Cottage Cheese High-Protein Pasta (Printable Version)

Velvety pasta with blended cottage cheese sauce, spinach, and cherry tomatoes for a wholesome meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

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

→ 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 Make:

01 - Boil pasta in large pot of 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, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
03 - Return drained pasta to pot over low heat. Pour sauce over pasta and toss thoroughly, gradually adding reserved pasta water to adjust consistency.
04 - Stir in spinach and cherry tomatoes if using. Cook 1–2 minutes until spinach wilts and tomatoes soften slightly.
05 - Plate pasta immediately and garnish with fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce is genuinely velvety without any heavy cream—cottage cheese transforms into something magical when blended.
  • You get 24 grams of protein per serving, so it actually satisfies you instead of leaving you hungry an hour later.
  • The whole thing comes together in 25 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the stress.
02 -
  • Blending the cottage cheese completely is non-negotiable—any graininess will show up in your final sauce, so make sure your blender actually does the work and doesn't just half-heartedly churn it.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; that starch is what makes the sauce cling instead of just sitting on top of the noodles like an oil slick.
  • If your sauce looks too thick after you mix everything, add the pasta water gradually because you can always make it thinner but you can't take water back out.
03 -
  • If you don't have a blender, a food processor works just as well, or even an immersion blender if you're patient and really take the time to get everything completely smooth.
  • Make the sauce while the pasta cooks so everything finishes at the same time—pasta waits for nothing, so coordination is key to getting it all on the table hot.
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