Creamy Pesto Pasta with Cottage Cheese Recipe
This Creamy Pesto Pasta with Cottage Cheese is a vibrant and nutritious twist on classic pesto pasta. Combining fresh basil, garlic, parmesan, and creamy low-fat cottage cheese, it delivers a luscious yet light sauce that’s packed with flavor. Ready in under 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for a quick, satisfying, and wholesome meal for four.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 19 minutes
- Total Time: 29 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 ounces mezze rigatoni (or pasta shape of your choice, use gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free option)
Creamy Cottage Cheese Base
- ⅔ cup low-fat cottage cheese (such as Good Culture)
- 2 tablespoons water (for blending cottage cheese)
Pesto Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups fresh basil (packed)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons water
- 5 tablespoons parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano, grated, plus more for topping)
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil.
- Prepare the Cottage Cheese Sauce: In a small blender, combine the low-fat cottage cheese with 2 tablespoons of water. Blend for about 15 seconds until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Make the Pesto: Add garlic cloves to a food processor and process for 15 to 30 seconds until minced. Add fresh basil and continue processing until finely chopped. Then add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Process until the pesto is smooth and well combined.
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package directions until al dente. About 1 minute before draining, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Remove the pot from heat and let the pasta sit for 2 minutes off the heat to avoid breaking the sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Sauces: Pour the pesto over the pasta and stir to combine evenly. Then add the creamy cottage cheese sauce and stir well until there are no streaks and the pasta is thoroughly coated with the sauce.
- Adjust Consistency: If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the creamy pesto pasta topped with extra grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, and additional salt and cracked black pepper if desired.
Notes
- Use gluten-free pasta if you want to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Fresh basil is best for a vibrant and aromatic pesto flavor.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the pesto sauce consistency without diluting flavor.
- You can substitute Pecorino Romano cheese for a saltier, sharper taste.
- Letting the pasta sit off the heat before mixing helps prevent the sauce from separating.
- This dish is best served immediately for optimal creaminess and texture.