Cottage Cheese Creamy Pasta (Print Version)

Creamy pasta with cottage cheese sauce, baby spinach, and cherry tomatoes for a hearty meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water following package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - Blend cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until smooth and creamy.
03 - Return drained pasta to pot on low heat. Pour in sauce and toss evenly, adding reserved pasta water gradually to reach desired consistency.
04 - Stir in spinach and cherry tomatoes if using. Cook 1–2 minutes until spinach wilts and tomatoes soften.
05 - Plate immediately and garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cottage cheese transforms into a luxurious sauce that tastes nothing like cottage cheese, just pure comfort.
  • You get 24 grams of protein per serving without any chicken or meat, making it genuinely satisfying.
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, perfect for nights when you're tired but refuse to eat badly.
02 -
  • Blend the cottage cheese sauce completely smooth—any lumps will feel grainy and wrong against the silky pasta.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; it's what transforms the sauce from thick to luxurious, and you'll wish you had it if you forget.
03 -
  • If your blender is struggling with the sauce, add the liquid first before the solids, and it'll blend faster and smoother.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh rather than using the pre-shredded kind—it melts better and tastes noticeably better in a sauce this delicate.
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