High Protein Marry Me Pasta (Cottage Cheese Sauce!)

Overhead photo of marry me pasta with cottage cheese pasta sauce in a cast iron skillet.

High Protein Marry Me Pasta (Cottage Cheese Sauce!)

This Marry Me Pasta is so good, you'll want to put a ring on it. A protein-packed cottage cheese pasta sauce blended smooth with sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and just a splash of heavy cream to keep it luxurious.

Course Main Course, pasta

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword Cottage cheese pasta sauce, Marry me pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 551kcal

Author Katie Trant

Ingredients

10 ounces pasta shapes Any spiral shape will do!
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons oil from the sundried tomatoes jar
¼ cup red onion finely diced
3 cloves garlic crushed
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sundried tomatoes finely chopped
1 cup cottage cheese I use full fat
1 cup vegetable broth
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated parmesan
1 cup pasta water if needed
small handful basil leaves
Parmesan and a drizzle of sundried tomato oil to serve

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, and add the pasta shapes to cook until al dente.
10 ounces pasta shapes
Scoop a cup of the pasta water out of the pot and set aside. Drain the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the sundried tomato oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
1 Tablespoon butter, 2 Tablespoons oil
Add the diced red onion and sauté until softened.
¼ cup red onion
Add the garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, and salt, and sauté for 1-2 minutes more.
3 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt
Add the sundried tomatoes and stir to combine.
½ cup sundried tomatoes
Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the cottage cheese and vegetable broth to a blender, and blend until smooth.
1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup vegetable broth
Scrape the contents of the pan into the blender, and blend again until smooth. Careful with blending hot liquids!
Scrape the contents of the blender back into the pan. Add a small amount of pasta water to the blender and let it run to get all the sauce off of the sides, and reserve that for if your sauce needs to be thinned out.
1 cup pasta water
Stir the heavy cream into the sauce, followed by the grated Parmesan, pasta, and basil leaves.
¼ cup heavy cream, ½ cup freshly grated parmesan, small handful basil leaves
Stir to combine well.
If the sauce needs thinning out, add a splash of the pasta water from the blender, bit by bit.
Serve the pasta hot, with extra Parmesan, basil, and a drizzle of sundried tomato oil over the top.
Parmesan and a drizzle of sundried tomato oil to serve

Notes

Nutrition values are an estimate only
Leftover pasta will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Re-heat past in the microwave, or on the stovetop with a splash of water added in.

Nutrition