Cottage Cheese Alfredo
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This cottage cheese alfredo is a lower fat, lower calorie version of the rich and creamy pasta favorite! One of the best cottage cheese recipes, it’s an easy dinner to make and the best part? You’d never even know it’s healthy.
Show of hands: who hates alfredo?
You.. there, in the back. GET OUT. You are but a robot amongst us sent to destroy the empire.
The alfredo empire of deliciousness, that is. Uh… I digress. Another show of hands: who loves the fat and calories in a bowl of creamy, rich fettuccine alfredo?
You.. there, in the back. GET OUT. I hate you for your metabolism.
Alfredo has always been one of my favorite pasta sauces, but I tend to reserve it for a special occasion treat, due to the high amounts of butter, cream, and cheese. And then… I found this. We typically associate cottage cheese with gummy bites at an assisted-living center or our tiny-ass dog Magnolia, whom we were instructed by the vet to feed cottage cheese mixed into her dry food so she’d put on some pounds (11, going on 12! But we still tell everyone she’s a week-old lab, for the sake of O’s masculinity). But think again, people! Blended with some other ingredients, it transforms into a luxurious, creamy sauce, at a fraction of the guilt and hippyness.
Why This Recipe Is So. Dang. Good.
- It’s wonderfully rich and creamy, thanks to the cottage cheese, but lower in fat and calories. Also thanks to the cottage cheese!
- This cottage cheese recipe comes together really, really quickly, and you could make it almost entirely during the time your pasta is boiling.
- You can add all sorts of different spices or seasonings to this cottage cheese alfredo. It’s super versatile.
But be warned. You might have to fend off dozens of requests a day for this stuff. I’m not lying.
The first time I made this, O ate his bowl — and subsequently licked the bowl clean — in total silence.
“He hates it,” I told myself. “Oh well. It’s still so much better for us, and I think it’s pretty damn delicious.”
An hour later.
“That was the best thing I’ve ever had,” O spouts, unprovoked. “Can we have it again tomorrow?”
No. No, we can’t. But “tomorrow,” he repeated the question. I repeated the answer. I need variety, dammit! No matter how good something is. The day after “tomorrow,” he repeated the question, and I, the answer. And so on, until I caved and whipped it up the next week. And then the week after that as a sorry-I’m-going-to-St.-Louis-without-you-and-leaving-you-to-fend-for-yourself dish. I’m not exaggerating in claims of how insanely good this stuff is.
Update: Now that O and I have been married for what feels like a hundred years and have a kid, I have a new anecdote to verify the deliciousness of this cottage cheese recipe. My kid freaked out because somewhere along the line that day he was promised “mac and cheese,” and I kind of thought this would work for that particular request. He wailed a bit but finally tried it. My picky, picky toddler then claimed,
“I love it so much. I want to eat it on Wednesday. I want to eat it on Monday. I want to eat it a lot of times when we come home.“
So… if that doesn’t tell you something about this cottage cheese alfredo, I don’t know what would.
Tips for Success
- Make sure you blend the cottage cheese alfredo mixture until it’s very smooth.
- This cottage cheese recipe is best with about half a pound of pasta. If you don’t mind a less saucy pasta, upping your pasta poundage is fine!
- Simmer your sauce just until it’s thickened – you don’t want to reduce it too much!
Variations
- Instead of basil and oregano, sprinkle in a bit of Cajun seasoning and serve with blackened chicken, tomatoes, and green onions for a Creole pasta.
- Use cultured cottage cheese to make this cottage cheese recipe even healthier.
- Try arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch if you have to or want to avoid corn.
If You Love This Recipe, You’ll Also Love…
- Whole30 Tuna Zoodle Casserole
- Creamy Pumpkin Sage Alfredo with Ronzoni Gluten Free Penne
- Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella
- Baked Feta Pasta
- Healthy Chicken Alfredo with Spaghetti Squash (Whole30, Paleo, Dairy Free)
- Keto Alfredo Sauce
And if you’re looking for a wonderful version of classic Fettuccine Alfredo, this recipe from Erren’s Kitchen is fantastic!
Cottage Cheese Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk use skim for low-fat
- ½ cup cottage cheese use low-fat cottage cheese to make this recipe low-fat
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or more to taste
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese
- dried basil to taste
- dried oregano to taste
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish, optional
- cooked pasta of choice
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients, except basil, into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture in a small saucepan and add basil and oregano. Cook over medium-low heat until heated through and smooth. Add more basil, oregano, salt, or pepper (or other seasonings), to taste.
- Let it cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cooked pasta right before serving and let it soak in for a couple of minutes. Top with meat or veggies as desired; garnish with fresh chopped parsley, optional. Serve immediately.
Notes
Video
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Kristine says
This was fantastic, even with a few subs! I used Fairlife milk, and xanthan gum instead of cornstarch. Very comparable to jarred alfredo, but healthier and doesn’t break the bank. Thank you!
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Thank you so much for your kind review, Kristine!
Tanya says
This Alfredo sauce is absolutely delicious! It was so much easier to make than other alfredo or cream sauces and it’s so flavorful that I didn’t feel I was compromising taste for a healthier choice. I paired it with grilled chicken and spinach ravioli and it was perfect! This will definitely be my new go-to Alfredo recipe.
Grace | 40 Aprons Team says
So happy to hear that! That sounds delicious, Tanya! Thanks so much for sharing ♥
Samantha Carpenter says
I have a vegetarian in the house would cheddar work instead of Parmesan
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
We haven’t tested cheddar instead so can’t say for sure, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. It just wouldn’t be very alfredo-like.
ACS says
Tastes delicious. Added grilled hot Italian sausage (sliced into bit size pieces) for a little protein and it goes well with the sauce!
Grace | 40 Aprons Team says
That sounds delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
Kristen MB says
My teenage son LOVES chicken and broccoli Alfredo. It’s his meal of choice for his birthday and any other time of year. My husband and oldest son love it too. I’ve made homemade traditional Alfredo sauce and of course it was wonderful. Being health conscious, when I saw this recipe, a year and a half ago, I had to try it. I was concerned they wouldn’t eat it when they saw the cottage cheese going into the blender. They all love this sauce!!!! My teenager with the Alfredo addiction said he likes this better than the traditional Alfredo sauce. This has become our Alfredo sauce.
It’s is so fast and easy to make! I use whole fat cottage cheese. I prefer whole fat dairy products to low or reduced fat as I find them more satisfying and I eat less. I’m not sure how it would be with a reduced fat version. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Thank you so much, Kristen, for such a wonderful review! I am so happy you and your family love this alfredo so much!
Holly Landstrom Pillsbury says
This Alfredo recipe is so good-I’ve shared the recipe multiple times and everyone loves it.
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Thank you so much, Holly! We love to hear that!
Denise Burris says
Wow wow wow we are Lactose Intolerate so we used lactaid cottage cheese and lactaid milk also healthy hearty Parmesan WE FINALLY HAVE AN ALFREDO WE LOVE AND CAN EAT. THANK YOU THANK YOU
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Wow, what a GLOWING review! Thank you so much, Denise, I’m so happy this sauce worked so well for your needs!
Flo says
I am single-can the sauce be frozen or should I make a quarteramount.
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
It can be frozen! It will also last several days in the fridge if you’d like to meal-prep.
Debra says
For a dinner party, I mixed the ingredients in the morning, put it in the fridge then cooked the sauce as the pasta boiled. Easy, convenient, versatile, absolutely delicious and healthy!
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Love a good make-ahead recipe! Thank you so much for the review, Debra!
Nancy says
I am always looking for ways to cut calories, cholesterol & sodium while maintaining taste. This recipe was
a success
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Love to hear it, Nancy! Thank you for sharing your review!