Cottage Cheese Creamy Pasta (Printable Version)

A creamy, protein-rich pasta featuring blended cottage cheese and fresh veggies for a nutritious meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz whole wheat or regular pasta (penne, fusilli, or preferred variety)

→ Creamy Cottage Cheese Sauce

02 - 1 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
03 - 1/2 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)
04 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 cloves garlic
06 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Vegetables (optional)

10 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
11 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil leaves
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Blend cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until smooth and creamy.
03 - Return pasta to the pot over low heat. Add sauce and toss to coat evenly, gradually adding reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency.
04 - Stir in spinach and cherry tomatoes (if using) and cook for 1-2 minutes until spinach wilts and tomatoes soften slightly.
05 - Plate immediately and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes decadent and creamy without any cream, which feels like you're getting away with something delicious.
  • Twenty-five minutes from start to finish means you can have dinner ready before you've finished your day's last emails.
  • One serving has more protein than most pasta dishes, so you actually feel full and satisfied for hours.
02 -
  • The cottage cheese has to be blended completely smooth or the sauce will have an odd texture that no amount of pasta water can fix—a food processor works just as well as a blender if that's what you have.
  • Don't add all your reserved pasta water at once; start with a little and keep tasting and adjusting until the sauce feels right, because every pot of pasta water is slightly different and some pasta absorbs more than others.
03 -
  • Don't blend the cottage cheese with hot ingredients—let everything come to room temperature first, or the cheese can get grainy in a way that's hard to fix.
  • The pasta water is not optional; it's what transforms this from a thick gloppy situation into something that actually flows and coats the noodles with love and intention.
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