Cottage Cheese Creamy Pasta (Printable Version)

Velvety pasta tossed in creamy cottage cheese sauce with spinach and tomatoes for a satisfying 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

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Blend cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes until smooth and creamy.
03 - Return pasta to pot on low heat. Add sauce and toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water gradually to adjust consistency.
04 - Stir in spinach and cherry tomatoes, cook 1–2 minutes until spinach wilts and tomatoes soften slightly.
05 - Plate immediately, garnishing with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce is genuinely creamy without any heavy cream, which means you can eat seconds without that sluggish feeling.
  • It comes together in about the time it takes to boil pasta, making weeknight dinners actually feasible.
  • Each serving delivers 24 grams of protein, so it actually keeps you satisfied until dinner's over.
02 -
  • If your blended sauce ends up too thick, don't panic—that's what the pasta water is for, and you can add it one splash at a time until it's perfect.
  • Cottage cheese can vary wildly in how much liquid it contains, so you might need slightly more or less milk depending on what brand you buy.
  • Serve this immediately after mixing, because the sauce does thicken as it cools and sitting pasta will absorb moisture, making it gluey if you wait too long.
03 -
  • Blend the sauce until it's completely smooth; even tiny chunks of cottage cheese will feel weird on your tongue and undermine the whole velvety texture you're going for.
  • Don't skip the pasta water—it's starchy and helps the sauce cling to the pasta in a way that plain milk or cream can't quite do.
  • Fresh basil at the end makes an enormous difference, so if you have it, use it generously.
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