High-Protein Cottage Cheese Pasta
- Total time
- 30 minutes
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Serves
- 4 (about 2 cups/450 g)
This high-protein cottage cheese pasta turns cottage cheese and tomato sauce into a smooth, creamy coating for whole-wheat pasta and spinach. It is a complete dinner rather than a low-carb substitute, with a practical blender method that keeps the sauce from becoming grainy.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
Estimated from the listed ingredients.
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Cook
- 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) whole-wheat penne or rigatoni
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 24 oz (680 g) plain marinara sauce
- 16 oz (454 g) 2% cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (about 1 1/2 oz/42 g), plus more to serve
- 5 oz (140 g) baby spinach
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
- Black pepper, to taste
Before you start
- Use a blender that can handle warm liquids, or let the sauce cool for 5 minutes before blending in batches. Do not tightly seal a conventional blender with steaming-hot sauce.
- Cottage cheese and Parmesan contain milk. Use a marinara without added meat or cream. Regular whole-wheat pasta contains wheat; use a legume or gluten-free pasta only with its own cooking-time and texture expectations.
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package's al dente time. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) pasta water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic and red pepper flakes for 30 to 45 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Add the marinara and bring it just to a gentle simmer.
- Transfer the sauce to a blender with the cottage cheese, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Blend until completely smooth. If it is very thick, add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the reserved pasta water. Return the sauce to the skillet over low heat.
- Add the drained pasta and spinach. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes, adding pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings to the pasta and the spinach has wilted. Keep the heat low; a hard boil can make dairy sauces grainy.
- Divide among four bowls and finish with extra Parmesan if desired.
Meal prep, storage, and reheating
Refrigerate cooled leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with 2 to 3 tbsp water per serving, stirring until the sauce loosens and the pasta is hot. The sauce can be blended a day ahead and refrigerated separately; cook pasta fresh for the best texture. Freezing is not recommended because the blended dairy sauce can separate.