Pasta Alfredo Cottage Hack (Printable Version)

Light, creamy pasta with cottage cheese, garlic, Parmesan, and fresh parsley for a quick, flavorful meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine

→ Alfredo Sauce

02 - 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
03 - 1/2 cup whole or 2% milk
04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/4 tsp salt
09 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
11 - Extra grated Parmesan, to serve

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain pasta.
02 - Blend cottage cheese, milk, and Parmesan in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
03 - Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
04 - Pour blended cheese mixture into skillet. Season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg if using. Stir and gently cook 2–3 minutes until warmed through, avoiding boiling.
05 - Add drained pasta to skillet, tossing to coat in sauce. Adjust consistency by adding reserved pasta water gradually until desired texture is achieved.
06 - Plate immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get that restaurant-quality creaminess without cream, which feels like a small kitchen victory.
  • It comes together in 25 minutes, so weeknight dinner doesn't require advance planning or three hours of simmering.
  • The cottage cheese adds protein and a subtle tang that makes the sauce taste more complex than it has any right to be.
02 -
  • The blending step is non-negotiable—cottage cheese won't dissolve into smooth sauce on its own, no matter how much you stir, and this is the single move that separates success from disappointment.
  • Overheating the sauce will scramble it into a broken, separated mess, so keep the heat at medium and stay present; this isn't a step you can ignore and come back to.
  • Save that pasta water before draining; it's starch magic that helps the sauce cling to the noodles, and it's the only way to adjust consistency if your sauce sets too thick.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan, not the pre-shredded kind with cellulose coating—it melts silkily into the sauce instead of turning stringy and grainy.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining, and keep it close; adjusting sauce consistency at the very end is the move that separates a good plate from a perfect one.
Return