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Creamy cottage cheese pasta sauce tossed with short pasta, parmesan, and herbs in a white bowl.

Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce

This cottage cheese pasta sauce is a creamy tomato-based pasta dinner made with cottage cheese, marinara, parmesan, seasonings, and reserved pasta water. It is budget-friendly, simple to blend smooth, and easy to customize with vegetables or extra protein.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian-Inspired
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Cottage Cheese Sauce
  • 12 ounces short pasta such as penne, rotini, shells, or rigatoni
  • 1 cup cottage cheese full-fat gives a richer sauce, but low-fat can also work
  • 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce use a basic marinara you like
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced, or use 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water plus more as needed to loosen the sauce
  • salt to taste, only after tasting the sauce
  • 2 cups baby spinach, peas, broccoli, mushrooms, or another vegetable optional

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Food processor
  • Large pot
  • Large skillet
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Meal prep containers

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.
  2. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  3. Add the cottage cheese, marinara sauce, parmesan, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to a blender.
  4. Blend until the sauce is fully smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if needed.
  5. Pour the sauce into a large skillet or back into the warm pot. Warm it over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often.
  6. Add the cooked pasta and toss until coated. Add more reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta.
  7. If using spinach or quick-cooking vegetables, stir them in while the pasta is warm and cook gently until softened or heated through.
  8. Taste before adding salt. Cottage cheese, parmesan, and marinara can already be salty, so add salt only if needed.
  9. Serve warm.

Notes

Blend the sauce until fully smooth before warming it. This helps prevent a grainy or curd-like texture.
Warm the sauce gently over low heat. Avoid boiling it after blending because high heat can make the sauce less creamy.
Reserve more pasta water than you think you need. Add it a splash at a time to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta.
Use regular pasta or protein pasta depending on your budget and preference.
For a fuller meal, stir in cooked ground chicken, ground turkey, chickpeas, white beans, tofu, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, peas, or zucchini.
Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. For best texture, store the sauce and pasta separately when possible. Reheat gently with a splash of water and avoid high heat.
Freezing is not recommended because cottage cheese can change texture after thawing.