Cottage Cheese Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

• 300 g Regular cottage cheese
• 300 g Wholewheat pasta shapes
• 4 tbsp Prepared fresh basil pesto sauce
• 0.5 Lemon juice (Juice of ½ lemon)
• 0.5 Lemon zest (Zest of ½ lemon)
• 1 Baby spinach leaves (1 bag, 100–120 g)
• 100 g Cherry tomatoes (Cut into quarters)
• 1 cup Pasta water (Reserved from cooking the pasta; use a little as needed)
• Salt (To season)
• Black pepper (To season)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the wholewheat pasta according to the packet instructions until cooked to your preference.

2. 2

   Before draining, reserve a cupful of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta, transfer it to a large salad bowl, and set it aside.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, place the cottage cheese, pesto, and lemon juice in a food blender or processor. Blend until smooth.

4. 4

   Stir the lemon zest through the blended cottage-cheese pesto mixture.

5. 5

   Gently toss the cottage-cheese pesto through the hot pasta, adding a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen and coat it.

6. 6

   Add the spinach leaves and quartered cherry tomatoes. Season to taste, then leave for 1–2 minutes so the spinach wilts.

7. 7

   Toss gently once more and serve.

Notes

The source does not specify the pasta cooking time beyond following the packet instructions, or the exact amounts of pasta water and seasoning to use. Cooking time is reported as 15–20 minutes; total time uses the 20-minute upper end.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• high-protein
• quick
• wholewheat
• pasta