Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta (Printable version)

Luscious pasta tossed in a creamy, protein-rich cottage cheese and Parmesan sauce with fresh basil.

# 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 tbsp milk, plus more as needed
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)

# Directions:

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 cooking 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 completely smooth and creamy.
03 - Pour the blended sauce into a large skillet over low heat. Stir continuously until just heated through. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water or additional milk to achieve desired consistency.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet, tossing thoroughly to coat each piece in the sauce. Incorporate more pasta water as needed for a silky texture.
05 - Divide the pasta between serving bowls. Garnish with torn fresh basil, extra Parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgently creamy but packs more protein than you'd expect from something this quick.
  • Twenty-five minutes from craving to plate means you can actually make dinner on a weeknight without stress.
  • It's the rare dish that feels fancy enough to serve guests but honest enough to make just for yourself.
02 -
  • The texture of your finished sauce depends entirely on how smooth your blend is—any lumpiness gets magnified, so give that blender the full minute.
  • Pasta water is not just starch; it's an emulsifier that brings everything together, so don't skip reserving it or dump it down the drain.
03 -
  • Save your blender cleaning for later—let the hot pasta water run through it right after serving, and most of the dried sauce will rinse away.
  • If you're making this for two but want leftovers, the sauce keeps in the fridge for two days, though it's best eaten fresh; if you reheat it, add a splash of milk to bring back the silkiness.
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