Tvorozhnaya Zapekanka with Carrot — Farmer’s Cheese and Carrot Casserole

- 1060

Welcome to a taste of classic Eastern European comfort food! Tvorozhnaya Zapekanka, a beloved baked farmer's cheese casserole, is a staple in many households, cherished for its tender, soufflé-like texture and gentle sweetness. This version introduces a delightful twist with the addition of fresh carrots, which not only add a beautiful color and natural sweetness but also make the casserole incredibly moist and nutritious. Perfect for a wholesome breakfast, a light dessert, or a healthy snack, this dish is wonderfully simple to prepare and is sure to become a new family favorite.

A slice of fluffy tvorog and carrot casserole on a plate, dusted with powdered sugar.

Tvorozhnaya Zapekanka with Carrot.

Cooking: 40 minutes
Quantity: 5
Per serving
Calories: 167 kcal
Proteins: 9 g
Fats: 7.8 g
Carbohydrates: 17.7 g

Ingredients for Tvorozhnaya Zapekanka with Carrot

  • 150 g tvorog (farmer's cheese or quark)
  • 120 g carrots
  • 30 g sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 egg white
  • 25 g neutral vegetable oil
  • 30 g semolina, plus extra for dusting the pan
  • 25 g all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 tsp baking powder
  • salt, butter for greasing the pan
  • powdered sugar for serving

How to Make Tvorozhnaya Zapekanka with Carrot

Prepare the baking dish. Grease an 18-20 cm (7-8 inch) ovenproof dish with softened butter and sprinkle with semolina. Place the dish in the refrigerator for a while to let the butter set.

A hand greasing a round glass baking dish with softened butter.

Greasing a 7-8 inch (18-20 cm) pan with softened butter.

A glass bowl containing sugar and a single egg yolk, ready for mixing.

Adding sugar and an egg yolk to a deep bowl.

Pouring vegetable oil from a small glass pitcher into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture.

Adding neutral vegetable oil.

Separate an egg yolk from the white. In a deep bowl, combine the sugar and the egg yolk, and whisk them together. You can reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe and compensate by dusting with powdered sugar at the end. A thin layer of powdered sugar adds sweetness without significantly increasing the calorie count.

Add neutral vegetable oil and a pinch of fine salt to balance the flavors. Mix everything well again.

Adding a portion of crumbly tvorog (farmer's cheese) to the mixing bowl.

Adding tvorog (farmer's cheese).


Add the tvorog (a type of farmer’s cheese or quark). If the tvorog is grainy, it’s best to press it through a sieve for a smoother texture.

A hand adding a pile of finely grated orange carrots to the tvorog mixture in a bowl.

Adding grated carrot to the batter.

Adding flour, semolina, and baking powder to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl.

Adding the dry ingredients to the bowl.

A spatula mixing the thick, orange-colored tvorog and carrot batter in a glass bowl.

Mixing the batter with a spatula.


Finely grate the raw carrot. Add the grated carrot to the batter.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl: semolina, all-purpose flour, and baking powder. If desired, you can add a little vanilla extract or vanillin for extra aroma.

Mix the batter with a spatula; at this stage, it will be quite thick.

Folding whipped egg whites into the thick casserole batter with a spatula to lighten it.

Immediately add about half of the whipped egg whites to the batter and mix.


Separately, whip two egg whites, preferably with an electric mixer. Immediately add about half of the whipped whites to the batter and mix. The batter will become noticeably thinner.

Carefully folding the remaining fluffy whipped egg whites into the batter with a spatula.

At this stage, fold the whipped egg whites into the batter with a spatula.


Add the remaining whipped egg whites. At this stage, gently fold them into the batter with a spatula using circular motions, being careful not to deflate the fluffy texture with rough movements.

A close-up of the final light, airy, and smooth casserole batter in a glass bowl.

The finished batter is light and airy.

Pouring the light and airy casserole batter into a greased and dusted glass baking dish.

Pouring the batter into the prepared pan.

The glass baking dish with batter placed inside a larger rectangular pan to create a water bath.

Placing the pan with the casserole into a larger pan.


The finished batter should be light and airy and should be used immediately.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top.

Place the casserole dish into a larger baking pan. Pour boiling water into the larger pan so that it comes up to about the midpoint of the casserole dish.

The casserole baking in the oven inside a water bath, with hot water surrounding the dish.

Baking in a water bath for 30 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Place the casserole in the preheated oven, covered with foil or a lid. Position the pan on the middle rack. Bake in the water bath for 30 minutes. Towards the end, you can remove the foil, brush the top with melted butter, and bake until golden brown.

A beautifully baked golden-brown tvorog and carrot casserole, dusted with powdered sugar.

Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm or cold.


Let the casserole cool in the dish for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove it, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm or cold. It’s delicious with smetana (a type of sour cream) or crème fraîche and any fruit jam.

And there you have it—a beautifully light and flavorful Tvorozhnaya Zapekanka with Carrot! We hope you enjoy every bite of this comforting dish. It’s incredibly versatile; try serving it with a dollop of smetana (sour cream), a drizzle of honey, or your favorite fruit preserves. It’s also a fantastic way to encourage kids to eat more veggies and cheese. Feel free to experiment by adding raisins or a pinch of cinnamon for extra warmth. Enjoy this wonderful taste of home-style cooking!