Cottage Cheese Creamy Pesto Pasta

By Maria Lichty

Published on August 21, 2024

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Whenever I need an EASY weeknight dinner, I like to make this Creamy Pesto Pasta. It only takes 20 minutes to make and you only need 3 key ingredients. One of the ingredients is a SECRET ingredient…cottage cheese!

Cottage cheese pesto pasta is a lighter alternative to the classic creamy pesto pasta. The cottage cheese adds a creamy texture and a mild tangy flavor, making it a great substitute for heavy cream. It also adds a healthy dose of protein to the pasta.

Kids and adults love this protein packed pasta! They will never guess there is cottage cheese in the sauce. It’s creamy, cheesy, and bursting with basil flavor. I like to use my homemade basil pesto (I always keep some in the freezer), but store-bought works well too.

I like to top the pasta with a dash of crushed red pepper flakes, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and fresh basil leaves. Serve with garlic bread or a simple salad for an easy meal!

Ingredients

• Pasta– I like to use orecchiette pasta, but you can use any pasta.
• Pesto– you can make homemade pesto or use store-bought.
• Cottage cheese– the secret ingredient!  I recommend using 2% milkfat or 4% milkfat. Fat-free will work, it just won’t be as creamy.
• Pasta water– don’t forget to reserve some pasta water! The starchy water helps bind the sauce to the noodles and thins out the sauce a little.
• Garnish– top the pasta with crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese!

How to Make Creamy Pesto Pasta

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Use a colander to drain the pasta. Return to pot or place in a large serving bowl.
• In a blender or food processor, combine the pesto, cottage cheese, and ½ cup of reserved pasta water.

• Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

• Add the creamy pesto sauce to the pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.
• Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm.

Pasta Variations

This is a very simple pasta dish, but if you want to jazz it up, here are a few ingredients you can stir into the pasta.

• You can add cherry tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, steamed broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, or cooked chicken or shrimp.
• Stir in the ingredients after you add the creamy pesto sauce.
• You can also top the pasta with garlic bread crumbs.

Serving Suggestions

• Caprese Salad
• Simple Arugula Salad
• Roasted Broccoli
• Green Beans Almondine
• Bruschetta
• Garlic Bread
• Chicken Milanese
• Chicken Parmesan

How to Store & Reheat

• Let the pasta cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. If the pasta dries out a little, you can add a splash or water or a little extra pesto to freshen up the pasta.

More Pasta Recipes

• Pasta Primavera
• Pasta Puttanesca
• Spaghetti
• Lemon Spaghetti
• Cacio e Pepe
• Pasta Puttanesca
• Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Check out MORE PASTA RECIPES!

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Pasta

Cottage Cheese Creamy Pesto Pasta

You only need 3-ingredients and 20 minutes to make this protein-packed creamy pesto pasta. It is the perfect weeknight meal, kids and adults love it!

5 from 6 votes

PrintSave RecipeReview

Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb orecchiette pasta, or pasta of your choice
• 1 cup basil pesto
• 1 cup cottage cheese, I recommend 2% or 4%
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• For garnish: crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Use a colander to drain the pasta. Return to pot or place in a large serving bowl.
• In a blender or food processor, combine the pesto, cottage cheese, and ½ cup of reserved pasta water. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add the creamy pesto sauce to the pasta and stir until pasta is well coated. Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

I use ½ cup reserved pasta water, but if the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can add a little extra pasta water and blend again. I always save 1 cup just to be safe!

Nutrition

Calories: 435kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 501mg, Potassium: 205mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 882IU, Calcium: 111mg, Iron: 1mg

Keywords cottage cheese, pasta, pesto

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