PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER Wouldn’t it be great to have a big bowl of your favorite creamy pasta with less fat and more protein but with all of the flavor and texture you’re looking for in a good Alfredo sauce? We thought so. Figuring out […]
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Wouldn’t it be great to have a big bowl of your favorite creamy pasta with less fat and more protein but with all of the flavor and texture you’re looking for in a good Alfredo sauce? We thought so. Figuring out how to give Alfredo sauce more nutritional value is the ultimate healthy meal hack. This classic creamy sauce already had a place in our hearts, but adding cottage cheese and spinach took the love to new heights. The cottage cheese-based sauce comes together in a blender or food processor in a few seconds, then simmered to thick, velvety, cheesy perfection before getting tossed with fresh spinach and al dente fettuccine. Finish the whole thing with crushed red pepper flakes to create your new favorite meatless Monday meal.
Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!
- Yields:
- 4 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 25 mins
Ingredients
Kosher salt
- 8 oz.
dry fettuccine
- 1 tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 c.
low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 c.
2% milk
- 1 oz.
Parmesan, shredded (about 1/3 c. packed)
- 2
small cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp.
unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp.
all-purpose flour
- 3 oz.
baby spinach
Crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
- Step 1In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook fettuccine, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add oil and toss to combine.
- Step 2Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, pulse cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, garlic, butter, flour, and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth. Transfer sauce to a large skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently with a heatproof spatula, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add spinach and stir until wilted.
- Step 3Add pasta to skillet and toss in sauce to coat, using pasta water to loosen sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Step 4Divide pasta among bowls. Top with red pepper.
Related Video: Spinach & Artichoke Alfredo
Food Editor
Brooke Caison is the food editor at Delish, where she develops and styles original recipes, writes the weekly membership newsletter, and appears as occasional on-camera talent for Delish's YouTube channel. She's obsessed with the idea of bringing restaurant methods to the home cook with foolproof techniques and organized cooking (like how to safely shuck a clam or tackle a complex baking project). A graduate of ICE, she was previously a line cook, hospitality manager for the opening season of Little Island, and culinary assistant to Top Chef judge and food expert Gail Simmons. Her work has also appeared on Martha Stewart. There's no food she won’t try, but cranberry whipped feta dip has her heart.
