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Cottage Cheese Tomato Basil Sauce – Easy High Protein Pasta

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A creamy, high-protein pasta sauce made with cottage cheese, ripe tomatoes, and fresh basil. This easy, nourishing recipe delivers classic Italian flavor and comes together in under 30 minutes—perfect for weeknights or meatless meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (8 oz) whole milk or low-fat cottage cheese
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano style)
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
  • 12 oz pasta of choice (penne, rotini, spaghetti, whole wheat or gluten-free as desired)
  • Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
  • Spinach or kale, a couple handfuls (optional, for extra greens)
  • Almond or oat-based cottage cheese (optional, for dairy-free)
  • Roasted cherry tomatoes (optional, for extra sweetness and texture)

Instructions

  1. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Roughly chop the basil leaves and set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, being careful not to brown.
  3. Pour in crushed tomatoes. Add salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Add sugar if tomatoes are very acidic. Stir and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions (usually 8-10 minutes for al dente). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
  5. In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese and half of the chopped basil. Blend until completely smooth and creamy (30-45 seconds). For a chunkier sauce, pulse a few times instead.
  6. Lower the heat under the skillet to low. Pour the blended cottage cheese mixture into the tomato sauce, stirring quickly to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not let it boil.
  7. Add drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Stir in remaining chopped basil. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  8. Serve hot, garnished with extra basil and freshly grated Parmesan if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Let cottage cheese come to room temperature before blending for best texture. Do not boil the sauce after adding cottage cheese to prevent curdling. Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. For a dairy-free version, use plant-based cottage cheese and skip Parmesan. Sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months (without pasta).

Nutrition

Keywords: cottage cheese pasta sauce, high protein pasta, tomato basil sauce, healthy pasta sauce, vegetarian pasta, easy weeknight dinner, creamy tomato sauce, meatless Monday, Italian comfort food

Find it online: https://norasfoods.com/cottage-cheese-tomato-basil-sauce-recipe-easy-high-protein-pasta/