Description
Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad is a creamy, high-protein vegetarian dish made with tender pasta, fresh vegetables, and a light cottage cheese dressing. It’s a healthy, refreshing, and easy-to-make recipe perfect for meal prep, picnics, or quick lunches.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups pasta (such as rotini or penne)
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup bell peppers, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
- While the pasta cools, chop the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and bell peppers.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta.
- Add the cottage cheese, olive oil, and lemon juice, then mix until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Fold in the chopped vegetables and fresh herbs.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste, mixing well.
- Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to combine.
- Stir before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Use thick cottage cheese to avoid a watery texture.
- Make sure pasta is fully cooled before mixing.
- Pat vegetables dry to reduce excess moisture.
- Add a splash of lemon juice or olive oil if the salad thickens.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling and Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg