This cottage cheese pasta sauce creates a creamy, flavorful dinner that comes together quickly. With garlic and herbs, it’s an easy way to upgrade your weeknight pasta with very little effort.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: The flavor is a creamy, tangy tomato sauce with the mellow richness of cottage cheese, brightened by garlic and herbs.
- Why Make It: Blending cottage cheese into jarred pasta sauce creates a creamy texture without needing a roux, heavy cream, or extra fuss.
- Recommended Tools: A blender gives the creamiest, smoothest finish for the sauce, though an immersion blender works in a pinch.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta Sauce: Use a marinara or smooth tomato-based pasta sauce you already love, or make a homemade sauce, since it sets the overall flavor of the dish.
- Cottage Cheese: Full-fat, small-curd cottage cheese blends the smoothest, reheats beautifully, and is easiest to puree for a creamy sauce.
- Pasta: Penne, rigatoni, and rotini hold this sauce especially well, but long noodles will work too. Cook the pasta al dente to prevent it from overcooking in the sauce.
- Variations: Stir in cooked Italian sausage for a heartier meal, add grilled or roasted vegetables for extra flavor, or swap oregano for Italian seasoning. You can also toss in a handful of spinach at the end to wilt in the warm pasta.
How To Make Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce
- Cook the pasta (full recipe below).
- Blend the cottage cheese and pasta sauce with the seasonings.
- In a skillet, cook the onion, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Add the cottage cheese mixture and pasta to the skillet and heat until warmed through.
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze.
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring often and adding a splash of water if the sauce is too thick. Avoid boiling when reheating to keep the sauce from getting grainy.
Favorite Pasta Sauce Recipes
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Ingredients
- 1½ cups pasta sauce
- 1 cup cottage cheese full fat is best
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
For Serving
- 16 ounces dry pasta
- fresh basil and parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water and drain pasta well. Set aside.
- In a blender, blend pasta sauce, cottage cheese, salt, pepper, and onion powder until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the cottage cheese sauce and cooked pasta to the skillet. Stir until everything is evenly coated and heated through.
- Add pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Do not overheat the sauce, or it will become grainy.
- This recipe can be halved to serve as a side dish.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Pasta
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