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5.0 from 117 votes

Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta

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!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 603 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

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 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

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. While ground turkey is cooking, add marinara sauce and cottage cheese to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
  5. Once turkey is cooked, pour the sauce over the turkey mixture, add cooked pasta and stir to combine.
  6. 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.
  • 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 Information

Serving 1/4 recipe Calories 603kcal (30%) Carbohydrates 54g (18%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 25g (38%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 89mg (30%) Sodium 889mg (37%) Potassium 973mg (28%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 11g (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 603

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/4 recipe
Calories 603kcal 30%
Carbohydrates 54g 18%
Protein 38g 76%
Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 89mg 30%
Sodium 889mg 37%
Potassium 973mg 21%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 11g 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.