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Penne in Pink Sauce ● Creamy Cottage Cheese-Tomato Protein Pasta with Basil

Updated: Mar 29, 2023

Join the cottage cheese trend with this pretty pink pasta dish!

Pink pasta sauce made with cottage cheese. Yep, you heard that right! The cottage cheese and tomato sauce combination gives this sauce a pretty pink shade. It's a delicious mix of herbs and cheese, and is perfect over any kind of pasta. I made this dish vegetarian, but you can add your favorite meat--a grilled chicken breast or spicy Italian sausage--for extra protein!


Cottage cheese is an excellent source of calcium. It's low in fat and very creamy, making it a great addition to this sauce! Next time you're craving pasta, skip the heavy cream and try this instead. I absolutely love the blend of fresh herbs, smooth cheesy texture, and spicy red pepper flakes that adds a little kick. I hope you love this fun new dish!


Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes


Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz whole wheat penne pasta (or other short cut pasta) cooked al dente

  • 3/4 c cottage cheese

  • 1/4 c + 2 Tbsp milk of choice (I used skim)

  • 1/2 small yellow onion, diced

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 15 oz can crushed tomatoes

  • 6 oz can tomato sauce

  • 2 tsp sugar

  • 4 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

  • 1 1/2 tsp oregano

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

  • 1/4 c parmesan cheese

  • Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Blend cottage cheese and milk in a blender or food processor until smooth.


2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sautee onions for 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.


3. Add oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and a few grinds of black pepper.


4. Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.


5. Stir in parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and cottage cheese mixture. Heat through (about 3 minutes) until sauce is thick and smooth.


6. Add cooked penne to the skillet. Mix well until pasta is coated with sauce. Top with additional parmesan cheese, black pepper, and basil, if desired. Serve immediately.


Nutrition:

Calories: 180 kcal ● Fat: 6g ● Protein: 9g ● Carbohydrates: 25g


Ingredient Swaps:

  • If you don't have fresh basil, you can use 2 tsp of dried basil as a substitute!

Recipe notes:

This recipe pairs well with parmesan-crusted chicken or spicy Italian sausage.


I make sure to use freshly-grated parmesan cheese for the best flavor.


Blend the milk and cottage cheese very well or your sauce may not have the smooth texture you desire!


Enjoy!

An MM Wellness Original Recipe








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Guest
Mar 29, 2023
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

this was yummy! Thank u for posting.

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