Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta (Printable Version)

Luscious pasta with creamy cottage cheese sauce, garlic, and Parmesan for a quick, satisfying dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Sauce

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

→ To Serve

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

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - Combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, milk, minced garlic, olive oil, black pepper, salt, and Italian herbs (if using) in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
03 - Transfer the sauce to a large skillet over low heat. Stir gently and warm through. If too thick, add reserved pasta water or more milk to achieve desired consistency.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat evenly with the sauce. Add additional pasta water as needed for a silky texture.
05 - Divide pasta between bowls. Top with torn basil, extra Parmesan, and red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and creamy but won't leave you feeling heavy afterward.
  • Twenty-five minutes means dinner is done before you've finished thinking about what to cook.
  • One blender does all the work, which means fewer things to clean than most pasta dishes.
  • The protein sneaks up on you—27 grams per bowl and you're just eating pasta and sauce.
02 -
  • The cottage cheese must blend completely smooth or you'll end up with a bumpy sauce that feels gritty instead of luxurious, so don't skip the blender step.
  • Low heat is non-negotiable here—too much heat scrambles the cheese and milk, which I learned the hard way with a grainy, broken sauce.
  • Pasta water is your friend; it sounds odd to add starchy water to sauce, but it's what transforms everything into silk rather than a thick paste.
03 -
  • Keep your milk at room temperature before blending, or the sauce will thicken faster than you can work with it.
  • Taste the sauce before it hits the skillet so you can adjust seasoning while everything is still pourable and easy to fix.
  • If you're serving this to someone picky about texture, blend it an extra thirty seconds—the smoother the sauce, the less cottage cheese shows up as an ingredient.
Go Back