Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce

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.

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.

oil , oregano , onion powder , pasta , red pepper flakes , basil , cottage cheese , garlic , pasta sauce , salt and pepper with labels to make Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce

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.

adding ingredients to blender to make Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce

adding sauce to pan to make Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce

adding noodles to sauce to make Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce

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.

For a Smooth Sauce: Blend the sauce until fully smooth, and keep the skillet at medium-low to low once the sauce goes in.
To Thin the Sauce: If the sauce is too thick after tossing, add pasta water a little at a time.
Make it Heartier: Stir in cooked sausage, grilled chicken, or white beans for a more filling meal.

mixing noodles with Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce

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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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

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.

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 provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Pasta

Cuisine Italian

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