diff --git a/ast/builtins.go b/ast/builtins.go
index 0eca84c94a..bb0cb0c681 100644
--- a/ast/builtins.go
+++ b/ast/builtins.go
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ var DefaultBuiltins = [...]*Builtin{
 	Lower,
 	Upper,
 	Contains,
+	StringCount,
 	StartsWith,
 	EndsWith,
 	Split,
@@ -1109,6 +1110,19 @@ var Contains = &Builtin{
 	Categories: stringsCat,
 }
 
+var StringCount = &Builtin{
+	Name:        "strings.count",
+	Description: "Returns the number of non-overlapping instances of a substring in a string.",
+	Decl: types.NewFunction(
+		types.Args(
+			types.Named("search", types.S).Description("string to search in"),
+			types.Named("substring", types.S).Description("substring to look for"),
+		),
+		types.Named("output", types.N).Description("count of occurrences, `0` if not found"),
+	),
+	Categories: stringsCat,
+}
+
 var StartsWith = &Builtin{
 	Name:        "startswith",
 	Description: "Returns true if the search string begins with the base string.",
diff --git a/builtin_metadata.json b/builtin_metadata.json
index 3cc8106ac3..e751046259 100644
--- a/builtin_metadata.json
+++ b/builtin_metadata.json
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@
       "startswith",
       "strings.any_prefix_match",
       "strings.any_suffix_match",
+      "strings.count",
       "strings.render_template",
       "strings.replace_n",
       "strings.reverse",
@@ -17382,6 +17383,31 @@
     },
     "wasm": false
   },
+  "strings.count": {
+    "args": [
+      {
+        "description": "string to search in",
+        "name": "search",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      {
+        "description": "substring to look for",
+        "name": "substring",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    ],
+    "available": [
+      "edge"
+    ],
+    "description": "Returns the number of non-overlapping instances of a substring in a string.",
+    "introduced": "edge",
+    "result": {
+      "description": "count of occurrences, `0` if not found",
+      "name": "output",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "wasm": false
+  },
   "strings.render_template": {
     "args": [
       {
diff --git a/capabilities.json b/capabilities.json
index 06c04773c1..862a4555f9 100644
--- a/capabilities.json
+++ b/capabilities.json
@@ -3969,6 +3969,23 @@
         "type": "function"
       }
     },
+    {
+      "name": "strings.count",
+      "decl": {
+        "args": [
+          {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        ],
+        "result": {
+          "type": "number"
+        },
+        "type": "function"
+      }
+    },
     {
       "name": "strings.render_template",
       "decl": {
diff --git a/test/cases/testdata/strings/test-strings-0926.yaml b/test/cases/testdata/strings/test-strings-0926.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6de1168345
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cases/testdata/strings/test-strings-0926.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+---
+cases:
+  - note: "strings/count_single_word_match"
+    query: data.test.p = x
+    modules:
+      - |
+        package test
+        p := strings.count("cheese", "e")
+    want_result:
+      - x: 3
+  - note: "strings/count_multiple_separate_matches"
+    query: data.test.p = x
+    modules:
+      - |
+        package test
+        p := strings.count("hello hello hello world", "hello")
+    want_result:
+      - x: 3
+  - note: "strings/count_n_no_match"
+    query: data.test.p = x
+    modules:
+      - |
+        package test
+        p := strings.count("dummy", "x")
+    want_result:
+      - x: 0
diff --git a/topdown/strings.go b/topdown/strings.go
index 57f8eab9ca..d9e4a55e58 100644
--- a/topdown/strings.go
+++ b/topdown/strings.go
@@ -310,6 +310,25 @@ func builtinContains(_ BuiltinContext, operands []*ast.Term, iter func(*ast.Term
 	return iter(ast.BooleanTerm(strings.Contains(string(s), string(substr))))
 }
 
+func builtinStringCount(_ BuiltinContext, operands []*ast.Term, iter func(*ast.Term) error) error {
+	s, err := builtins.StringOperand(operands[0].Value, 1)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	substr, err := builtins.StringOperand(operands[1].Value, 2)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	baseTerm := string(s)
+	searchTerm := string(substr)
+
+	count := strings.Count(baseTerm, searchTerm)
+
+	return iter(ast.IntNumberTerm(count))
+}
+
 func builtinStartsWith(_ BuiltinContext, operands []*ast.Term, iter func(*ast.Term) error) error {
 	s, err := builtins.StringOperand(operands[0].Value, 1)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -570,6 +589,7 @@ func init() {
 	RegisterBuiltinFunc(ast.IndexOfN.Name, builtinIndexOfN)
 	RegisterBuiltinFunc(ast.Substring.Name, builtinSubstring)
 	RegisterBuiltinFunc(ast.Contains.Name, builtinContains)
+	RegisterBuiltinFunc(ast.StringCount.Name, builtinStringCount)
 	RegisterBuiltinFunc(ast.StartsWith.Name, builtinStartsWith)
 	RegisterBuiltinFunc(ast.EndsWith.Name, builtinEndsWith)
 	RegisterBuiltinFunc(ast.Upper.Name, builtinUpper)