20-Minute Creamy Pesto Cottage Cheese Pasta with Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 12oz box short pasta (pictured is Brami curly mac)
• 2/3 cup pesto (I love my homemade pesto with walnuts or use store-bought!)
• 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (low fat or full fat)
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach (or 1/3 cup thawed from frozen spinach, drained)
• reserved pasta water, as needed
• optional for serving: fresh basil, grated parmesan, and red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a good amount of salt (I use 1 tbsp kosher salt) and the pasta. Boil per package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water when you drain it.

2. 2

   While pasta cooks, make sauce. Place spinach in a blender first, then add cottage cheese and pesto. Blend very well, until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, adding a pinch of salt to make it pop, or another spoonful of pesto if you like.

3. 3

   Heat pot you used for pasta over medium low heat (too high could cause sauce to separate) and add drained pasta back to pot long. Pour sauce on top and stir to combine.

4. 4

   Heat for a few minutes until pasta is warmed through, stirring in 1/4 cup reserved pasta water at a time to loosen sauce as needed so it stays creamy and clings to the noodles (it'll absorb sauce as it sits; I use about 1/2 cup). Season with salt to taste. Enjoy topped with fresh basil, parmesan, and red pepper flakes!