Spinach Cottage Cheese Pasta
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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! And if you love lighter pastas, be sure to also check out our shakshuka pasta.
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 (like in our chicken broccoli Alfredo bake). But it’s also a lower fat, higher protein option thanks to the cottage cheese!
What To Expect
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Why We Love This Recipe
This recipe is like a comforting bowl of mac and cheese that doesn’t leave you feeling super heavy afterwards. And the pasta shells give me just a touch of nostalgia.
– Nicole
Key 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. Check out our creamy gochujang pasta or our baked gnocchi for other easy weeknight dinners.)
- 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!
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.
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. Adjust salt to taste.
- Toss and serve. Add the sauce to the cooked pasta shells and stir 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.
Expert Tips
Related Recipes
Love cottage cheese? You may enjoy these easy recipes, too:
Tell us what you think!
We hope you enjoy this recipe! When you try it out, please leave a review and a star rating in the comments below. Happy cooking! – Nicole and Alex
Spinach Cottage Cheese Pasta Recipe
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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
- 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.
- Once the pasta is cooking, add olive oil and minced garlic to a large frying pan and cook over medium-low 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. Adjust salt to taste.
- Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and add back to the pot. Add the sauce to the pasta and stir 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.
This was delicious, thank you so much for sharing the recipe! I also added some chicken for additional protein, it was so good.
I did heat it up on the stove a bit too long while combining everything, so the sauce clumped a bit. Will definitely be making this again.
Hi Melle, thanks for the review – so glad you enjoyed it! We actually just updated this recipe to make it a little simpler after testing it some more – you can just add the sauce right from the food processor into the pasta, no need to heat it on the stove. We found it’s still plenty warm this way since the pasta will be hot, and it makes the sauce a little more foolproof.
Making a creamy, cheesy pasta with cottage cheese feels like cheating because there’s no way this recipe should be this healthy. It’s kinda unfair to other pastas.