Ingredients
Pasta
- 16 ounces fusilli pasta (or pasta of choice)
Sauce
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup whole-milk cottage cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
To Serve
- Chopped parsley (for serving)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta. Return the drained pasta to the pot and cover to keep warm.
- Prepare Sauce: In a high-speed blender, combine the marinara sauce, whole-milk cottage cheese, freshly grated parmesan cheese, melted butter, crushed red pepper, and reserved pasta water. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Toss Pasta & Serve: Pour the creamy sauce over the cooked pasta in the pot. Toss thoroughly to combine and heat through over low heat if necessary. Serve immediately, garnished with additional crushed red pepper flakes and chopped parsley as desired.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to help achieve the perfect sauce consistency.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper based on preferred spice level.
- Use whole-milk cottage cheese for creaminess; low-fat versions may result in a less creamy sauce.
- Substitute fusilli with any short pasta shape like penne or rotini.
- This dish is best served immediately for optimal texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
