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Cottage Cheese Alfredo Pasta | 35g High Protein Low Calorie Meal - Creamy, Satisfying, and Simple

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Pasta (8 oz dry; fettuccine, spaghetti, or penne; chickpea or high-protein pasta optional)
  • Low-fat cottage cheese (1 cup)
  • Plain nonfat or low-fat Greek yogurt (1/3 cup)
  • Freshly grated Parmesan (1/3–1/2 cup)
  • Garlic (2–3 cloves)
  • Olive oil (1 teaspoon)
  • Lemon (zest of 1/2 lemon, plus 1–2 teaspoons juice)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
  • Protein add-ins (optional): grilled chicken breast, shrimp, or peas

Method
 

  1. Boil the pasta: Salt a large pot of water and cook pasta to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of hot pasta water before draining.
  2. Sauté garlic: In a skillet, warm 1 teaspoon olive oil over low heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Don’t brown it.
  3. Blend the sauce base: In a blender, add cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, half the Parmesan, most of the reserved pasta water (start with 1/2 cup), lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth and glossy.
  4. Combine and gently warm: Pour the blended sauce into the skillet with the garlic. Heat on low, stirring, until warm and slightly thickened, 2–3 minutes. If it’s too thick, add more pasta water a little at a time.
  5. Toss the pasta: Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss until every strand is coated. Stir in remaining Parmesan. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon.
  6. Finish and serve: Sprinkle red pepper flakes and chopped parsley. Add cooked chicken, shrimp, or peas if using. Serve right away while silky and hot.