My cottage cheese pasta sauce is smooth, cheesy, and secretly healthy. Ready in minutes, it’s made with NO heavy cream!
When I’m craving a massive bowl of cheesy pasta but trying to be healthy, I make this creamy cottage cheese pasta recipe.
The cottage cheese is blended until silky smooth, then it’s mixed with tangy crushed tomatoes and fresh garlic. The result is a tangy, creamy sauce that’s beautifully paired with juicy ground turkey and al dente pasta.
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Why I love this recipe
- It’s so easy to make. Aside from blending the cottage cheese, it’s no different than making pasta with a canned sauce.
- Customizable. I added turkey for extra protein, but you can omit to make it vegetarian or add other flavors.
- No complicated ingredient swaps. For being a high-protein pasta sauce, there are no odd or niche ingredients required–and definitely NO protein powder.
- Makes great leftovers. Make a double-batch and save the leftovers for a healthy lunch the next day!
- 30+ grams of protein. Like my protein pasta, even without the turkey, this is a protein-packed pasta dish!
Need more healthy pasta sauces? Try my pomodoro sauce, sugo, and keto cheese sauce next.
Key Ingredients
- Olive oil. For sautéeing the aromatics.
- Ground turkey. I like to use lean ground turkey, but as I mentioned earlier, you can omit this to make it vegetarian or use any ground meat you choose. If you pick a full-fat protein, drain the excess grease.
- Onion and garlic. Essential aromatics for any good sauce.
- Canned tomatoes. For acidity, color, and flavor. Don’t drain the tomatoes, you’ll need the juices.
- Cottage cheese. I tested full-fat cottage cheese and low-fat cottage cheese, and they both turned out great, so use whichever you prefer.
- Parmesan cheese. I always prefer the texture and smoothness of freshly grated parmesan.
- Italian seasoning. For flavor.
- Salt and black pepper. To taste.
- Pasta. Use whichever pasta you like, such as penne, fettuccine, rigatoni, or spaghetti.
How to make cottage cheese pasta sauce
I recommend cooking the pasta before making the sauce and ground meat. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
Step 1- Blend. In a food processor or high-speed blender, blend the sauce ingredients until smooth.
Step 2- Cook the turkey. Add oil to a large skillet. Once hot, add the garlic and the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.
Step 3- Assemble. Add the cottage cheese mixture to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until it begins to simmer.
Step 4- Serve. Toss through the cooked pasta and serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Ensure the pan isn’t too hot. Adding the cottage cheese to a flaming hot pan can make it curdle and separate, so make sure the pan isn’t too hot and stir frequently once it’s been added.
- Adjust the sauce consistency. Depending on how juicy the tomatoes are, sometimes the pasta sauce is too thick. If you notice this, add a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water to thin it out.
- Prefer a chunky sauce? I suggest blending the cottage cheese until smooth, but the tomatoes can be added in last and pulsed to keep them chunky.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To freeze: Allow leftovers to cool completely, then store them in a shallow container in the freezer for up to three months.
Reheating: Microwave in 30-second intervals or reheat in a saucepan until warm.
Frequently asked questions
Does cottage cheese melt?
Yes, cottage cheese does melt. However, it won’t become completely smooth. If you want it to be smooth, make my whipped cottage cheese and use that in the sauce.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! Cottage cheese sauce can be made 1-2 days before you need it. Prepare the sauce and store it, covered, in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, reheat it on the stovetop.
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Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce
Servings:
Prep:5minutes mins
Cook:5minutes mins
Total:10minutes mins
Ingredients 1x2x3x
- ▢1 cup cottage cheese
- ▢14 1/2 ounces canned tomatoes or tomato sauce/passata
- ▢1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- ▢2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ▢1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢1 pound lean ground turkey
- ▢12 ounces pasta
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, combine the cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and canned tomatoes until smooth.
- In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute before adding the onion, cooking for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, around 5 minutes.
- Add the cottage cheese tomato mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it begins to simmer.
- Toss in 12 ounces of your favorite pasta and serve immediately.
Notes
TO STORE: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
TO FREEZE: Allow leftovers to cool completely, then store them in a shallow container in the freezer for up to three months.
TO REHEAT: Microwave in 30-second intervals or reheat in a saucepan until warm.
Variations
- Make it gluten-free. Use gluten-free pasta.
- Swap the protein. Try thinly sliced chicken breasts, chicken sausage, shrimp, or steak.
- Spice it up. Add a dash of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
- Garnish. Top the pasta with fresh basil and extra parmesan for more flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 30gFat: 6gSodium: 314mgPotassium: 449mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 194IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 34g
