Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta
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Published Sep 27, 2023, Updated Jan 22, 2025
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This high-protein cottage cheese pasta combines ground turkey and pasta with a creamy cottage cheese marinara sauce. It comes together in less than 30 minutes for a quick weeknight meal that the whole family will love!
This creamy cottage cheese pasta is one of those meals that hits all the right notes for me—comforting, easy to make, and packed with flavor. The cottage cheese brings a creaminess to the sauce without weighing it down, making it feel indulgent but still light. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak in some extra protein! I love using ground turkey to keep it light yet satisfying, and the fresh basil and parmesan on top are the perfect finishing touches.
If you love the sound of this creamy cottage cheese pasta you may also want to check out my creamy pumpkin pasta, cottage cheese mac and cheese or my ground turkey pasta for something equally as hearty.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Protein-Packed: With ground turkey and cottage cheese, this dish packs in the protein, making it a great post-workout meal or filling dinner.
- Quick & Easy: With a straightforward list of ingredients and simple steps, this pasta dish comes together in no time.
- Flavorful: The blend of marinara sauce with cottage cheese brings a creamy texture and rich flavor to the dish.
- Versatile: Feel free to substitute with your favorite pasta type or add in some veggies for extra nutrients.
- Crowd-Pleaser: From kids to adults, everyone will love this comforting, yet healthy, pasta dish.
Ingredients Needed
- dry pasta of choice – I used rigatoni for its ability to hold sauce well, but you can use any pasta you prefer. Some other good options are spaghetti, farfalle, fusilli and fettuccini noodles.
- olive oil – used for sautéing the onion and garlic, and adds a rich, fruity undertone.
- yellow onion – adds sweetness and depth of flavor when sautéed.
- garlic cloves – brings plenty of flavor to the pasta.
- ground turkey – ground turkey is my go-to for adding a lean, hearty protein to this pasta. It’s light but still keeps the recipe filling without overpowering the other flavors.
- marinara sauce – I love using Rao’s marinara sauce because it’s packed with flavor and made with quality ingredients. It’s the perfect foundation for this creamy sauce.
- whole milk cottage cheese – the cottage cheese is what makes this pasta special. It melts into the marinara, adding creaminess and a protein boost.
- salt and black pepper – for seasoning and bringing out the other flavors in the dish.
- fresh basil – for serving, adding a burst of color and a fresh herbal note.
- parmesan cheese – for an extra touch of cheesy goodness when serving.
Substitutions & Notes
- Pasta: Any type of pasta will work well with this recipe (I just like rigatoni for how well it holds the sauce). You could try using a chickpea pasta like Banza—it’s one of my favorites, and it’s also a great gluten-free option. I haven’t tried this exact recipe with any pasta alternatives yet, so if you give it a go, please let me know how it turns out in the comments!
- Ground Turkey: Feel free to swap out the turkey for other protein sources like ground chicken, beef, or even plant-based options like tofu or tempeh.
- Marinara Sauce: Any tomato-based sauce should work in this recipe. If you have a favorite homemade version, go for it!
- Herbs: Adding fresh basil, oregano, or even some rosemary to the sauce can add another layer of flavor.
- Heat: For those who like it spicy, a splash of hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes can heat things up.
- Cheese: Apart from parmesan, you can try adding a little bit of mozzarella or even some feta for a different cheesy profile.
- Want a thinner sauce? Save 1/2-1 cup of pasta water to add to thin the sauce out.
How to Make
Step 1: While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until fragrant. Add the seasonings with minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes to release its aroma.
Step 2: Add the ground turkey to the skillet. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break apart the meat as it cooks, making sure it browns evenly and is cooked through.
Step 3: In the meantime, place the marinara sauce and cottage cheese into a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend the ingredients until you achieve a smooth and creamy sauce.
Step 4: Once the ground turkey is fully cooked, pour the blended sauce over it in the skillet. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and stir everything to combine well.
Brittany’s Tip
After you add the marinara sauce and cottage cheese, let the sauce simmer for a few minutes. This gives the flavors time to really come together, and allows the cottage cheese to melt into the sauce, making it wonderfully creamy and rich. Trust me, this extra step takes the pasta to a whole new level of deliciousness!
What to Serve with Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta
This pasta dish is hearty and filling on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a variety of sides to make a well-rounded meal. Here are some suggestions:
- Salad: A simple green salad can add a refreshing contrast to the rich pasta. Try this Kale Caesar Salad for something tasty, yet simple. Or my grapefruit salad (it’d be the perfect Valentine’s dinner meal!).
- Steamed Vegetables: Keep it healthy and simple with a side of steamed broccoli, green beans, or asparagus.
- Garlic Bread: If you’re not too worried about carbs, a slice of garlic bread would complement the pasta wonderfully, soaking up any leftover sauce.
- Wine: A glass of red or white wine is always a classic combination when it comes to pasta.
- Fruit Salad: For a lighter side, consider serving a bowl of fruit salad. The natural sweetness can balance out the savory elements of the pasta.
- Meatballs: This recipe already calls for ground turkey so you could either add meatballs or replace them with these tasty Baked Turkey Meatballs or these Lentil Meatballs for a vegetarian option.
How to Store
After you’ve enjoyed your delicious creamy cottage cheese pasta, you’ll likely want to save the leftovers (if there are any!). Simply let the pasta cool down to room temperature, and then transfer it into an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can either microwave it for a couple of minutes or toss it back into a pan on low heat until it’s warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! You can skip the ground turkey and add more veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, or eggplant. You could also use a plant-based meat substitute if you prefer.
Yes, you can prepare everything ahead of time. Just keep the pasta and sauce separate to prevent the pasta from becoming too soft. When you’re ready to eat, combine and reheat them together.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes
- High Protein Cottage Cheese Oatmeal
- Cottage Cheese Scrambled Eggs
- Cottage Cheese Salad
- Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Cottage Cheese Wrap
More Pasta Recipes
- Easy Baked Ziti
- Turkey Bolognese
- Ground Turkey Pasta
- Pasta Primavera
- Healthy Lasagna
- Healthy Hamburger Helper
Be sure to check out all of my cottage cheese recipes as well as the full collection of dinner recipes on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry pasta of choice, I used rigatoni
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 24 oz jar marinara sauce, I used Rao’s marinara sauce
- ½ cup whole milk cottage cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil, for serving
- Fresh parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and saute for 5-6 minutes until fragrant and a bit translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and saute 1-2 more minutes.
- Add ground turkey to the skillet and cook, breaking apart meat with a spatula or wooden spoon until evenly brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- While ground turkey is cooking, add marinara sauce and cottage cheese to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Once turkey is cooked, pour the sauce over the turkey mixture, add cooked pasta and stir to combine.
- Add a scoop of pasta to a bowl or plate. Top with fresh parmesan and fresh basil, for serving.
Notes
- Pasta Choice: While I used rigatoni for this recipe, feel free to use any pasta shape you prefer. High-protein pasta options like chickpea or lentil pasta work well too.
- Cottage Cheese: If you’re not a fan of cottage cheese, ricotta is a great alternative that will still give you that creamy texture. However, the cottage cheese adds a nice boost of protein and blends well with the marinara sauce.
- Adding Veggies: Don’t hesitate to add more vegetables! Sautéed spinach, bell peppers, or mushrooms can easily be added in with the onion and garlic.
- Fresh Herbs: Fresh basil is a great choice for this recipe, but other herbs like parsley, oregano, or thyme can also be used. Feel free to experiment with your favorites.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was surprisingly so tasty and easy! This will become a part of our regular rotation!
Yay! So glad you loved this recipe, Beth. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This was easy and liked by all – even pick eater in the bunch!! Great way to get more protein in the dish!
Hi Brittany, sounds like this would be a great recipe.
Just curious if substituting the cottage cheese for ricotta cheese would work just as well. (it’s what I have on hand)
Thanks!
Hi Natalie! I think that sub should work just fine!
This pasta dish was delicious and easy to make. So creamy and full of flavour. Will definitely be making again.
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Debbie. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This was so easy to make and so incredibly delicious!
YUM! I am so happy to hear that you are loving this pasta recipe, Martha. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
This was amazing. I’m not a big ground turkey fan so I used ground chicken and added some defrosted petite peas while waiting for the pasta to finish cooking. And yes, rigatoni has got to be the best. It needs to be able to hold the sauce.
YUM! I am so glad you loved this recipe and it turned out amazing for you, Lisa. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
Hello! I just tried it, but when it enter the heat the sauce looks with clumps like it separated. How do you avoid that? Or is that normal?
Hi Alina – I am not sure how that happened – unless your pan was super hot when you poured in your sauce mixture. I haven’t had this happen before. Did you change anything about the sauce?
I’ve recently started experimenting with cottage cheese, and this hit the spot! I reached my protein goal and stayed within my calories goal fully satisfied. I did use low fat cottage cheese and found the sauce still pretty creamy. Thanks!
Amazing! This is so great, Gabrien. I am so glad you gave these a try and are loving them. Thanks so much for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I truly appreciate it!
The whole family loved it! I doubled the recipe, and used Rao’s sauce. After tasting, I added oregano, basil, garlic salt, then split the meat/sauce in half and mixed with a traditional rotini and a red lentil (GF) rotini. This will be in a regular rotation. Love that it is tasty and adds protein to our meal. Thank you!!!
AMAZING! I am so glad you and the family are loving this recipe, Holly. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
can any sauce be used here, besides marinara? have you tried with vodka or arrabiata – did it come out good?
Hi Laura! You can totally use any sauce you prefer, I haven’t tried it with any other sauce, but I bet both the ones you listed would be delish! Let me know how it turns out if you give it a try!
So easy and delicious!
I already can’t wait to make it again. I used this to meal prep for my week and it reheats so well. I’m very full after eating it and it’s such a comforting dish.
I doubled the recipe following the instructions provided but I did change one thing: I used one 24 oz jar of sauce (instead of two jars like it called for) and I highly recommend that. It came out to be the most perfect consistency for the sauce. I also used protein pasta and it worked well for this. 10/10 recommend.
YUM! SO delicious. Glad you found this recipe and it turned out perfectly for your meal prep. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I truly appreciate it!
Hi there! I don’t have full-fat cottage cheese, only 1% and fat-free. Will that still work?
Hi Denette – It’ll work, but you sauce might not be as creamy. Enjoy!
Hi! I was curious what percentage of fat the ground turkey you used was – did you use 99% or 93%? I don’t cook with ground turkey a lot, so always get so confused on which is better or if it matters? Thanks for looking forward to making this!
Hi Robin – I used 93% turkey for this and all of my recipes. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Thanks Brittany! I made this tonight and it was delicious! I appreciated that it was comforting food at its finest while still helping me reach my protein goal. I am here for the cottage cheese.
Would this be a good freezer meal? Or best eaten fresh?
Hi Carlie – I would recommend eating this fresh. You could possibly freeze the sauce, but I am concerned about the consistency of the cottage cheese changing the texture of the sauce. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Can I use Rao Arabatta sauce?
Hi Jennifer! Yes, that should work. I will be a bit spicier, but still delicious! Enjoy. 🙂
Looks delicious. Where is the nutritional information? I can’t find it.
Thanks for catching that, Jennifer. They should be there now!