Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce (Printable)

A creamy Alfredo sauce with cottage cheese paired with tender zucchini noodles for a light meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Zucchini Noodles

01 - 4 medium zucchinis, spiralized
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Alfredo Sauce

05 - 1 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
06 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1/2 cup milk, dairy or unsweetened non-dairy
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat the spiralized zucchini noodles dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini noodles, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 2–3 minutes until just tender but still firm. Transfer to a colander to drain excess liquid.
03 - In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, milk, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth and creamy.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour the blended sauce into the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes until warmed through and thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Add the zucchini noodles to the sauce and toss gently to coat evenly. Heat for 1–2 minutes, just until everything is warmed through.
07 - Divide among plates and garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce tastes indulgent and creamy even though it's built on cottage cheese, which somehow feels like you're getting away with something delicious.
  • Twenty-five minutes from start to finish means you can have this on the table faster than you'd expect for something that tastes this good.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and packed with protein, so it works whether you're eating this way by choice or necessity.
02 -
  • Do not overcook your zucchini noodles in the initial sauté or they'll turn into mush when they hit the warm sauce, and you'll spend the rest of dinner wishing you'd been faster.
  • Blending the cottage cheese until it's completely smooth is non-negotiable; any chunks will remind you you're eating cottage cheese, which defeats the whole point of this deception.
03 -
  • If you want this richer, add two tablespoons of cream cheese to the blender mixture before combining it all, which pushes the creaminess factor up without making it actually heavy.
  • Sautéed mushrooms or grilled chicken turn this into something more substantial if you're serving people who need extra protein or just want a more complete meal on one plate.
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