Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta (Printable)

Luscious pasta with creamy cottage cheese sauce and fragrant herbs, ready in under 30 minutes.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 6 ounces dried pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti)

→ Sauce

02 - 7 ounces cottage cheese (low-fat or full-fat)
03 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 2 tablespoons milk
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
07 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)

→ To Serve

10 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
11 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
12 - Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, milk, garlic, olive oil, black pepper, salt, and Italian herbs (if using) in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
03 - Pour the sauce into a skillet over low heat. Warm gently while stirring until heated through. Add reserved pasta water or extra milk if too thick to reach desired consistency.
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat pasta evenly. Adjust sauce consistency with additional pasta water if needed for a silky finish.
05 - Divide pasta between bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, extra Parmesan, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely ready in 25 minutes—no elaborate prep or babysitting required.
  • The cottage cheese creates a sauce that's creamy and luxurious without cream, keeping it surprisingly light and protein-rich.
  • It tastes indulgent but feels like something you're actually doing your body a favor by eating.
02 -
  • Don't skip blending the cottage cheese until it's completely smooth—lumps will wreck the silky texture you're after, and they're hard to hide once they're in the pasta.
  • Pasta water is your friend; that starchy liquid is what transforms a sauce from thick and gluey to creamy and elegant, so always save it before draining.
  • Keep the heat low when warming the sauce and tossing with pasta—high heat can cause the dairy to curdle or separate, and you lose the magic.
03 -
  • Save extra pasta water in a mug while you're draining—it's so easy to forget you need it, and you can always add it back if the sauce tightens up as it sits.
  • Add the pasta to the sauce rather than sauce to the pasta; it gives you better control over the consistency as you toss everything together.
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