Light Creamy Pasta Alfredo (Print View)

Creamy pasta with cottage cheese offers a light, satisfying flavor and quick preparation.

# Components:

→ 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 cheese, to serve

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - Combine cottage cheese, milk, and Parmesan in a blender or food processor; blend until smooth and creamy.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
04 - Pour the blended cheese mixture into the skillet, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using, and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through, avoiding boiling.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the sauce. Adjust thickness by adding reserved pasta water gradually as needed.
06 - Plate immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality Alfredo but comes together faster than delivery would arrive.
  • Cottage cheese brings real creaminess without the guilt or the heaviness of butter-laden sauces.
  • This is the kind of dish that feels fancy enough to serve guests but easy enough to make on a tired Thursday night.
02 -
  • Blending the cottage cheese completely is non-negotiable—any graininess left behind will break the sauce's silky texture, so commit to a full minute of blending.
  • Never boil the sauce after the cottage cheese goes in or the milk solids will separate and leave you with broken, broken-looking results instead of creamy clouds.
  • Pasta water is your safety net; add it gradually and taste as you go, because you can always add more but you can't take it back out.
03 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain—the starch in it is what helps the sauce cling to noodles and taste silky rather than slick.
  • Room temperature cottage cheese blends more smoothly than cold, so pull it from the fridge a few minutes early if you remember, or run warm water over the container for thirty seconds.
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