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This creamy pasta dish turns ordinary cottage cheese into a smooth, rich sauce that hugs every bit of your noodles. With a whopping 37g of protein in each portion, this meatless meal keeps hunger away while delivering amazing taste in just 25 minutes flat.
I came up with this dish during one super busy week when I needed quick meals to keep everyone going strong. These days it's our Monday night go-to because it's so simple yet totally filling.
What You'll Need
- Protein pasta gives you a nutritional head start with extra fiber and protein punch
- Low fat cottage cheese makes everything creamy without going overboard on calories
- Skim milk thins the sauce to just the right thickness
- Parmesan cheese brings rich, savory notes to the whole dish
- Minced garlic fills the sauce with mouthwatering aroma
- Salt pulls all the flavors together perfectly
- Freshly cracked black pepper adds a bit of kick and nice specks throughout
- Chopped spinach sneaks in veggies without ruining the comfort food vibe
- Pasta water has starches that make sauce stick to every pasta piece
How To Make It
- Cook Your Pasta
- Get a big pot of water going with a good handful of salt until it's bubbling away. Toss in your protein pasta and cook until it's got just a little bite left, usually 8 to 10 minutes. Don't forget to save some cooking water before you drain it.
- Make Your Sauce
- While the pasta's cooking, throw cottage cheese, milk, parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper into your blender. Blend for 60 to 90 seconds until it's totally smooth without any little cottage cheese lumps. It should look like thick cream when you're done.
- Heat It Up
- Pour your blended mix into a wide non-stick pan over low heat. Give it a stir now and then so it doesn't burn. Keep the temperature low since this sauce can break if it gets too hot too fast.
- Wilt Your Greens
- When the sauce is heated through, drop in the chopped spinach and keep stirring until it shrinks down and turns bright green, about 2 minutes. You'll be amazed how much the spinach shrinks as it cooks.
- Mix In Pasta
- First add the saved pasta water to your sauce and stir it in. Then dump your drained pasta right into the pan with everything else. That starchy water helps the sauce grab onto every noodle perfectly.
- Put It All Together
- Turn off the stove completely and toss everything for 1 to 2 minutes. The leftover heat will keep cooking it all while the sauce gets thicker and coats all the pasta. You want it creamy but not runny at the end.
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The first time this hit our table, I couldn't believe how fast everyone cleaned their plates. Even my picky kid who normally inspects anything green wolfed it down without a word. The blender totally transforms the cottage cheese into something so smooth nobody will ever guess what it started as.
Smart Protein Combo
This dish nails the perfect mix of complete proteins by combining dairy proteins from cottage cheese and parmesan with plant proteins from the pasta. That's super helpful for vegetarians or anyone wanting more meatless meals without skimping on protein quality. You get an amino acid mix similar to meat proteins but with less bad fat and more fiber.
Ways To Switch It Up
What's great about this dish is how flexible it is. You can toss in some grilled chicken for even more protein or add cherry tomatoes for a fresh, tangy kick. No spinach? Use kale or arugula instead. Want bigger flavors? Mix in some sun dried tomatoes and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. The sauce works with any pasta shape, though the kinds with ridges or curves grab the sauce better.
Prep Ahead Ideas
This pasta warms up really well, so it's perfect for making ahead. Just add a tiny splash of water when heating it up to bring back the creaminess. I often cook double on Sundays for easy meals during the week. Keep portions in sealed containers in your fridge for up to four days. The funny thing is, it often tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to mingle.
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This high protein pasta dish turns everyday ingredients into something you'd expect at a fancy restaurant while giving your body exactly what it needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use full-fat cottage cheese instead of low-fat?
Absolutely, full-fat cottage cheese works great as a swap. Your sauce will turn out richer and slightly higher in calories and fat, but the end result will be just as tasty.
- → What can I substitute for spinach?
You can throw in other greens like kale, arugula, or Swiss chard instead. Firmer veggies such as broccoli, peas, or asparagus work too, just adjust your cooking time a bit.
- → Is there a dairy-free alternative for this pasta?
You can try blended silken tofu with nutritional yeast, plant milk, and extra spices for a dairy-free version. Just know it won't taste exactly the same and the protein amount will be different.
- → What type of protein pasta works best?
You can use any protein-boosted pasta you like, from chickpea and lentil to edamame versions or regular pasta with added protein. Pick whatever matches your food preferences and protein goals.
- → Can this pasta dish be frozen?
You can freeze it, but the sauce might not be the same afterward. It's better to freeze in small portions, let it thaw in your fridge overnight, and add a splash of milk or broth when reheating to bring back the creaminess.
- → What can I add to increase the protein content even more?
To get even more protein, try adding some grilled chicken, shrimp, turkey sausage, chickpeas, or white beans. They all go well with the creamy sauce and will bump up your protein intake quite a bit.