark, that's about 6.8g of net carbs (3.7g + 3.1g), by our own calculation.
Product details are as shown on each product page. Free delivery on orders over £30.
Quark is made from cows' milk, so it contains milk. Keto Granola Cinnamon contains cashews, walnuts and almonds, according to its product page. The granola and the Powdered Erythritol & Stevia Blend both contain erythritol, a polyol, and excessive consumption of polyols may produce laxative effects. Always check the pack for full allergen information.
Key takeaways
- Quark is a fresh curd cheese. Milk is soured with bacteria, then some of the whey is strained off.
- It's mild and smooth. The texture sits between Greek yoghurt and cream cheese.
- It's a baking staple in Germany. Käsekuchen, the German cheesecake, is its best-known use.
- Any soft cheese can stand in. Expect differences in fat, moisture and tang.
- Carbs are modest. About 3.7g to 4.0g per 100g for plain quark.
Frequently asked questions
Is quark the same as cottage cheese?
No, although they're related. Both are fresh curd cheeses made by souring milk, but Wikipedia explains that they're made differently and that cottage cheese has separate grains that are chewier. Quark is smooth and spoonable. CoFID also lists cottage cheese with more fat, at 6.0g per 100g, against only a trace in quark.
What does quark taste like?
Quark tastes mild, fresh and slightly tangy, and Wikipedia says it usually has no salt added. BBC Good Food describes its refreshingly light acidity and says it tastes less acidic at room temperature. Waitrose describes the texture as sitting between Greek yoghurt and cream cheese, so it works in both sweet and savoury recipes.
How many carbs are in quark?
Graham's Naturally Fat Free Quark lists 3.7g of carbohydrate per 100g, all of it sugars from the milk, on its own website and on the Sainsbury's and Waitrose pages. That works out at about 9.3g in a whole 250g pot. CoFID gives 4.0g per 100g for skimmed quark. Flavoured fruit quark typically contains sugar too.
Can you freeze quark?
The Graham's pot says not to. Its storage instructions, as shown by Sainsbury's and Waitrose, say to keep it refrigerated below 5°C, use it within 3 days of opening and not to freeze it. Other brands may differ, so always follow the storage instructions and the use-by date printed on your own pot.
What can I use instead of quark?
BBC Good Food says any soft cheese can be used instead of quark, whether as a spread, an ingredient or in baking, though acidity, fat and moisture will differ. Fromage frais has similar fat, according to CoFID, while Greek-style yoghurt, cottage cheese, ricotta and cream cheese all have more. You may need to adjust the recipe.
Sources
- BBC Good Food. Quark (definition, traditional and modern making, whey, uses, cheesecakes, storage, where to buy, substitutes). Checked 10 November 2026.
- BBC Food. Quark (soft unsalted curd cheese, popularity in Germany and Eastern Europe, baking). Checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikipedia. Quark (dairy product) (definition, name origins, production, types and fat grades, fruit quark, comparison with other fresh cheeses, uses, UK producers). Checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikipedia. Quark (physics; origin of the particle's name). Checked 10 November 2026.
- Graham's The Family Dairy. Natural Quark (nutrition per 100g). Checked 10 November 2026.
- Sainsbury's. Graham's Quark Naturally Fat Free 250g (ingredients, nutrition per 100g, storage). Checked 10 November 2026.
- Waitrose. Graham's Naturally Fat Free Quark 250g (nutrition per 100g, storage) and Quark cheese (texture and flavour). Checked 10 November 2026.
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy (pasteurised soft cheeses). Checked 10 November 2026.
- Public Health England / Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Composition of foods integrated dataset (CoFID) 2021 (codes 12-174, 12-528, 12-539, 12-176, 12-555, 12-551 and 12-490). Checked 10 November 2026.
- Groovy Keto product pages: Powdered Erythritol & Stevia Blend, Groovy Keto Liquid Stevia Drops and Keto Granola Cinnamon (ingredients, sizes, serving figures and suggested uses as shown). Checked 10 November 2026.
