Last Updated on February 10, 2026 by Toya
This high protein creamy cottage cheese pasta is one of those quick dinners that feels like comfort food, but doesn’t sit heavy and it’s honestly so easy you’ll wonder why you weren’t making it sooner.
The cottage cheese blends into the creamiest pasta sauce with no roux, and you still get that cozy pasta dish with about 34 grams of protein per serving that the whole family will love!
I made mine with some chicken pieces, but, I also love making it meatless sometimes and then serving it alongside my favorite garlic herb pan seared chicken breasts (or even quick baked chicken thighs).
You can also stir in some cooked ground turkey or ground beef if you want it to be a one pan meal that is still extra filling. With ground turkey, one serving comes out to about 28 grams of protein, and with ground beef it’s about 31 grams of protein per serving!
This easy 30 minute dinner is a gem! And if you love the sound of this easy creamy cottage cheese pasta, you’ll probably also love my cottage cheese scrambled eggs, my cottage cheese overnight oats, and my 25 cottage cheese recipes roundup for even more sweet and savory ways to use cottage cheese.
Let’s get started!
Ingredients Needed
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1 large chicken breast (or 2 small breasts, about 8–12 oz, raw)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1–2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup pasta water
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Substitutions and Notes
Pasta: Any pasta will work here. I like rigatoni, penne, or shells because they hold the sauce so well. If you want a higher protein choice, chickpea or lentil pasta is a good choice. I have not tested this exact sauce with every pasta swap yet, so if you try it, let me know how it turns out.
Cottage cheese: Full-fat cottage cheese gives you the creamiest, smoothest sauce. Low-fat is fine if that is what you have. If your cottage cheese has bigger curds, just blend it for a little longer until it turns silky.
Garlic: Fresh garlic tastes best, but garlic powder works on busy nights. ½ a teaspoon is good here.
Cheese: Parmesan brings the whole sauce together and gives it that finished flavor. A little mozzarella makes it extra melty.
Add other protein: I made this with some chicken, but you can make it heartier with ground turkey or ground beef. Cook the meat first, then add the pasta, and pour the sauce over everything.
Herbs: Chives on top are wonderful, and basil is always a good idea. Parsley and oregano work just fine too. If you want a deeper, cozy flavor, a tiny pinch of rosemary is nice too.
Heat: If you like a little kick, add red pepper flakes or a small splash of hot sauce at the end.
Red bell pepper: If you do not have red bell pepper, use yellow or orange. Mini sweet peppers work too. If you want to skip peppers, sautéed mushrooms or a handful of spinach are both great.
Chives: If you do not have chives, use sliced green onions. Fresh parsley is another easy finish. If all you have is dried chives, use a small pinch, and it still does the trick.
How to make creamy cottage cheese pasta
Start by cooking the pasta. To do this, you will bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta until just al dente (follow the box timing).
Make sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Then, drain the pasta and set it aside.
Cut the raw chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Then add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, then season with a pinch of the salt and a some black pepper. Cook for about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink ( about 165°F / 74°C in the thickest piece). Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
In the same skillet over medium heat, add another small drizzle of olive oil, then add the sliced red bell pepper and saute for about 4 minutes until softened, then set aside.
Grab a blender (or food processor), add the cottage cheese, Parmesan, olive oil (or butter), garlic cloves, salt and pepper and a ¼ to a ⅓ cup of the pasta water. Then blend this until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy. Make sure to scrape down the sides and blend again if needed.
Add the sauce to a skillet over low heat and stir for about 1–2 minutes until the sauce is warmed through. Make sure you do not crank up the heat in this step. Gentle heat will help to keep the sauce silky.
After 2 minutes, add the drained pasta, chicken and sautéed red bell pepper to the skillet and toss until well coated. At this point, you can add a few splashes of the reserved pasta water until the sauce is glossy and perfectly creamy to your liking.
Finally, taste and adjust the taste of the pasta with more Parmesan, more pepper or a pinch of salt.
Serve immediately, then top with chopped chives and some grated cheese!
The best trick for a sauce that doesn’t feel grainy
Blend the cottage cheese mixture for a litttle longer than you think you need to.
Cottage cheese goes from smooth-ish to silky if you give it another 20–30 seconds.
And always loosen with warm pasta water instead of plain water.
Pasta water is one of those secret weapons in the kitchen. When you cook pasta, the water gets starchy, and that starch is what helps your sauce turn silky and cling to every noodle instead of sliding right off. So when your cottage cheese sauce feels a little too thick (and it usually will once it hits the heat), a splash of that pasta water loosens it right up without making it watery. It kind of ties everything together so you get that glossy, creamy finish like you meant to do it on purpose. Even if you only add a couple spoonfuls, it makes a big difference in how smooth and creamy the pasta turns out.
Variations you’ll actually want to make
This pasta recipe above is bomb as is! But, you can make it even better with some of these variations:
Garlic butter cottage cheese pasta
Use butter instead of olive oil, add an extra clove of garlic, and finish with more black pepper and Parmesan.
Tomato cottage cheese pasta
Blend in 2–3 tbsp tomato paste (or a handful of roasted cherry tomatoes). Then add some basil if you have it.
Lemon pepper cottage cheese pasta
You can add some lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon at the end. Also double the black pepper. This is so good with some shrimp.
Spicy creamy cottage cheese pasta
If you like spicy, blend in a pinch of cayenne or stir in some red pepper flakes while warming up the sauce.
What to serve with it
- A simple salad with a tangy dressing
- Roasted broccoli or green beans
- Garlic bread (because… obviously)
Storage and reheating
You can store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. I do not recommend freezing. And, if you want to reheat this, just warm it gently in a skillet or microwave with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce.
Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta
This high protein creamy cottage cheese pasta is one of those quick dinners that feels like comfort food, but doesn’t sit heavy and it’s honestly so easy you’ll wonder why you weren’t making it sooner.
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1 large chicken breast (or 2 small breasts, about 8–12 oz, raw)
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1–2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup pasta water
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Start by cooking the pasta. To do this, you will bring ring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta until just al dente (follow the box timing).
- Make sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Then, drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Cut the raw chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Then add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, then season with a pinch of the salt and a some black pepper. Cook for about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink ( about 165°F / 74°C in the thickest piece). Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add another small drizzle of olive oil, then add the sliced red bell pepper and saute for about 4 minutes until softened, then set aside.
- Grab a blender (or food processor), add the cottage cheese, Parmesan, olive oil (or butter), garlic cloves, salt and pepper and a ¼ cup of the pasta water. Then blend this until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy. Make sure to scrape down the sides and blend again if needed.
- Add the sauce to a skillet over low heat and stir for about 1–2 minutes until the sauce is warmed through. Make sure you do not crank up the heat in this step. Gentle heat will help to keep the sacue silky.
- After 2 minutes, add the drained pasta and sautéed red bell pepper to the skillet and toss until well coated. At this point, you can add a few splashes of thw reserved pasta water until the sauce is glossy and perfectly creamy to your liking.
- Finally, taste and adjust the taste of the pasta with more Parmesan, more pepper or a pinch of salt.
- Serve immediately, then top with chopped chives.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 472Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 833mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 34g