Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta (Printable)

A quick, nourishing pasta with a smooth cottage cheese sauce, featuring garlic and Parmesan notes.

# What You'll 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 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)

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
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 the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
03 - Pour the sauce into a large skillet over low heat. Gently warm it while stirring until heated through. If the sauce thickens excessively, add reserved pasta water or additional milk to achieve a silky consistency.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat it evenly with the sauce. Incorporate more pasta water as needed to create a smooth finish.
05 - Distribute the pasta into bowls. Garnish with torn fresh basil, extra Parmesan, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality pasta but comes together faster than ordering delivery.
  • You get more protein than most cream-based sauces, so you stay full without the afternoon crash.
  • The blender does all the hard work, turning humble cottage cheese into something silky and luxurious.
02 -
  • Over-blending the sauce won't ruin it, but under-blending will show as little cottage cheese flecks that catch in your teeth—go the full distance.
  • This sauce breaks if it gets too hot, so resist the urge to crank the heat; low and slow is the move that keeps it creamy.
03 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining—that starchy liquid is what makes the sauce silky and helps it cling to every strand.
  • If you're feeding more people, double the sauce recipe; it takes the same time and feeds four easily.
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