This Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce makes a crazy delicious, creamy, pasta dinner that is higher in protein, has fewer calories, and is better for you than the traditional sauce. Made in just 5 minutes, serve it over your favorite pasts for a simple and tasty weeknight dinner. No butter or heavy cream here!
Love easy cottage cheese recipes? Also, try my Cottage Cheese Pizza Bowl, Cottage Cheese Queso Dip, and Cottage Cheese Ranch Dip.
Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe
This Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe could not be simpler to make and it tastes really good! If you love a creamy, rich alfredo sauce, but want to try to make it with something healthier than the traditional butter and cream, this is a great place to start. This super creamy recipe comes together in just 5 minutes and is high protein and low calorie instead of high fat, like a traditional alfredo.
The secret to this healthy alfredo is using cottage cheese. This unexpected ingredient blends smoothly in a blender or food processor and if you add milk, parmesan, garlic, and Italian Seasoning to it, it comes together in the food processor to make a rich and creamy sauce that can be paired easily with your favorite pasta. Keep it plain or top it with chicken or fish to have a fantastic weeknight dinner that you can feel good serving. It's even fabulous with a side of Roasted Broccoli.
Because this is made with cottage cheese it's naturally high in protein, calcium, and nutrients, and relatively lower in calories than traditional Alfredo.
If you aren't sure about cottage cheese, I promise that once it's blended like this you don't taste it and you just get that creamy alredo flavor. This recipe is a pure bit of healthy kitchen magic. You have to give it a try.
Love Alfredo? Also, try my Salmon Alfredo Pasta.
Cottage Cheese Alfredo for a healthy weeknight dinner! Share on X
Why You'll Love this Cottage Cheese Alfredo Recipe...
- This Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe tastes like the real deal!
- It's much lighter than serving real alfredo, but still rich and creamy.
- The cottage cheese is naturally high in protein and calcium.
- The sauce comes together in just five minutes and the rest of the meal is cooked as fast as a pot of pasta.
- It's cozy comfort food in a healthier package.
- Kids will love it and be none the wiser that it's not the "real" thing.
- It tastes so darn good!
Ingredients:
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Cottage Cheese Alfredo, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.
- Cottage Cheese: You can use your favorite type of cottage cheese for this sauce including full-fat cottage cheese or low-fat cottage cheese, depending on your dietary preferences. Full fat will give you a richer sauce, but low fat also works. You can also pick either small or large curd because you are blending it up.
- Milk: Milk turns the blended cottage cheese into a sauce. I used 2% milk, but you can use whichever type you keep including skim milk or whole milk.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese blends into the sauce easiest and has the best texture for this.
- Corn Starch: You can also substitute arrowroot powder.
- Garlic Powder: You need a little garlic to make this taste like alfredo. I like to use garlic powder for this so it's evenly distributed through the sauce and it mixes easily into it too.
- Italian Seasoning: To transform the cottage cheese into an already, you need a few spices like garlic and this Italian Seasoning. Use your favorite store-bought one or use my Homemade Italian Seasoning mix with basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, and sage.
- Salt & Pepper
- Pasta: You can use your favorite type of pasta including linguine, spaghetti, penne, bowtie, or even angel hair. You can also swap out regular pasta for healthier pasta like chickpea pasta or protein pasta.
Instructions:
This is an overview of the instructions to make this Cottage Cheese Alfredo, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.
Step One: Blend the Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce
In a food processor or high-speed blender add the milk, cottage cheese, cornstarch, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, Italian Seasoning, and salt and pepper.
Blend until smooth.
Step Two: Make & Add The Pasta
- While that is blending, cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions.
- Drain the pasta, setting aside a cup of pasta water.
- In a large skillet that's big enough for the pasta, pour the blended cottage cheese mixture into the pan. Heat on low to medium heat until warm, stirring well. Don't warm too fast or too high or it will separate the sauce.
- Add the pasta to your sauce and allow to mix and toss, stirring occasionally.
- Cook for a few minutes until everything is well combined. If the sauce needs loosened a bit, add a small amount of pasta water. Stir well.
- Put on a plate and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Variations
I love this Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.
- Make it Cajun: Add some cajun seasoning instead of Italian Seasoning for a cajun alfredo sauce.
- Make it Spicy: Add some red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Make it Low Carb: You can easily mix this with a pasta substitute like spaghetti squash, hearts of palm pasta, or zucchini noodles.
FAQ
Storage & Leftovers
This sauce can be separated when storing it, so I don't recommend storing the sauce by itself for leftovers or making it ahead. You can though make it with the pasta and keep it in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to four days.
Freezing
I would not freeze this Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce. The sauce will separate.
This Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe is So Good!
This Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce is such a good pasta dish! It's such a great healthy sub for the real thing that can be made in just a few minutes for a tasty weeknight meal. With the added protein in the pasta, this is a nice meal on its own, or add a protein or vegetable with it to round out the meal. Here are some tasty suggestions from the Running in a Skirt archives. Move over fettuccine alfredo, you are going to love this cottage cheese alfredo pasta!
Make it a Meal:
- Blackened Salmon
- Blackened Swordfish
- Lemon Pepper Parmesan Tilapia
- Blackenend Mahi Mahi
- Blackened Shrimp
- Lemon Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Lemon Garlic Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Broccoli and Carrots
- Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
- Oven Roasted Green Beans with Garlic
- Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
Cottage Cheese Alfredo for a healthy weeknight dinner! Share on X
More Cottage Cheese Recipes to Try:
- Cottage Cheese Toast Ideas
- Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls
- Cottage Cheese Eggs
- Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough
- Cottage Cheese Ranch Dip
- Cottage Cheese Queso
- Cottage Cheese Pizza Bowl
If you make this Cottage Cheese Alfredo, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!
Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups cottage cheese
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 pound pasta
Instructions
- In a food processor add the milk, cottage cheese, cornstarch, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, Italian Seasoning and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- While that is blending, cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, setting aside a cup of pasta water.
- In a large saucepan that's big enough for the pasta, pour the blended cottage cheese mixture into the pan. Heat until warm.
- Add the pasta to your sauce and allow to mix together, stirring occasionally.
- Cook for a few minutes until everything is well combined.
- Put on a plate and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Notes
Storage & Leftovers
This sauce can be separated when storing it, so I don't recommend storing the sauce by itself for leftovers or making it ahead. You can though make it with the pasta and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Freezing I would not freeze this Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce. The sauce will separate.Nutrition
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