High Protein Pasta
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Looking for a quick and healthy High Protein Pasta recipe? This creamy pasta combines marinara and cottage cheese for a delicious, creamy sauce that's secretly full of protein. It's the perfect easy weeknight dinner and ready in under 30 minutes!
If you're looking for another high protein pasta recipe, be sure to check out my High Protein Mac and Cheese!
Quick Look: High Protein Pasta
- 🕒 Total Time: 20 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 📊 Calories: 404 per serving
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Why You'll Love This High Protein Pasta
- Quick and Family Friendly - Ready in under 30 minutes, this pasta is a lifesaver for busy nights. Even picky eaters love it, making it a go-to healthy dinner the whole family will enjoy.
- Packed with Protein & Nutrients - Unlike traditional pasta, this recipe is balanced with plenty of protein and nutrients to keep you full longer. The blended cottage cheese adds a creamy texture and boosts the protein without extra fat or heaviness.
- Easy to Customize - You can use the noodle of your choice and it won't change this recipe. You can choose gluten-free noodles, high protein noodles, and any shape you'd like. You could also use chicken or ground turkey if you'd like, just season it well to add more flavor.
Select Ingredients
- Pasta - To make this even higher protein, use protein pastas like Banza or the Barilla High Protein to give it a boost. You can also use gluten-free noodles here if needed.
- Beef - I prefer 93-96% lean ground beef to keep the fat content low.
- Marinara - Rao's is really the only way to go in my opinion but then again I think I'm their biggest fan.
- Cottage cheese - I typically choose a 2-4% fat cottage cheese and like the small curd for easier blending.
- Parmesan Cheese - I recommend shredding your own cheese. Freshly shredded cheese will melt better and it just tastes better too.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
For a similar recipe, be sure to check out my Healthier Hamburger Helper! It's another family-favorite that's a well-balanced pasta.
Recipe Tips & Variations
➡️ Pasta Noodles - Swap out the noodles for gluten-free if needed or boost the protein by using a higher protein pasta noodle. Get the kids involved by letting them pick the noodle shape.
➡️ Add Veggies - This is one you could add cooked vegetables to, like small pieces of broccoli or zucchini if you'd like to add even more nutritional value.
How To Make High Protein Pasta
Step 1: Boil pasta until fully cooked. While the pasta is boiling, brown the lean ground beef, crumbling and cooking until no longer pink.
Step 2: While the pasta and beef are cooking, make the sauce: blend marinara sauce and cottage cheese in a large blender. Set aside until ready to mix with pasta.
Step 3: After the pasta is fully cooked, drain the water, then return the pasta to the large pot. Drain the grease from the ground beef, then add the beef to the cooked, drained pasta.
Step 4: Next add the marinara to the pasta and beef in the pot. Stir well. Top with shredded parmesan cheese and optional Italian seasoning blend. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This recipe works with any pasta you like, such as regular, gluten-free, chickpea, or lentil pasta. They all pair perfectly with the sauce. Using a high-protein or legume-based pasta will increase the overall protein content too!
Not really! Blending cottage cheese with marinara creates a smooth, creamy sauce that tastes more like a rich tomato cream sauce than cottage cheese!
Absolutely! I'd recommend adding steamed broccoli in small bite-sized pieces or roasted veggies of your choice.
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Other Healthy Pasta Recipes
High Protein Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz dry pasta
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 24 oz marinara
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.
- Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and reduce heat to medium high, stirring every few minutes to keep pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Once you've added the pasta to the boiling water, grab a large skillet and brown the lean ground beef, crumbling and cooking until no longer pink.
- While the pasta and beef are cooking, make the sauce: blend marinara sauce and cottage cheese in a large blender. Set aside until ready to mix with pasta.
- After the pasta is fully cooked, drain off the water, then return the pasta to the large pot.Drain the grease from the ground beef, then add the beef to the cooked, drained pasta.
- Next add the marinara to the pasta and beef in the pot. Stir well.
- Top with shredded parmesan cheese and optional Italian seasoning blend. Enjoy!
I love the high protein sauce in this recipe! What a great way to add extra protein to the recipe. Tastes so good too!!
Can’t get enough of this!
Really like this so yummy