Description
A creamy, high-protein pasta sauce made with blended cottage cheese, Parmesan, and garlic. This 5-ingredient recipe is ready in 20 minutes and offers a healthier alternative to traditional heavy cream alfredo.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (450g) cottage cheese (small curd preferred)
- 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk (whole milk recommended)
- 1 pound (450g) pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine)
- 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- Optional: Red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, black pepper
Instructions
- Mince garlic and grate Parmesan cheese. Measure cottage cheese and milk.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, blend cottage cheese, half of the Parmesan, minced garlic, and milk in a blender until completely smooth (1-2 minutes).
- Transfer blended mixture to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Warm gently, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened (3-4 minutes). Do not boil vigorously.
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir in remaining Parmesan cheese until melted and glossy. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water if needed.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly. Season with black pepper and red pepper flakes. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
Use freshly grated Parmesan to avoid anti-caking agents that cause graininess. Blend cottage cheese until completely smooth to remove curds. Keep heat low when heating the sauce to prevent separation. Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. This recipe does not freeze well due to dairy separation.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
Keywords: high protein, cottage cheese alfredo, healthy pasta, quick dinner, 5 ingredient recipe, gluten-free option, vegetarian