Cottage Cheese Creamy Pasta (Print View)

Velvety pasta with cottage cheese sauce, fresh spinach, and cherry tomatoes for a nutritious dinner.

# Components:

→ Pasta

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

→ 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 garlic cloves
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

# Method:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce tastes indulgently creamy while delivering more protein than you'd expect from something so simple.
  • Comes together faster than ordering takeout, which makes weeknight cooking feel less like a chore.
  • Naturally vegetarian but hearty enough to satisfy anyone, and endlessly customizable with whatever vegetables you have hanging around.
02 -
  • The sauce must be completely smooth before it hits the pasta, or you'll end up with a grainy texture that looks less like an accident and more like a mistake.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—it's the difference between sauce that clings to the noodles and sauce that stays in the bottom of the bowl.
  • The dish comes together fastest on low heat; high heat can make the sauce separate or become gluey, which is the opposite of what you're after.
03 -
  • Don't be afraid of the blender—the smoother the sauce, the more luxurious it tastes, so give it a full minute to work its magic.
  • Taste as you build: add salt cautiously because Parmesan brings its own saltiness, and you can always add more but you can't take it out.
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