Description
Creamy cottage cheese pasta blended with parmesan, garlic, and fresh basil for a quick, comforting, protein-packed dinner that feels rich and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces pasta, such as rigatoni or penne
- 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a blender or food processor.
- Blend the cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, milk, salt, and black pepper until completely smooth and creamy.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet, then pour the blended sauce over the pasta.
- Toss gently over low heat, adding reserved pasta water little by little until the sauce becomes silky and glossy.
- Stir in the fresh basil and serve warm with extra parmesan and black pepper if desired.
Notes
- Blend the sauce thoroughly for the smoothest texture.
- Reserve extra pasta water to adjust the consistency if needed.
- Freshly grated parmesan melts better and gives richer flavor.
- Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of milk for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 28mg
Keywords: cottage cheese pasta, creamy pasta recipe, easy vegetarian pasta, high protein pasta, parmesan pasta, quick pasta dinner, cottage cheese sauce