High Protein Cottage Cheese Pasta (Printable version)

A light, creamy pasta salad combining cottage cheese with fresh veggies for a protein boost and refreshing taste.

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (rotini, penne, shells, or farfalle)

→ Salad Base

02 - 1 cup cottage cheese (small or large curd, as preferred)
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced (optional)

→ Dressing

08 - 4 tablespoons Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
09 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Optional Add-ins

15 - 1/2 cup shredded carrots
16 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
17 - 1/4 cup sliced black olives

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water to cool completely.
02 - While pasta cooks, dice cucumber and bell pepper, halve cherry tomatoes, chop spinach, and finely dice red onion if using. Prepare any optional add-ins and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Italian dressing, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Add cooled pasta, cottage cheese, cucumber, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, spinach, red onion, and optional add-ins to the bowl with dressing.
05 - Gently toss all ingredients until evenly coated and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
06 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld. Stir well before serving and add additional dressing or lemon juice if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually keeps you full without that heavy, overstuffed feeling most creamy salads give you.
  • The cottage cheese quietly becomes a creamy base that tastes indulgent but reads as genuinely light on your body.
  • You can throw it together in less time than it takes to order delivery, and it tastes better three days later.
02 -
  • Cold pasta will absorb more dressing than warm pasta, so don't panic if it looks a bit thin when you first mix it; check it again after the chill time before you add more.
  • If you use large-curd cottage cheese and want a smoother texture, blend it with a splash of the dressing before mixing everything together, which creates an almost homemade-ranch situation that's genuinely delicious.
03 -
  • If your salad looks too thick after chilling, thin it with a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of olive oil rather than more dressing, which keeps the flavor clean.
  • Massaging the spinach slightly before adding it breaks it down just enough that it doesn't feel raw alongside the soft pasta, creating a more cohesive bite.
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