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5 from 14 votes
by Carrie Walderon October 30, 2023
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This super EASY cottage cheese pasta bake is made with tomato sauce, broccoli, spinach, and protein-packed cottage cheese. It’s creamy on the inside, with a layer of crispy melted cheese and penne pasta on the top. Perfect for a healthy, vegetarian dinner for the whole family!
Adding cottage cheese to pasta is such a simple, yet genius way of adding more protein and creaminess to a pasta recipe. I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought of it sooner!!
This pasta bake with cottage cheese is one of those dishes that can become an easy go-to for your family. It’s beyond simple to make – just cook your pasta, sauté a couple veggies, then combine everything with cottage cheese and tomato sauce in a baking dish. Pop that in the oven and you’ll have a cheesy, yet nutritious dinner ready 20 minutes later!
As a dietitian, I’m happy to share that cottage cheese is not only PACKED with protein, but also other nutrition benefits like calcium and B-vitamins. This healthy pasta recipe is also a delicious source of veggies, like broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes 🙂
Love cottage cheese? You may also enjoy my fan-favourite herbed cottage cheese dip, these cottage cheese toasts, or these cottage cheese with fruit bowls!
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About the ingredients + substitutions
- Pasta: You are welcome to use any SHORT pasta shape of your choice – penne, rigatoni, farfalle, etc. For gluten-free diets, be sure to use a certifiedgluten-free pasta. For a higher protein pasta, feel free to choose one made from legumes, likechickpea pasta!
- Cottage cheese: I used a 2% fat cottage cheese for this recipe. It gets stirred into the pasta, along with the tomato sauce and veggies, before popping in the oven. Cottage cheese packs in tons of vegetarian protein AND makes this pasta nice and creamy.
- Shredded mozzarella: Added to the top of the pasta bake, this is the cheese that melts and gets a little crisp – characteristic of most pasta bakes. You’re welcome to use another shredded cheese that melts well, like cheddar.
- Marinara sauce: I love using this marinara sauce from Rao’s, but you are welcome to use any tomato sauce you like (homemade or store-bought)! You’ll need 2 cups for this recipe.
- Broccoli:To get some extra veggies in! You can use a large crown of broccoli, or purchase pre-cut broccoli florets. If preferred, you could likely swap the broccoli with another veggie, like chopped zucchini or bell peppers.
- Spinach: Added for some extra greens! Feel free to swap with kale, if preferred.
- Garlic: Some freshly minced garlic cloves are added for an extra punch of flavour.
- Olive oil:Used to pre-cook the veggies in a pan, before combining them with the rest of the ingredients.
- Fresh basil: Added as a garnish at the end, for extra flavour – basil pairs wonderfully with tomatoes and cheese.
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Visual guide: how to make cottage cheese pasta bake
STEP 1: Start by cooking pasta al dente. You can use any short pasta shape, such as penne (as pictured).
STEP 2: While pasta cooks, sauté broccoli florets and minced garlic in olive oil. After a few minutes, add in spinach until that wilts too.
STEP 3: To a large baking dish, add cooked pasta, cooked veggies, marinara sauce, and cottage cheese.
STEP 4: Stir everything together until well-combined.
STEP 5: Top with shredded mozzarella, or another type of cheese that melts well.
STEP 6: Pop everything in the oven for 20 minutes, until the top layer of cheese is melted and nicely browned. Garnish with fresh basil and that’s it!
Cottage cheese nutrition benefits
Cottage cheese is best known as a high protein source – 1 cup of cottage cheese provides about 28 grams of complete protein!
Cottage cheese is also a source of many vitamins and minerals, including:
- calcium
- vitamin B12
- selenium
- phosphorus
- riboflavin (B2)
- magnesium
- folate
- vitamin B6
More vegetarian pasta recipes
- Simple Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Miso Mushroom Pasta (No Cream!)
- Lemon Kale Pasta With Fried Eggs
- Baked Penne Pesto Pasta
- Vegetarian Taco Pasta Bake
Did you give thisCottage Cheese Pasta Bake Recipea try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me onInstagramorPinterest– seeing your creations always makes my day. You can alsosubscribe to my email listto never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe:Cottage Cheese Pasta Bake (Easy & Healthy!)
This super EASY cottage cheese pasta bake is made with tomato sauce, broccoli, spinach, and protein-packed cottage cheese. It's creamy on the inside, with a layer of crispy melted cheese and penne pasta on the top. Perfect for a healthy, vegetarian dinner for the whole family!
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Print Pin
5 from 14 votes
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Ingredients
- 3 cups penne pasta, dry (or other short pasta shape)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups broccoli florets (about 5 ounces or 142 grams)
- 3 cups baby spinach (tightly packed! or 3 large handfuls)
- 2 cups cottage cheese, 2%MF (500 gram or 17 ounce container)
- 2 cups marinara (or other tomato sauce)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- Salt + pepper, to taste
- 5 large leaves fresh basil, chopped (to garnish)
Instructions
PREP: Preheat oven to 400F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While you wait, you can chop broccoli into florets and mince garlic.
Cook pasta to al dente, according to package instructions. Drain when finished.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high. Add minced garlic and broccoli florets, and sauté for about 7 minutes. Then, add spinach and continue to cook until it wilts. Remove from heat.
To a large baking dish, add cooked pasta, cooked broccoli and spinach, cottage cheese, and marinara sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper, then stir everything together until well-combined.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella overtop, coating the pasta evenly.
Place baking dish in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese is melted and nicely browned. Garnish with fresh basil and serve hot!
Notes
*LEFTOVERS: Leftovers will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can easily reheat them in either the oven or the microwave.
*RECIPE MODIFICATIONS:
- You are welcome to use any SHORT pasta shape of your choice – penne, rigatoni, farfalle, etc. For gluten-free diets, be sure to use a certifiedgluten-free pasta. For a higher protein pasta, feel free to choose one made from legumes, likechickpea pasta!
- Instead of broccoli, you may use other veggies like chopped zucchini or bell peppers.
- Instead of spinach, you could also try making this with kale.
- Instead of mozzarella, you could use another shredded cheese that melts well, like cheddar.
Calories: 595kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 1254mg | Potassium: 954mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3193IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 295mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: cottage cheese, dinner, easy, healthy, pasta bake, simple
Author: Carrie Walder
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Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
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published on October 30, 2023
26 comments Leave a Comment »
Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe
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Beth — Reply
Re: the 3 cups of pasta–is it 3 cups pre cooking or post cooking? I assume “pre” but want to be sure. Thanks.
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Carrie Walder — Reply
Hi Beth! Thanks so much for calling that out. I’ve updated the recipe card, but you are correct it’s 3 cups of dry (uncooked) pasta 🙂
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willy Surrell — Reply
wonderful dish I added some dried tomatoes and some fresh basil . As I am by myself I gave 1/2 of the dish to my neighbors who also raved about it This is my come back recipe-
Carrie Walder — Reply
Hi Willy! Oh my gosh – you were so quick to make this!! Thank you so much for the kind words. I’m so happy to hear that both you and your neighbors enjoyed this one 🙂
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Evie Gray — Reply
I am going to make this without the pasta…I think it’ll be delicious with more broccoli and spinach or even.some squash added. Thank you for the idea!
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Carrie Walder — Reply
What a fun idea, Evie!! Do let me know how this goes! Sounds like a yummy casserole-type dish 🙂
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Kathryn — Reply
This was absolutely delicious! I used cheddar cheese and red lentil penne and it came out great. My husband loved it too and said at least three times, “this is delicious” after going back for seconds! The best part was being able to throw it together quickly after a busy day. Another wonderful recipe, thank you Carrie!-
Carrie Walder — Reply
Thank you SO much for the kind words, Kathryn!! It means the world! I’m so happy to hear that this was a hit with both you and your husband. So glad it hit the spot after a busy day, too 🙂
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Sara Ochoa — Reply
This is so so SO good! I’ve found that blending the cottage cheese with the marinara with an immersion blender prior to adding to the baking dish gives me a slightly better consistency in the end!-
Carrie Walder — Reply
Thank you so much for the kind review, Sara!! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this pasta bake! Oooh I love the idea of blending the cottage cheese first – brilliant!! Wishing you a wonderful start to 2024 🙂
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Grace Earl — Reply
Pasta Bake with Cottage Cheese is my new favorite and I am putting into my list of meals served on a regular basis. It is delicious, easy to prepare and the added veggies (Spinach) make it hearty. I doubled the spinach amounts ( did not use broccoli). I share meals with elder relatives and this was a step up from sharing a simple pasta meal-
Carrie Walder — Reply
Thank you so much for the kind review, Grace!! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this one. How sweet of you to share with your elder relatives as well – I hope they loved it too 🙂
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caroline — Reply
is this recipe freezer friendly? than you!
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Carrie Walder — Reply
Hi Caroline! I haven’t personally tried freezing this pasta bake, but I think it would be fine! Simply reheat in the oven 🙂
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Debbie — Reply
Looks so good Carrie! Would it be ok to use 1% fat cottage cheese in this recipe or do you think it might be too dry?
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Carrie Walder — Reply
Hi Debbie! I hope all is well 🙂 I haven’t personally tried 1% here, but I think it should still be ok!! You could always finish with a little drizzle of olive oil at the end if you do find it dry, but I don’t think it will make a huge difference. I hope you enjoy it!
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Debbie —
We made for dinner tonight! It’s delicious! Thanks Carrie! -
Carrie Walder —
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed it, Debbie. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
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victoria Helms — Reply
I tweaked the recipe a little and also added extra lean ground beef for extra protein. So good and will be a meal rotation for meal prep!-
Carrie Walder — Reply
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Victoria! I love that you added some extra ground beef here – that sounds like a perfect combo! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one 🙂
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Beatrix — Reply
Can I make this ahead and freeze it at the step before I put it in the oven?
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Carrie Walder — Reply
Thanks for your questions, Beatrix! Unfortunately I have not tried freezing this recipe before baking, so I can’t say for sure. As most things are cooked before placing it in the oven though, I think it could work. I’d love to know if you try it!
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Amanda — Reply
This was delicious. We had it last night for supper and my husband and I both really enjoyed it. I added 1/2 lb ground pork sausage that I had in the freezer. I also blanched the broccoli earlier in the day and then just threw it into the garlic spinach to warm up. Will definitely make this again.-
Carrie Walder — Reply
Thank you so much for the kind review, Amanda! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Love that you were able to use some ground pork in here too 🙂
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Lindsay Pate — Reply
Can ricotta be substituted for the cottage cheese?
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Carrie Walder — Reply
Thank you for your question, Lindsay! I haven’t personally tried this with ricotta, but I’m pretty sure it would work! I’d love to know if you make it 🙂
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