High Protein Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
A simple, comforting bowl of high protein creamy roasted red pepper pasta made with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and roasted red peppers for a rich sauce that still feels light enough for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 12 oz whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or low-fat)
- 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 0.5 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp dried basil
- 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the whole wheat penne pasta, and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the minced garlic.
- Sauté the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant but not browned, then remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
- Place the roasted red peppers, low-fat cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt, grated Parmesan cheese, low-sodium vegetable broth, dried oregano, dried basil, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper into a blender or food processor.
- Blend the mixture on high until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Pour the blended roasted red pepper sauce into the skillet with the sautéed garlic and place the skillet back over low to medium-low heat.
- Gently warm the sauce for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until it is heated through but not boiling, then turn the heat to low.
- When the pasta is al dente, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta well.
- Add the drained pasta directly to the warm roasted red pepper sauce in the skillet and toss until every piece is well coated, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if you want to loosen the sauce.
- Taste the pasta and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt or black pepper if needed, then remove the skillet from the heat.
- Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley over the pasta, if using, and serve the high protein creamy roasted red pepper pasta hot.