This creamy cottage cheese pasta sauce recipe turned into a rich Alfredo sauce that's packed with protein and creamy texture, with fewer calories than traditional recipes. This recipe delivers all the cheesy goodness you crave while keeping your protein goals on track.
If you love cottage cheese recipes, check out this cottage cheese egg salad, this egg bake, cottage cheese pizza, or this flat bread recipe made with cottage cheese.
I am a huge pasta lover, and I like to alternate between white pasta sauce and the other ones. But I've always felt the Alfredo sauce was heavier than I could handle because of the amount of cream and butter there was.
But this cottage cheese sauce ticks all the buttons for me, and I only regret not trying it sooner.
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Why I love this recipe
- High in protein: Packed with around 14 grams of protein per serving thanks to the cottage cheese's high protein content, this pasta sauce turns a typical comfort food into a satisfying, muscle-friendly meal.
- Creamy and cheesy: When you're craving something rich and cheesy but not tomatoey, this sauce delivers the perfect balance of creamy, cheesy goodness while being more nutritious than traditional cream-based alternatives.
- Lighter than the traditional version: Unlike traditional alfredo that can leave you feeling weighed down, this lighter version maintains taste and texture of a traditiona white pasta sauce which is perfect for enjoying pasta without the usual post-meal heaviness.
Ingredients needed
Here are the ingredients you will need for your Alfredo cottage cheese pasta sauce:
- Cottage cheese: Full-fat cottage cheese works best for ultimate creaminess, but low-fat can be used if preferred.
- Milk: Any milk works here (whole, 2%, or plant-based) – use room temperature milk to ensure smooth blending and prevent curdling.
- Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent for the perfect sauce consistency – can be substituted with all-purpose flour (use 2 times more flour than cornstarch the recipe calls for) or arrowroot powder in equal amounts, though cornstarch provides the silkiest texture.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parmesan (not the pre-grated kind) adds the signature alfredo flavor and helps thicken the sauce – while optional, it's highly recommended for authentic taste. LEave some to sprinkle on top of the final dish.
- Salt: Adjust to taste, keeping in mind that both cottage cheese and parmesan already contain salt.
- Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is preferred for the best flavor, but pre-ground works too.
- Garlic powder: Optional but recommended for classic alfredo flavor – can be substituted with 2 - or more- fresh minced garlic cloves sautéed in a bit of butter before adding to the sauce.
- Oregano and basil: Optional, you can use one or the other depending on your preference.
- Pasta: For this recipe, I used Fettuccine simply because it's the traditional and ideal choice, as its flat, wide noodles provide maximum surface area for the sauce to cling to, creating the perfect bite every time. You can also use Penne, Rigatoni, or Farfalle ...etc Just avoid using the small-shaped pastas as they will get lost in the thick sauce.
How to make Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce
Start by boiling your pasta in well-salted water according to package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, prepare your sauce.
Add cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, milk, , garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and no cottage cheese curds remain, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour the blended sauce into a preheated large pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, about 3-5 minutes.
Drain your pasta, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water (you might need it to thin the sauce if it gets too thick).
Add the drained pasta directly to the pan with the sauce, tossing everything together until the pasta is well coated. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
Serve hot, garnished with additional freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of black pepper if desired.
Hanaa's recipe tips
- The sauce will look alarmingly thin when first blended and poured into the pan – resist the urge to add more thickener! It will thicken significantly as it heats up, so trust the process. If you add more flour or cornstarch at this stage, you'll end up with a gluey, overly thick sauce.
- Don't skip preheating the pan before adding the sauce – adding the blended mixture to a cold pan can cause uneven cooking and lead to lumps forming. Your pan should be at medium heat before the sauce goes in, and keep stirring frequently as it thickens.
- Blend the sauce ingredients until COMPLETELY smooth – any remaining cottage cheese curds will prevent you from achieving that silky alfredo texture. If you spot any lumps after blending, keep going until the mixture is perfectly smooth like heavy cream.
- If you want to add even more protein you can use a protein pasta like chickpea or lentil pasta, or grilled chicken breast (about 31g protein per cup) along with a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese (10g protein per ounce). I also recommend adding some white beans ( 15 g per cup).
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use a food processor. A food processor will work similarly to a blender, though you might need to scrape down the sides more frequently to ensure everything gets completely smooth.
Too Thick: Add a little bit of warm milk or reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, while stirring constantly. This will loosen the sauce. Don't add too much liquid at once, or you'll risk making it too thin.
Too Thin: Make a slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon of cornstartch with 2 teaspoons of cold milk or water until smooth. Then, whisk the slurry into the sauce and cook for another minute or two until it thickens. Be careful not to add too much slurry, or the sauce will become too thick.
Recipe card
Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup cottage cheese full fat is best
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon oregano optional
- ⅛ teaspoon basil optional
- 8 oz fettucine pasta or any big shaped pasta
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente.
- Blend cottage cheese, parmesan, milk, cornstarch, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper until smooth (1-2 mins).
- Heat blended sauce in large pan over medium heat, stirring until thickened (3-5 mins).
- Drain pasta, reserve ½ cup pasta water.
- Toss pasta with sauce, add reserved water if needed to thin then garnish with parmesan and pepper if desired.
Notes
- The sauce will look alarmingly thin when first blended and poured into the pan – resist the urge to add more thickener! It will thicken significantly as it heats up, so trust the process. If you add more flour or cornstarch at this stage, you'll end up with a gluey, overly thick sauce.
- Don't skip preheating the pan before adding the sauce – adding the blended mixture to a cold pan can cause uneven cooking and lead to lumps forming. Your pan should be at medium heat before the sauce goes in, and keep stirring frequently as it thickens.
- Blend the sauce ingredients until COMPLETELY smooth – any remaining cottage cheese curds will prevent you from achieving that silky alfredo texture. If you spot any lumps after blending, keep going until the mixture is perfectly smooth like heavy cream.
- If you want to add even more protein you can use a protein pasta like chickpea or lentil pasta, or grilled chicken breast (about 31g protein per cup) along with a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese (10g protein per ounce). I also recommend adding some white beans ( 15 g per cup).
Mandy says
We love pasta over here.
Bouchra says
I really enjoyed this recipe, it was so delicious!!
Kay says
Great recipe. I am sure it is what I need to make my gluten free pasta more tasty
Salma says
This pasta sauce looks amazing! I love how creative you are with cottage cheese recipes, definitely going to try this next time I cook! 😋🍝.