Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce is a creamy, nutritious choice to traditional pasta sauces. It combines the wholesome goodness of cottage cheese with vibrant seasonings. This combination creates a delightful culinary experience. This sauce offers a rich, velvety texture. It perfectly coats your favorite pasta. The sauce imparts a subtle tanginess from the cottage cheese. Aromatic garlic and savory Parmesan cheese complement it.
This sauce has a quick preparation time. It is not only convenient but also versatile. You can incorporate seasonal vegetables, proteins, or herbs to enhance its flavor and nutritional profile. Olive oil adds a silky finish. Lemon juice can brighten the dish with a refreshing note.
This cottage cheese pasta sauce is perfect as a quick weeknight dinner. It is also great for a comforting meal any time. It invites you to indulge in a satisfying and healthful pasta dish. The dish feels both creamy and light. Garnish it with fresh herbs for a burst of color. This addition elevates the entire dish. It becomes a delicious and nutritious choice for pasta lovers.
This Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce is the most delicious creamy protein pasta sauce. It is packed with 17 grams of protein per serving. If you love Alfredo sauce, this healthier version hit the spot.
Ingredient for Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce
- 1 cup cottage cheese (small or large curd)
- ¾ cup Skim Milk or half-half (note 1)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for a vegan option)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
- 1 pinch Black Pepper to taste
- 1 pinch Salt to taste
- 4 tablespoons Water
- A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Fresh herbs (like basil, parsley, or thyme), chopped, for garnish
- Cooked pasta of your choice (spaghetti, penne, etc.)
Ingredients And Substitutions
- Cottage Cheese – I recommend using plain full-fat cottage cheese for a creamier texture. Low-fat cottage cheese will work to cut down the calories of the sauce.
- Milk of Choice – Choose skim milk, almond milk, or half-half. You can also use heavy cream for an ultra-creamy texture, but this increases the calories and fat.
- Parmesan Cheese – Or other hard, grated cheese.
- Garlic – Fresh crushed garlic or powdered garlic.
- Olive Oil – Extra-virgin olive oil is my favorite, but you can also use other types of oil.
- Salt and Pepper – to taste.
- Cornstarch or arrowroot flour – This is a must to thicken the sauce. While cottage cheese sauce looks thick and creamy when cold, it turns more watery after warming up. So you need a binding agent like cornstarch slurry to give the sauce a thicker texture.
Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce: Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Start by cooking your pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, skim milk, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix them together. Use a fork or a blender to mix until smooth. You can blend until very creamy or leave some texture, depending on your preference.
- Combine: In a large skillet, heat more olive oil over medium heat.Sauté the garlic until fragrant. This should take about 30 seconds to 1 minute. If you enjoy heat, add red pepper flakes at this point. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, followed by the cottage cheese sauce. Toss to combine, adding a little reserved pasta water if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with fresh herbs and extra grated cheese if desired.
- Enjoy: Serve promptly while hot, and enjoy this healthy and creamy pasta dish!
This sauce is rich in protein and can be easily customized to suit your tastes. Enjoy your delicious cottage cheese pasta!
Thickening The Sauce
It’s now time to thicken the cottage cheese sauce.
- Low-Carb Choice – Simply sprinkle a pinch (1/2 teaspoon) of guar gum over the sauce. Then whisk it to incorporate. This is a great low-carb choice, but sometimes guar gum creates tiny lumps, so I prefer a cornstarch slurry.
- Classic Cornstarch Slurry – Whisk the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan with the sauce and whisk gently to incorporate and thicken the sauce.
Keep cooking for a few minutes until the sauce is warm.
Flavor Variations
You can now add flavors to this pasta sauce if you like. I do enjoy a plain garlic creamy pasta sauce with no added ingredients, but feel free to toss in some of the ingredients below:
- Extra Vegetables – stir in 1 cup of baby spinach leaves. Add stir-fried onion slices. Include roasted zucchini slices or a few roasted tomatoes.
- Extra Protein – Add peas, chickpeas, bacon bites, or cooked rotisserie chicken to turn it into a delicious chicken recipe.
- Fresh Herbs – Serve with fresh basil or parsley.
- Tomatoes – Use roasted tomato sauce recipe to combine with this lovely creamy sauce.
Storage Instructions
Store the sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days, in an airtight container. Rewarm in a nonstick saucepan or in the microwave, in a microwave-safe bowl. If the sauce has been mixed with pasta, it will look like a block, thick like jelly.
Place it in a saucepan with a splash of water. Cover and cook on low heat. Stir once in a while to loosen up the sauce. You can freeze cottage cheese pasta sauce in zip-lock bags, on its own, or as part of a pasta meal. Keep it in the freezer for up to one month and thaw in the fridge the day before.
Allergy Swaps
Below are some ingredients swap ideas if you need them:
- Low-Fat – Feel free to use low-fat cottage cheese and unsweetened almond milk. Omit the olive oil. Add the crushed garlic directly into the sauce. Alternatively, you can use a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Low-Carb – Use 1/2 teaspoon of guar gum instead of cornstarch. See the instructions above on how to add it to the sauce. Serve over shirataki noodles.
- Gluten-Free – The sauce has no gluten. Pick your favorite gluten-free pasta for the recipe, like rice pasta, buckwheat pasta, or edamame pasta.
Notes
Note 1: Feel free to use unsweetened almond milk or soy milk.
Note 2: You can use 1/2 teaspoon of guar gum. You don’t need to stir the guar gum in cold water. Sprinkle over the sauce and whisk until it gets thick.
Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce
Discover a creamy and nutritious cottage cheese pasta sauce that's quick and easy to prepare. Perfectly versatile, this sauce combines the rich texture of cottage cheese with garlic and Parmesan for a delightful flavor. Customize it with your favorite veggies and protein for a wholesome meal that’s both satisfying and delicious. Garnished with fresh herbs, this sauce transforms any pasta dish into a healthy culinary masterpiece. Enjoy a guilt-free indulgence that's perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese (small or large curd)
- ¾ cup Skim Milk or half-half (note 1)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for a vegan option)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
- 1 pinch Black Pepper to taste
- 1 pinch Salt to taste
- 4 tablespoons Water
- A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Fresh herbs (like basil, parsley, or thyme), chopped, for garnish
- Cooked pasta of your choice (spaghetti, penne, etc.)
Instructions
- Pasta: Start by cooking your pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, skim milk, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix them together. Use a fork or a blender to mix until smooth. You can blend until very creamy or leave some texture, depending on your preference.
- Combine: In a large skillet, heat more olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic until fragrant. This should take about 30 seconds to 1 minute. If you enjoy heat, add red pepper flakes at this point. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, followed by the cottage cheese sauce. Toss to combine, adding a little reserved pasta water if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with fresh herbs and extra grated cheese if desired.
- Enjoy: Serve promptly while hot, and enjoy this healthy and creamy pasta dish!
Notes
Note 1: Feel free to use unsweetened almond milk or soy milk.
Note 2: You can use 1/2 teaspoon of guar gum. You don’t need to stir the guar gum in cold water. Sprinkle over the sauce and whisk until it gets thick.
Variations:
- Veggies: Add sautéed veggies like spinach, bell peppers, or zucchini for extra nutrition.
- Protein: Mix in cooked chicken, turkey, or a meat substitute for added protein.
- Flavors: Experiment with spices like Italian seasoning, garlic powder, or nutritional yeast for extra flavor.
Storage
- Store for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The sauce thickens in the fridge, and rewarm with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Freeze for up to one month and thaw in the refrigerator the day before.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 210Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 481mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 14g
**Nutritional information on HRCookery is provided as a courtesy. We can't guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on the site. these figures should only be considered as estimates.
