Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta with Smooth Garlic Parmesan Sauce
By Emma Collins
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Make four servings to take for lunches all week. Have milk or pasta cooking water on hand to add to leftovers for reheating. Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta with lemon sauce and garlic and Parmesan is served over penne, rigatoni, or fusilli.
Full-fat cottage cheese and freshly grated Parmesan add flavor to this dish. Other ingredients that add flavor include milk, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Garlic and olive oil are combined with the cottage cheese and other ingredients. Reserved pasta cooking water is stirred into the hot sauce to help it stick to the cooked pasta.
Check for a smooth, well-coated sauce on the pasta after stirring. Indicators that the cottage cheese and pasta water have been well incorporated include a smooth, well-coated sauce. Problems to avoid include boiling the cottage cheese and pasta and overcrowding the pan with vegetables, which can interfere with incorporation.
Serve right away with more Parmesan cheese and parsley, basil, or red pepper flakes. Other recommended side dishes include garlic bread and raw or roasted vegetables. Add chicken or shrimp. If you want to eat leftovers, do not garnish served dishes with fresh herbs but add them when reheating leftovers.
Why this recipe works
- Four servings are appropriate for weekday lunches. You can add milk or pasta cooking liquid when reheating the sauce to thin it.
- The cottage cheese mixture used for the sauce can be included in a 30-minute pasta recipe for another meal. This will save preparation time for more than one meal.
- Leftover pasta can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Microwaving leftover pasta in short bursts and stirring can help prevent dryness.
- Freezing is optional. The sauce can be frozen, but the dairy ingredients in the sauce may slightly change texture when thawed. Fresh sauce is preferred.
- Optional ingredients that complement this blend include spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, chicken, and shrimp.
- These and other ingredients can be added for variety while maintaining the blended sauce.
- Fresh basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper are added when the pasta is served. Stored pasta can be served with varying toppings in individual servings.
Ingredients
- •12 oz penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or favorite pasta (340 g)
- •salt (for the pasta water)
- •1 ½ cups full-fat cottage cheese
- •½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- •2 cloves garlic
- •2 tbsp olive oil
- •¼ cup milk
- •¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water
- •1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- •1 tsp Italian seasoning
- •½ tsp garlic powder
- •½ tsp onion powder
- •½ tsp salt
- •¼ tsp black pepper
- •2 cups baby spinach (optional)
- •1 cup sautéed mushrooms (optional)
- •1 cup steamed broccoli (optional)
- •cherry tomatoes (optional)
- •grilled chicken (optional)
- •cooked shrimp (optional)
- •fresh basil (for garnish)
- •chopped parsley (for garnish)
- •extra Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
- •crushed red pepper flakes (for garnish)
- •freshly cracked black pepper (for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- 2
Combine the cottage cheese, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, milk, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides and blending again if necessary.
- 3
Pour the blended sauce into a large skillet over low heat. Stir gently for 2–3 minutes until warmed through, avoiding boiling.
- 4
Gradually stir the reserved pasta cooking water into the warmed sauce.
- 5
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss gently until every piece is coated with sauce.
- 6
If using spinach, stir it into the hot pasta until wilted. Fold in sautéed mushrooms, broccoli, or cherry tomatoes if desired.
- 7
Taste the pasta and adjust with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Add more pasta water if you would like a thinner sauce.
- 8
Top with sliced grilled chicken or cooked shrimp if desired.
- 9
Sprinkle with extra Parmesan, chopped parsley, fresh basil, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
- 10
Serve immediately while the sauce is warm and creamy.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
435
Protein
24g
Fat
18g
Carbs
44g
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
