Description
A creamy and delicious Cottage Cheese Alfredo sauce made with simple ingredients like cottage cheese, milk, parmesan, and garlic. This quick and easy recipe blends cottage cheese for a smooth texture and combines it with parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning for a rich, flavorful Alfredo sauce that pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s a lighter alternative to traditional Alfredo sauce without sacrificing taste.
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk (any kind)
- 1 1/4 cups cottage cheese (preferably whole milk)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Pasta
- 12 ounces pasta of choice
- 1/2 cup pasta cooking water (reserved)
Instructions
- Blend the Cottage Cheese and Milk: Combine the milk and cottage cheese in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy, creating the base for your Alfredo sauce.
- Sauté Garlic: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- Add Cheese Mixture and Seasoning: Reduce heat to low and pour the blended cottage cheese mixture into the saucepan. Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Stir continuously to combine.
- Melt the Cheese Gently: Keep the heat very low and gently cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until the parmesan melts into the sauce. Avoid overheating to prevent curdling.
- Cook Pasta: While the sauce simmers, prepare the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop cooking.
- Toss Pasta with Alfredo Sauce: Return the sauce to low heat and toss in the cooked pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and achieve desired consistency. Heat gently without letting the sauce get too hot to avoid separation. Season with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste.
Notes
- Use whole milk cottage cheese for the creamiest texture, though any percentage will work.
- Take care not to overheat the sauce to prevent curdling or separation.
- Rinsing pasta with cool water helps stop cooking and prevents the sauce from breaking when added.
- The reserved pasta water is helpful to adjust the sauce consistency as needed.
- This recipe pairs well with any pasta shape you prefer.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
