Healthy High Protein Cottage Cheese Pasta Recipe with Roasted Tomatoes for Easy Weight Loss Meal
A quick and easy high-protein pasta dish featuring creamy cottage cheese and sweet roasted tomatoes, perfect for a healthy and satisfying weight loss meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat or chickpea pasta (penne or fusilli recommended)
- 1 cup low-fat or full-fat cottage cheese (small-curd recommended)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- A handful fresh basil, chopped (optional)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread halved cherry tomatoes evenly. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Toss gently to coat.
- Roast the tomatoes for 20-25 minutes until slightly shriveled and caramelized but not charred.
- While tomatoes roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions (8-10 minutes for whole wheat). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Drain pasta, reserving about ½ cup (120 ml) of pasta water.
- Blend the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until creamy but still slightly textured (about 20-30 seconds). Skip if no blender is available.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, blended cottage cheese, roasted tomatoes with their juices, lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining olive oil, and fresh basil.
- Adjust sauce consistency by adding reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toss gently.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil leaves or a squeeze of lemon if desired.
Notes
Let cottage cheese sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before blending for best creamy texture. Do not overblend to keep some texture. Salt pasta water generously for better seasoning. Save pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. Roasting tomatoes slowly at 400°F pulls out caramelized flavor without drying them out. Can substitute pasta with gluten-free options or zucchini noodles. For dairy-free, replace cottage cheese with silken tofu or cashew-based cheese and omit Parmesan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Protein: 30
Keywords: cottage cheese pasta, high protein pasta, roasted tomatoes, healthy pasta recipe, weight loss meal, quick dinner, easy pasta, whole wheat pasta