Cottage Cheese Cacio e Pepe

About This Recipe

This Cottage Cheese Cacio e Pepe is a creamy, protein-boosted twist on the Italian classic. Made with blended cottage cheese, Parmesan, and black pepper, it comes together in under 20 minutes—no cream needed!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces protein spaghetti (Barilla Protein+, or your favorite gluten-free pasta)
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (I love Good Culture)
• 1 clove garlic (peeled and smashed)
• 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese (freshly grated, or vegetarian cheese (check labels))
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, plus more for garnish)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (plus more for garnish)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
2. In the meantime, add the cottage cheese, garlic, pecorino, parmesan, and 1/2 cup pasta water to a high powered blender. Blend until completely smooth.
3. Add the sauce to a skillet and heat over medium. Once the sauce is warm but not bubbling, add the pepper and the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Add 1/4 cup of the pasta water and stir. If the sauce seems too thick, add more of the reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time until you reach your desired consistency. It should be creamy and smooth.
4. Serve topped with extra parmesan cheese and plenty of black pepper.