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This ultra creamy spinach cottage cheese pasta is like a high protein version of mac and cheese or fettuccine alfredo. Cooks in under 20 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner!
We’re all about making comfort food easy, wholesome, and delicious here at The Candid Cooks. Which is exactly why we’re so excited to share this healthier, high protein cottage cheese pasta recipe with you!
Made with spinach, cottage cheese, and mozzarella, this simple dinner for two cooks in under 20 minutes. It gives you all the creamy, decadent, silky textures and savory flavors you crave in a cheese sauce pasta. But it’s also a lower fat, higher protein option thanks to the cottage cheese!
It’s like a comforting bowl of mac and cheese that doesn’t leave you feeling super heavy afterwards. We like to make it with shells for a touch of nostalgia, but you can also go more alfredo-style with it and serve it with fettuccine or ziti.
What This Recipe Entails
You’ll make a simple cottage cheese pasta sauce for this recipe using sautéed spinach, cottage cheese, mozzarella, and pasta water. Then, simply combine it with boiled pasta shells, and you have a delicious dinner in under 20 minutes!
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 12 minutes
Ingredients
You can make this easy pasta dinner with just 7 ingredients, most of which you probably already have in the pantry. (That’s one of the things we love most about pasta recipes – they’re so easy to make!)
- Sautéed baby spinach – You’ll need baby spinach, minced garlic, and olive oil to cook the spinach down before adding it to the pasta sauce. This adds tons of flavor and extra protein to this dish!
- Cottage cheese sauce – We like to use 2% cottage cheese and shredded mozzarella for balanced flavor and a creamy, melty texture. You’ll also add the sautéed spinach and a pinch of sea salt to the sauce.
- Pasta shells – We recommend using medium shells for a mac and cheese feel here, but feel free to use whatever pasta shape you prefer. Try fettuccine for an alfredo-style dinner instead!
How To Make Cottage Cheese Pasta
You can make the cottage cheese and spinach sauce entirely while the pasta is boiling. Alternatively, you can sauté the spinach and blend the sauce at any time, and then simply wait to heat it on the stove until the pasta is almost done cooking.
- Sauté the spinach. In a large frying pan, cook the spinach in olive oil and garlic until it’s wilted.
- Blend the sauce. In a food processor or blender, combine the cooked spinach with cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella, and a pinch of sea salt. Pulse until smooth and creamy and look for the spinach to be finely chopped.
- Cook the sauce. Transfer the cottage cheese sauce to the pan you cooked the spinach in. Heat over medium-low and stir in a few tablespoons of pasta water until the sauce is silky and lightly steaming. Adjust salt to taste.
- Toss and serve. Add the cooked pasta shells to the sauce and toss gently to combine. Serve hot, optionally garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Equipment Spotlight: Cuisinart 3-Cup Food Processor
We break out this small food processor every time we cook with cottage cheese! It’s perfect for blending small batch dips, sauces, and condiments to smooth, creamy perfection.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta is plenty satisfying on its own, but here are a few sides you can serve it with for a complete meal:
- Dressed greens – We like to pair creamy pasta dishes with fresh baby greens tossed in a bright vinaigrette. It helps lighten your palate between bites and adds a boost of extra nutrition to the meal.
- Freshly baked bread – For a true Italian restaurant style experience, pair this pasta with freshly baked Italian bread and dipping oils.
- Garlic bread – Opt for a more flavorful side to complement this cheesy pasta. We love buying the ready-to-bake garlic bread from the bakery section of our grocery store for an easy side!
- Roasted veggies – If you want a little extra nutrition, pair this pasta with a side of roasted vegetables like asparagus, carrots, squash, or zucchini.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Store leftover pasta in the fridge for up to 4 days, in an airtight container
- Reheat single servings in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through
Expert Tips
- Pasta water makes the cottage cheese sauce super silky. Make sure to reserve some before draining the pasta!
- Keep the sauce moving as it warms. It’s a pretty thick cheese sauce, so if you let it sit without stirring for too long it may stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. It’ll only take a few minutes to warm up, so don’t start this step too early and make sure to keep an eye on it the whole time.
- Adjust salt to taste. Cottage cheese can be high in sodium already, but we think a pinch or two of salt is necessary to help make the flavors in the sauce pop. Use your own taste buds to determine how much salt you want to add at each step.
Next time you’re craving cheesy pasta or mac and cheese, try our spinach cottage cheese pasta recipe for a lighter, high protein option that’s just as delicious! Let us know what you think by rating, commenting, and sharing below.
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Spinach Cottage Cheese Pasta
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 8 ounces medium pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 8 ounces cottage cheese 2%
- 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 pinches sea salt
- 2 to 4 tablespoons pasta water
- Grated parmesan cheese optional topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the pasta shells and cook according to package directions.
- In the meantime, add olive oil and minced garlic to a large frying pan and cook until fragrant, just a minute or so. Add the baby spinach and sauté until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove spinach from heat and transfer to a food processor. Add the cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella, and a pinch of sea salt, then pulse until well blended. The spinach should be finely chopped and the sauce should be smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the sauce back to the pan you cooked the spinach in. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water and warm over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until well combined. Once the sauce is lightly steaming, it should be smooth and silky. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the sauce. Toss gently to combine, then serve hot, optionally topped with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
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