If you're looking for a creamy, but healthy twist to your pasta, try this pesto cottage cheese pasta sauce! This is a creamy twist on your pesto sauce, and is a satisfying alternative to traditional cream-based sauces. This easy pasta sauce comes together in less than 10 minutes making it perfect for a weeknight meal or meal prep for the week!
My love for pasta is endless, and is apparently the same for the rest of the world's as well.
Cottage cheese is so flavorful and versatile in most breakfast dishes like avocado and cottage cheese toast or cottage cheese egg bites, or even snacks like cottage cheese muffins but I had yet to try it in main dishes. So when i heard about adding cottage cheese to pasta dishes, i was immediately in!
With pasta being carb heavy dish, adding some protein in the sauce was a total game changer, especially for vegetarians. This pesto cottage cheese sauce is perfect for pasta lovers looking for a nutritious and flavorful alternative!
Table of contents
Why you'll love this recipe
Here are my top reasons why you will love this pesto cottage cheese pasta sauce:
- High in Protein: Cottage cheese adds a significant protein boost (25g per cup!), making this sauce a healthier option compared to traditional cream-based sauces.
- Creamy Yet Light: Guilt free with all the richness without heavy whipping cream.
- Fresh Pesto Flavor: Unique vibrant tangy flavor that stands out from traditional pasta sauces.
- Quick and Easy: With just a few ingredients, this pasta comes together in under 20 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Cottage cheese: For a creamier texture, use the 4% milk fat cottage cheese. Lower fat cottage cheese will give you a more runny sauce consistency.
Parmesan cheese: Using grated parmesan cheese boosts the tangy flavor of this recipe.
Pasta: Any type of pasta works, so choose your favorites! I had elbow pasta in my pantry, so that's what I chose to go with. For an extra burst of protein, opt in for lentil or chickpea pasta.
Pesto: This is what adds the herby flavor to the sauce, You can either use store bought pasta, or make your own homemade pesto sauce for this recipe - like my cashew basil pesto sauce!
Garlic: Use fresh garlic to get the most flavor, but any store-bought minced garlic will do when in a pinch!
Salt, Pepper: For added taste. I used peppercorn since it is blended into the sauce anyway, but crushed pepper will also work for this recipe.
Pasta water: Save that starchy water to help thicken the sauce so it is creamy and smooth to your liking!
Butter (Optional): For a buttery flavor to go with your herb infused pesto cottage cheese pasta sauce!
Red Chili Flakes (Optional): To add a little heat to your pasta dish.
Instructions
Step 1: Boil Your Pasta. Boil in water according to the package instructions (don't forget to salt the water for the pasta to cook faster!). Reserve about ⅓ cup of pasta water for later. Drain and set the pasta aside. Optional to add 1 tablespoon of butter for a buttery flavor.
Step 2: Make the Sauce. In a food processor or blender, blend together remaining ingredients Blend for 10-15 seconds or until sauce is smooth in consistency. Add in the pasta water as you blend to adjust for the consistency of the sauce.
Step 3: Mix Sauce in Pasta. In the same pot used to boil the pasta, mix in the cottage cheese pasta sauce bring the pot to a simmer on medium heat (for 2-3 minutes). Stir occasionally until sauce is blended well into the pasta.
Step 4 - Plate and Serve: Cool for 1-2 minutes, plate and serve! Garnish with added parmesan cheese and red chili flakes. Season with additional salt or pepper to adjust for your tastebuds!
While serving your pasta, don't forget to check out these 35 best pasta side dish options that pair well with your pasta dish!
Storing and Reheating
Store your sauce in an airtight container for 2-3 days. When making your pasta, add 2-3 tablespoons of fresh pasta water to help thin out the sauce on the stovetop. You can also add some milk or cream to make this creamier if the sauce is too runny.
Top Tips For Best Results
- Use 4% milk fat cottage cheese for creamier texture. Lower fat cottage cheese makes your sauce more runny, but can work when you are in a pinch.
- Blend the cottage cheese sauce until it's smooth in consistency. If you find the sauce still has lumpiness from the cottage cheese, add additional pasta water until the sauce is smooth and creamy in consistency.
Equipment Needed
This is a simple dish and you need minimal equipment to make this sauce and pasta.
For the sauce, you will need a food processor or blender.
To make the pasta, you will need a pot with a strainer lid preferably. You can also just strain with a regular stainer if you don't have a strainer lid.
Substitutions and Variations
Make this gluten-free: The sauce is gluten free. Use gluten-free pasta to make your dish a gluten free one.
Make this vegan: Cottage Cheese is not vegan, but check out my vegan tofu pasta and vegan pasta e fagioli that are just as delicious!
Different Flavors: Experiment with other herbs such as oregano, parsley and basil. You can also kick up the spiciness by adding chili paste (I've found the Trader Joe's Italian hot pepper sauce has a spicy vinegary heat that pairs well with this dish!)
Add Veggies: Make this a wholesome meal by adding some vegetables into your meal Veggies such as spinach, cauliflower, broccoli and peas would be a great additional to this meal.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes
Looking to use up that left over cottage cheese? Check out some of these delicious and heathy options that will fill your belly!
No, unlike other cheeses, cottage cheese does not melt when you heat. It has a curd like consistency and to smoothen it out, you will need to blend it in the food processor or blender.
Once opened, cottage cheese lasts up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Once it's mixed with other ingredients or sauces, consume within 3-4 days before it spoils.
Ricotta cheese is a good substitute and has a similar nutrient profile as cottage cheese. Ricotta cheese is smoother in texture compared to cottage cheese, so you may not need to blend it in the food processor. You can simply whisk the ingredients along with some pasta water to form the pasta sauce.
Conclusion
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Let us know how your cottage cheese pasta sauce turned out in the comments section below!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 cups pasta any type of pasta works well
- ½ cup cottage cheese 4% milk fat works best for this recipe
- ¼ cup pesto sauce
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese choose finely grated cheese
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon peppercorn crushed pepper also works well
- 1 tablespoon butter optional
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Boil in water according to the package instructions (don't forget to salt the water for the pasta to cook faster!). Reserve about ⅓ cup of pasta water for later. Drain and set the pasta aside. Optional to add 1 tablespoon of butter for a buttery flavor.
- In a food processor or blender, blend together remaining ingredients (cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, peppercorns and pesto). Blend for 10-15 seconds or until sauce is smooth in consistency.
- Pour over the sauce into the cooked pasta and cook for 1-2 minutes on medium heat until the sauce is well mixed into the pasta
- Garnish with chili flakes (optional). Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
Top Tips For Best Results
- Use 4% milk fat cottage cheese for creamier texture. Lower fat cottage cheese makes your sauce more runny, but can work when you are in a pinch.
- Blend the cottage cheese sauce until it's smooth in consistency. If you find the sauce still has lumpiness from the cottage cheese, add additional pasta water until the sauce is smooth and creamy in consistency.
Nutrition
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