Cottage Cheese Creamy Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender pasta tossed in a creamy cottage cheese sauce with spinach and tomatoes for a protein-rich meal.

# What You 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 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 Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Blend until smooth and creamy.
03 - Return drained pasta to the pot on low heat. Add the creamy sauce and toss to coat thoroughly, gradually incorporating reserved pasta water to achieve desired sauce consistency.
04 - Stir in spinach and cherry tomatoes, if using, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until spinach wilts and tomatoes soften slightly.
05 - Plate immediately and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is ridiculously creamy without any cream, and 24 grams of protein per serving means you're actually fueling your body, not just filling your stomach.
  • Comes together in under 30 minutes, which is honestly the only reason some of my best meals happen on busy nights.
  • It's naturally vegetarian but feels substantial enough that no one at the table misses meat.
02 -
  • Blend the cottage cheese until it's absolutely smooth—any visible lumps will ruin the silky texture you're after.
  • Pasta water is your friend here; it thins the sauce just enough without adding cream or butter, and the starch helps it cling to every piece of pasta.
  • Don't skip the seasoning step in the blender—cottage cheese is mild and needs salt to taste like actual food.
03 -
  • Reserve the pasta water before you drain anything—it's impossible to recreate once it's gone, and it's what saves a sauce that's too thick.
  • If your blender isn't powerful, strain the blended sauce through a fine sieve to catch any tiny cottage cheese pieces that refuse to break down.
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