Cottage Cheese Alfredo

by Kayla Berman on Jun 24, 2024 (updated Aug 20, 2024) 3 comments

Indulge your creamy, carb-y pasta desires with my Healthy Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe! Simply made with just 10 ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes, this easy high-protein variation has all the deliciousness of traditional alfredo sauce with none of the guilt.

Love this healthier alfredo option? You may love my Greek Yogurt Alfredo Sauce too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Alfredo With Cottage Cheese

Super Quick & Easy!!! Making Alfredo sauce out of cottage cheese may sound tricky, but it is anything but. Just blend the sauce ingredients, warm it up on the stove, and combine it with your favorite pasta or use it as a yummy white pizza sauce!
Comfort Food Vibes, Health Food Stats – The internet has been obsessed with cottage cheese lately—it’s a protein powerhouse that can be made into so many things! (Remember my Strawberry Cottage Cheese Ice Cream?!?) This health-ified Alfredo cottage cheese sauce has all the creamy, cheesy, cozy goodness of the original, but with significantly lower fat and calories PLUS an added boost of muscle-building protein. Perfect for a better-for-you pasta night! 💪
Rent-Week Dream Meal – This healthy recipe for creamy Alfredo sauce isn’t just rich and flavorful—it’s also cheap AF to make. You can literally find all the ingredients you need at the Dollar Store, any grocery store, and most bodegas, making it the ideal go-to meal when your wallet feels extra light.

Looking for more high protein recipes to make with cottage cheese? Check out my Cottage Cheese Pepperoni Pizza Bowl, Cottage Cheese Buffalo Chicken Dip, or Cottage Cheese Avocado Toast!

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, this recipe for healthy alfredo sauce requires just a handful of primarily pantry-based ingredients. Here’s what to grab:

Pasta – I like to choose fun shapes like Fusilli col Buco (long fusili) to make this cottage cheese pasta alfredo, but any shape will do!
Cottage Cheese – For the full Alfredo effect, make sure to use full-fat, whole-milk cottage cheese. Remember: we’ve already cut out the heavy cream, so a little fat is necessary for richness.
Whole Milk – Again, fat is your friend here. While you technically can swap in 2%, I recommend sticking with whole.
Parmesan Cheese – If possible, grate your own parmesan for the best flavor and meltability. You’re welcome to swap in another hard-aged Italian cheese like Reggiano, Asiago, or Grana Padano instead.
Cornstarch – A bit of cornstarch helps the blended cottage cheese alfredo sauce thicken beautifully.
Garlic Powder – For sweet cooked garlic flavor with exactly zero fuss. Feel free to use 1 clove of fresh garlic per ¼ teaspoon of powder.
Dried Basil & Dried Oregano – For big flavor gains with zero fuss. You can swap in 3x as much fresh basil or oregano for dried. Or use a bottle of Italian seasoning to replace both!
Salt & Black Pepper – For seasoning. If you can swing it, freshly ground black pepper will add the best flavor!

Equipment

How To Make Healthy Alfredo Sauce With Cottage Cheese

Step 1: Cook the Pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water, and set aside.

Step 2: Blend Sauce. Add the cottage cheese, whole milk, parmesan cheese, cornstarch, garlic powder, dried oregano, and dried basil to a blender. Blend until a smooth sauce forms.

Step 3: Warm Sauce. Add the blended cottage cheese alfredo mixture to a large pan on the stove over low heat. Heat slowly until warmed to your liking, about 5 minutes. PRO TIP: To cut back on dishes, just use the pot you cooked your pasta in.

Step 4: Toss. Add the cooked pasta to the cottage cheese alfredo sauce. Toss to combine evenly. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 5: Serve & Enjoy! I like to add some extra fresh parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and cracked black pepper on top.

cottage cheese alfredo ingredients added to a blender pitcher before blending.

alfredo sauce mixture in a blender after blitzing until smooth and creamy.

Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations

Gluten-Free – Feel free to swap in your favorite gluten-free noodles or zoodles if needed. Also, don’t feel like you have to use this sauce for cottage cheese alfredo pasta! It’s also delicious on proteins like grilled or air-fried chicken (hello chicken alfredo!) or drizzled atop steamed or roasted veggies.
Corn-Free – Can’t do corn? An equal amount of arrowroot powder or potato starch will also work to thicken this easy cottage cheese alfredo sauce.
Vegetarian – If you or a loved one is vegetarian, make sure your parmesan is, too.
Dairy-Free/Vegan – Use your favorite vegan cottage cheese, plant-based parmesan, and full-fat unflavored soy or oat milk, and make sure your pasta is egg-free.
Add Some Heft – Toss some roasted broccoli and cooked diced chicken breast into the pasta for a deliciously balanced meal!
Make It Extra Creamy – Go nuts adding extra parmesan cheese for a more decadent and cheesy sauce.
Different Seasonings – Feel free to mess around! Add some red pepper flakes for heat, fresh garlic for punchiness, or a swirl of pesto for extra herbiness.

Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce Expert Tips

Don’t Fear The Fat – Use full-fat cottage cheese, whole milk, and real parmesan for a creamier, dreamier sauce. Going dairy-free? Same goes for you—opt for full-fat plant-based alternatives.
Salt & Save Your Pasta Water – You only get one shot to season your noodles, so don’t miss it. The pasta water should taste salty! Also, make sure to reserve some pasta water just in case you need to thin the sauce or plan on reheating it. If you plan on keeping leftovers, the pasta water will be crucial for restoring the creamy sauce to its original silky glory.
Grate Your Own Cheese – Not only does a block of cheese usually give you better bang for your buck, but it also tastes better and melts better. And in case you didn’t know, the stuff that comes in the shakeable plastic containers is made with wood pulp, meaning it isn’t melty at all.
Patience is a Virtue – Heat the sauce low and slow for the smoothest consistency and best-tasting sauce.

Serving Suggestions

While I typically use this cottage cheese alfredo sauce for pasta, you can serve this sauce with just about anything!! Here are a few ideas to play with:

Try serving this creamy cottage cheese sauce with chicken cutlets, air-fryer shrimp, and/or veggies on a bed of pasta or rice, or without! If you’re omitting the rice or pasta, I recommend some garlic bread to sop up every last drop.
Use it as a dipping sauce, spread on pizza instead of tomato sauce, or as an Italian sandwich condiment.
Use protein pasta for even more protein – chickpea pasta is a great option! You can also use low-carb zoodles (zucchini noodles) or cauliflower rice.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Any leftover cottage cheese fettuccine alfredo will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
I recommend keeping some of the pasta water in a separate container for when you’re ready to reheat it.
To reheat this homemade alfredo sauce, use the microwave or a sauté pan over low heat, adding a splash of pasta water as needed.

FAQs

Which cottage cheese should I use for pasta sauce?

I love Daisy Full-Fat Cottage Cheese for this recipe.

Can you freeze cottage cheese Alfredo sauce?

I don’t recommend it, since dairy-based sauces and soups tend to separate in the freezer. If you do, just note that the sauce may break upon reheating.

How do I make a creamy pasta sauce without cream? How can I make creamy pasta healthier? Is there a way to make a lower-calorie healthy alfredo sauce?

Why, by using cottage cheese, of course! Try this healthy Alfredo sauce recipe with cottage cheese to see just how easy and creamy it is!

What’s the difference between cottage cheese and ricotta?

Cottage cheese and ricotta are cousins in the soft cheese family, but they’ve got some key differences. Cottage cheese is kinda chunky with a mild, milky flavor. It’s made by adding an acid like vinegar or lemon juice to milk, which makes the milk curds clump up. Then, they drain it but leave some of the whey (that’s the liquid part) so it stays a bit creamy. It comes in different curd sizes and fat levels, so it’s super versatile for both snacking and cooking.

Ricotta, on the other hand, is smoother and sweeter with a lower protein content than cottage cheese. It’s made from the leftover whey from making other cheeses like mozzarella or provolone. They heat the whey, adding a bit of milk to the mix, and cook until it forms soft, superfine curds. Ricotta’s texture is creamy, perfect for spreading on toast or using in recipes like lasagna or cannoli.

While ricotta would likely work for making this cottage cheese alfredo sauce recipe, it wouldn’t be quite as low-fat, low-calorie, or high-protein if you did.

Related Recipes

More Cottage Cheese Recipes

More Pasta Recipes

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