Healthy Cottage Cheese Pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta with cottage cheese, vegetables, and fresh herbs for a protein-packed vegetarian meal in 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz whole wheat penne or fusilli

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup baby spinach
05 - 1 small zucchini, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings & Fresh Herbs

07 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
08 - 1 tbsp olive oil
09 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
11 - Zest of 1 lemon

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining through a colander.
02 - While the pasta cooks, warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
03 - Add the diced zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender but still vibrant in color.
04 - Stir in the baby spinach and toss gently until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside.
05 - Combine the cottage cheese, lemon zest, sea salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
06 - Return the drained pasta to the pot. Pour in the blended cottage cheese sauce and add the sautéed vegetables. Toss everything together thoroughly, gradually adding the reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
07 - Fold in the chopped fresh basil and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately in warmed bowls, garnished with additional basil leaves if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The blended cottage cheese creates a sauce so silky and rich that nobody will believe it is not cream based.
  • You get a full protein boost without any heavy ingredients weighing you down afterward.
  • It uses one pot, one pan, and a blender, which means cleanup is almost embarrassingly easy.
02 -
  • Do not skip blending the cottage cheese because unblended curds will give you a grainy texture that throws off the whole dish.
  • The pasta water is not optional since that starch is what helps the sauce cling instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
  • Use full fat cottage cheese if you want an even richer sauce, but low fat works beautifully for a lighter meal that still tastes indulgent.
  • Zest the lemon directly over the blender so the essential oils fall right into the sauce instead of drying on a cutting board.

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