Cottage Cheese Creamy Pasta (Printable Version)

Velvety pasta tossed in creamy cottage cheese sauce with garlic, Parmesan, and fresh vegetables.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Prepare pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water following package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
02 - Combine cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
03 - Return drained pasta to the pot on low heat. Pour in sauce and toss to coat evenly, gradually adding reserved pasta water until desired sauce consistency is achieved.
04 - Incorporate spinach and cherry tomatoes if using; cook 1–2 minutes until spinach wilts and tomatoes soften slightly.
05 - Plate immediately and garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get a genuinely creamy sauce without heavy cream or butter, and it's packed with protein that actually keeps you full.
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a chore.
  • The spinach and tomatoes sneak in quietly, making it feel indulgent while still being something you'd feel good about eating.
02 -
  • If your blended sauce seems grainy even after blending for a full minute, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve—it takes an extra thirty seconds but makes all the difference in texture.
  • Cottage cheese varies wildly between brands; some are creamier than others, so you might need to add more or less milk than the recipe suggests to hit that silky consistency.
03 -
  • The reserved pasta water is your best friend here—add it a little at a time, and you'll nail the sauce consistency every time rather than ending up with something too thick or too thin.
  • If you're meal-prepping, store the sauce and pasta separately and combine them when you're ready to eat; they'll stay fresher longer and the texture stays better.
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