Light creamy pasta Alfredo (Printable Version)

A quick, creamy pasta dish featuring cottage cheese for a light and rich sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine

→ Alfredo Sauce

02 - 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
03 - 1/2 cup milk (whole or 2%)
04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
11 - Extra grated Parmesan, for serving

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
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. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
04 - Add blended cottage cheese mixture to skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Stir and warm gently for 2–3 minutes without boiling.
05 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat with sauce. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water gradually to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Plate immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's creamy and indulgent but lands so much lighter in your stomach than traditional Alfredo ever could.
  • Cottage cheese does all the heavy lifting for richness, which means you can actually taste the garlic and Parmesan singing through.
  • The whole thing comes together in about 25 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when you need dinner without the fuss.
02 -
  • Cottage cheese absolutely must be blended until completely smooth, or your sauce will taste grainy and fall apart no matter how much you stir.
  • Resist the urge to boil the finished sauce because high heat will cause the cottage cheese base to separate and become chalky instead of creamy.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining because it's your secret weapon for adjusting the sauce consistency at the very end.
03 -
  • Freshly grated Parmesan makes a noticeable difference in smoothness and flavor compared to pre-shredded, and it's worth the thirty seconds of effort.
  • The reserved pasta water is your safety net—add it slowly in small splashes because you can always add more but you can't take it back.
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