Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Pasta (Printable Version)

Protein-packed pasta featuring creamy cottage cheese, fresh vegetables, and zesty Mediterranean flavors in a light olive oil dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - 1 tsp salt (for pasta water)

→ Dairy

03 - 1 cup cottage cheese

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
06 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Add-ins

15 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
16 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and cool the pasta.
02 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add cottage cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, and parsley.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
06 - If using, sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts over the top just before serving.
07 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and salad to chill thoroughly.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cottage cheese creates this silky texture that coats every single piece of pasta without feeling heavy
  • You can throw it together in 25 minutes flat but it tastes like you spent way more time on it
  • It actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a bit so make it ahead
02 -
  • The pasta absorbs the dressing as it sits so keep a little extra aside if you plan to serve this later
  • Cottage cheese can release water over time so give it a quick stir before serving leftovers
  • Do not skip rinsing the pasta with cold water or the cottage cheese will melt into a weird consistency
03 -
  • Let the dressed salad sit for 15 minutes before serving so the flavors really meld together
  • Use a microplane to zest a little lemon over the top right before serving for brightness

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