Cottage cheese is IN and trendy now, and this simple recipe has become one of my favorite pasta recipes for a healthy, protein-packed dish that tastes like comfort food! This Cottage Cheese Pasta with Tomatoes is so creamy, high-protein, and flavorful! With just a handful of ingredients and less than 30 minutes, you get a nutrient-dense and delicious meal. Try this out the next time you're craving pasta for a hearty main course!
If you haven't heard, cottage cheese is the new burrata! Kind of. Gone are the days of cottage cheese eliciting eye-rolls. It is delicious and high-protein and goes GREAT in dishes like pasta! The rich, creamy flavor and consistency of cottage cheese make it perfect for a creamy sauce, and with 25 grams of protein per 1 cup serving of cottage cheese, it is the perfect way to get a little more protein without adding meat.
As promised, this dish has a very simple ingredient list! My recipe uses cherry tomatoes, lots of garlic, pasta, and whole milk cottage cheese to create a caprese-style pasta dish. The addition of cottage cheese to warm pasta and jammy garlic and tomato creates a creamy pasta sauce that provides a protein boost.
Table of Contents:
📖 Recipe Origins
Cottage cheese pasta doesn't necessarily have an origin, per se, but cottage cheese certainly does! Cottage cheese has been around for a very long time, dating back to ancient times, as some say. However, some say it has more recent history, with its first known use in 1831. Believed to have originated because the simple cheese was usually produced in cottages from any left-over milk after making butter.
🎥 Watch the video of this recipe
Why you'll love this Cottage Cheese Pasta
- It is unique and different! Using cottage cheese in pasta is not super common, but it is super delish!
- Flavorful and creamy and delicious. Creamy and fresh and full of flavor!
- Fresh ingredients and customizable! You can add or subtract just about any ingredient, just don't subtract the cottage cheese!
🥘 What you need for this recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Pasta - I chose to use rigatoni pasta, but any type of pasta works!
- Cherry Tomatoes - Cherry or grape tomatoes are best, but even a diced regular tomato is fine.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic only, don't use pre-minced!
- Olive Oil - Opt for a high-quality olive oil since it is an important ingredient in this recipe.
- Whole Milk Cottage Cheese - I encourage using whole milk for a creamier, softer texture, but any kind of cottage cheese can work.
Tools and Equipment:
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- Pot for Pasta
- Pan for Sauce
- Wooden Spoon
📋 How to make Cottage Cheese Pasta
Step 1: Prepare Ingredients
Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, slice all of the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise, and thinly slice or mince the garlic cloves.
Step 2: Make the Dish
In a pan, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and stir, being careful not to burn the slices.
Cook garlic until soft, then add the sliced tomatoes. Toss in the hot oil until the tomatoes start to burst, using the back of your spatula to help smash them.
Stir to combine until it becomes "sauce-y." Add the cooked pasta and combine until well coated.
Turn down to medium low heat and add salt and pepper, a piece of cold butter, and a splash of pasta water (optional). Stir until butter is emulsified into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Step 3: Finishing Touches
Add the cooked pasta dish to a small bowl or plate, then create a small "well" in the center.
Sprinkle chopped chives or fresh sliced basil over the top.
Add the cottage cheese right to the center and top it with flaky salt and a drizzle of olive oil (optional).
Leave it as is for presentation or mix it all together to eat!
💭 Expert Tips & Tricks
- I encourage using whole milk cottage cheese for a creamier, softer texture, but any kind of cottage cheese can work.
- Any pasta shape is fine, but I prefer rigatoni. I think orecchiette would be very nice too!
- Be careful with the heat to ensure that you don't burn the garlic slices, but also allow the tomatoes to burst and become 'jammy.'
Storage & Reheating Tips:
- Store in the Fridge: Wait until the pasta comes to room temperature and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- Store in the Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to about 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Always inspect leftovers for impurities or mold by using your eyes and nose. Reheat by adding to a nonstick pan with a dash of olive oil over medium heat until heated through. Garnish with fresh parmesan.
Recipe FAQs
Similar to mozzarella and ricotta, cottage cheese does not fully melt. This is why we chose to add it to the top of the hot pasta, intended to be mixed in!
It is not recommended to try to melt the cottage cheese into this pasta, as it won't melt properly and will result in a lumpy sauce! We like to add room-temp cottage cheese to the pasta after it is cooked.
Cottage cheese is DELICIOUS in pasta! Just don't try to mask the cottage cheese or 'hide' it in the pasta. Let it shine for best results!
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Cottage Cheese Pasta
Equipment
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- Pot for Pasta
- Pan for Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 oz Rigatoni or other pasta shape
- 10-12 Cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 cloves Garlic sliced or minced
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup Whole milk cottage cheese
- Black pepper fresh cracked
- Chives or basil
Instructions
- Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, slice all of the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise, and thinly slice or mince the garlic cloves.
- In a pan, add olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the sliced garlic and stir, being careful not to burn the slices.
- Cook garlic until soft, then add the sliced tomatoes. Toss in the hot oil until the tomatoes start to burst, using the back of your spatula to help smash them.
- Stir to combine until it becomes "sauce-y." Add the cooked pasta and combine until well coated.
- Add salt and pepper, a piece of cold butter, and a splash of pasta water (optional). Stir until butter is emulsified into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Add the cooked pasta dish to a bowl or plate, then create a small "well" in the center.
- Sprinkle chopped chives or fresh sliced basil over the top.
- Add the cottage cheese right to the center and top it with flaky salt and a drizzle of olive oil (optional).
- Leave it as is for presentation or mix it all together to eat!
Video
Notes
- I encourage using whole milk cottage cheese for a creamier, softer texture, but any kind of cottage cheese can work.
- Any pasta shape is fine, but I prefer rigatoni. I think orecchiette would be very nice too!
- Be careful with the heat to ensure that you don't burn the garlic slices, but also allow the tomatoes to burst and become 'jammy.'
Robert says
Greetings from Indonesia and thank you! A simple but delicious recipe. Every mouthful a delight. Quick and easy to make.