Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad (Printable version)
Protein-packed pasta with creamy cottage cheese, crisp vegetables, and tangy herb dressing. Ideal for warm weather dining.
# List of ingredients:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or rotini)
→ Dairy
02 - 1 cup cottage cheese
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
→ Herb Dressing
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly in a colander, then rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dill, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Add cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing. Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and spring onions. Toss gently to coat evenly with dressing.
04 - Fold in cottage cheese using a spatula, being careful not to break up the curds excessively. Mix until just evenly distributed throughout the salad.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cottage cheese makes it unexpectedly creamy without feeling heavy like mayonnaise based salads
- It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you planned ahead for days
02 -
- Rinse the pasta thoroughly under cold water or it'll keep cooking and turn mushy in the salad
- This salad actually tastes better after sitting for a few hours, so it's perfect for making ahead
03 -
- If making ahead, reserve a little dressing to toss right before serving since pasta absorbs moisture
- Use cottage cheese straight from the fridge rather than room temperature for the best texture