Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad (Printable)
Light and satisfying pasta salad with creamy cottage cheese, fresh vegetables, and zesty herb dressing. Perfect for warm weather meals.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz short pasta (fusilli or penne)
→ Dairy
02 - 1 cup cottage cheese
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
→ Herb Dressing
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente per package directions. Drain thoroughly, rinse under cold water until cooled, and set aside.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl until emulsified.
03 - Add cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and spring onions to the dressing. Toss gently to coat evenly.
04 - Fold cottage cheese into the salad using a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The cottage cheese melts slightly into the warm pasta creating a creamy coating without the heaviness of traditional pasta salads
- You can prep everything in under 25 minutes and it actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and prevents it from becoming mushy in the salad
- The cottage cheese will break down slightly as it sits so fold it in gently if you want visible curds
03 -
- If making ahead add the fresh herbs right before serving to keep them bright and green
- Small curd cottage cheese creates a better texture than large curd for this recipe