High Protein Cottage Cheese Pasta (Alfredo Style)
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This healthy cottage cheese pasta sauce recipe is high-protein and lower fat than regular chicken alfredo. It’s a great way to replace comfort food without sacrificing flavour.
This recipe includes a creamy alfredo-style sauce made by adding cottage cheese and pasta water into a blender. Then, it’s mixed with aromatics and seasonings to create a delicious alfredo substitute. This easy weeknight meal is ready in 30 minutes or less!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
No butter or cream – You won’t need to add butter or cream to this cottage cheese pasta, which helps keep it lower in calories and fat than traditional alfredo sauce.
High protein – Including cottage cheese in this protein pasta sauce means you’ll have more protein per serving than a standard version of alfredo.
Comforting – Even though this cottage cheese alfredo sauce is healthy, it’s still creamy, cheesy, and delicious, making it a cosy recipe.
Delicious – Spices and flavourful ingredients help make every bite of this cottage cheese pasta sauce uber-tasty!
If you have leftover pasta, consider making one of these yummy recipes; Marmite Pasta, Spaghetti al Limone and Boursin Cheese Baked Pasta
Prevent cottage cheese sauce from curdling
When creating cottage cheese pasta sauce, it can curdle if the correct steps aren’t taken. You’ll know if your cottage cheese sauce has curdled by its appearance, as it will be clumpy, stringy or watery.
Why did my cottage cheese sauce separate?
Essentially, because cottage cheese contains a high amount of protein, it makes it easier for the sauce to separate when exposed to too much heat in cottage cheese recipes. If you heat the sauce over too high a heat or add other hot ingredients (like cooked veggies), the proteins can denature, leading to an odd consistency.
How do you fix curdled cream pasta sauce?
There are a few ways to fix curdled cream pasta sauce. One of the easiest solutions is to add a bit more pasta water and allowing the sauce to simmer to let it come back together. You can also blend the sauce again until it becomes creamy.
Pair this delicious pasta recipe with some healthy dishes; Cauliflower Rice, Quorn with Pesto and Vegetables or Tricolore Salad
Ingredients
Cottage Cheese – Use any type of cottage cheese, from full-fat to low-fat, to create cottage cheese pasta sauce. If you use a fuller-fat option, you can expect a more decadent sauce.
Pecorino Cheese – This cheese helps create a thicker consistency in the sauce and adds a delicious flavour. If you want, you can use parmesan cheese instead of pecorino. Or, add a combination of both.
Fresh Basil – I love adding fresh basil when serving this pasta with cottage cheese, as it really brings the dish together. You can also garnish this creamy cottage cheese pasta with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning or fresh oregano.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Here are a few ways to make this yummy cottage cheese pasta sauce your own! Instead of pecorino cheese, use parmesan. This swap will still help thicken the sauce and create a delicious flavour. You can also use half the amount of each cheese.
For a more decadent recipe, add cream cheese to the mix. While I already have garlic in this recipe, you can create a bolder taste by adding garlic powder.
For a higher-protein recipe, use chickpea pasta or another high-protein pasta. You can also add meat to this dish to increase the protein. I particularly enjoy adding chicken or shrimp to this cottage cheese alfredo pasta.
This recipe can also be made vegan with a few swaps. Instead of cottage cheese, grab a block of silken tofu. It will still create a creamy pasta sauce consistency and add protein to the dish. Use a dairy-free cheese or nutritional yeast as a vegan swap for the pecorino cheese. If you follow a gluten-free diet, you can substitute regular noodles for gluten-free pasta.
Pair this yummy pasta with one of these protein-rich mains for an even tastier meal: Tabbouleh Inspired Chicken Salad, Ground Turkey or Easy Turkey Steak Recipe
How to make cottage cheese pasta
- Start by adding the onion and extra virgin olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat (Image 1).
- Season with salt, pepper and pinch of chilli flakes/red pepper flakes if you like a little heat. Saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic into the pan with the onions to fry for a couple of minutes (Image 2).
3. Meanwhile, add your pasta to salted boiling water. Set a timer to the packet time minus 2 minutes (Image 3).
4. Transfer the fries onion/garlic and seasoning to a blender. Next, add the cottage cheese and 300ml of pasta water. Ensuring the blender cup isn’t too hot, blend until smooth (Image 4).
5. When the timer goes off for your pasta, reserve a large mug full of pasta water and drain the pasta. Transfer the pasta into the frying pan along with the cottage cheese mix (Image 5).
6. Stir to combine, then add the pecorino (Image 6).
7. Continue to stir. Loosen as necessary with pasta water (Image 7).
8. When the pasta is nice and saucy, serve up with a few basil leaves and an optional sprinkle of chilli flakes or black pepper. You can also add an extra grating of pecorino if you fancy (Image 8).
Satisfy creamy pasta cravings with these other recipes; Ground Turkey Pasta, Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta and Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
Tips for the best result
- Add the sauce either off the heat or on very low heat. Cottage cheese curdles easily with higher heat. So, it’s important to create cottage cheese pasta recipes on low heat or skip the heat entirely. This will help ensure you avoid a clumpy or watery sauce.
- Full-fat cottage cheese creates the creamiest sauce. If you want a lower-calorie cottage cheese pasta sauce, opt for a low-fat cottage cheese. However, if you want a creamier, more decadent sauce, use a full-fat version for this cottage cheese in pasta sauce recipe.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend serving this dish with crusty bread or garlic bread if you want a cosier cottage cheese pasta sauce recipe. Consider serving a fresh green salad or roasted veggies on the side for a lighter meal.
For a more filling meal, try serving this yummy dishes with some more protein ; Greek Chicken Salad, Air Fryer Salmon Bites or Air Fryer Steak Bites
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
This cottage cheese pasta sauce will stay good for a few days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer. Allow the recipe to fully cool, then store it in an airtight container or baggies. When you’re ready to reheat this high-protein pasta sauce, you can either microwave it until warm or reheat it on the stove.
Can this meal be made ahead?
Yes, you can make this meal the day/night before. However, it tastes best fresh. If you make this recipe ahead of time, you may notice some separation in the sauce as it sits in the fridge. Simply reheat it on the stove with a bit of water or chicken broth and stir until recombined.
Can this be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze this recipe. If you know that you’ll be freezing a portion, I recommend leaving the noodles out of the freezer, as cooked pasta does not freeze well. Then, thaw overnight in the fridge before you reheat. As mentioned, this sauce will stay good in the freezer for about a month. Be sure to mark the date of freezing on the baggie/container so you know when to use up the sauce.
FAQs
If you prefer thinner cottage cheese pasta sauce, add more pasta water as you simmer the sauce.
There are a few ways you can thicken this blended cottage cheese pasta sauce. For one, you can simmer it for longer to remove more moisture. You can also add more cheese to the sauce to create a thicker consistency.
When making pasta sauce with cottage cheese, it will melt slightly. However, the cottage cheese will not fully melt, so you can expect a creamy sauce consistency.
Yes, it is typically edible. However, the consistency will be lumpy and not look as appetizing as non-curdled sauce.
If you tried this High Protein Cottage Cheese Pasta recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
High Protein Cottage Cheese Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely diced (£0.15)
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (£0.39)
- 350 g pasta, I used casarecce (£2.00)
- 300 g cottage cheese (£1.09)
- Fresh basil, torn to serve (£0.60)
- 50 g Pecorino, finely grated (£1.35)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Red pepper or chilli flakes
Method
- Start by adding the onion and extra virgin olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Season with salt, pepper and pinch of chilli flakes/red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
- Saute for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add your pasta to salted boiling water. Set a timer to the packet time minus 2 minutes.
- Add garlic into the pan with the onions to fry for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a blender. Next, add the cottage cheese and 300ml of pasta water. Ensuring the blender cup isn’t too hot, blend until smooth.
- When the timer goes off for your pasta, reserve a large mug full of pasta water and drain the pasta.
- Transfer the pasta into the frying pan along with the cottage cheese mix. Stir to combine, then add the pecorino and continue to stir. Loosen as necessary with pasta water.
- When the pasta is nice and saucy, serve up with a few basil leaves and an optional sprinkle of chilli flakes or black pepper. You can also add an extra grating of pecorino if you fancy.
Notes
- Add the sauce off the heat or on very low heat to prevent cottage cheese from curdling.
- Use full-fat cottage cheese for a creamier sauce, or low-fat for a lower-calorie option.
- Avoid high heat to ensure the sauce remains smooth and not clumpy or watery.
Nutrition
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