Description
This baked pesto pasta is the ultimate one-pan meal—creamy, flavorful, and packed with protein thanks to cottage cheese. It’s the perfect dish for busy weeknights or when you want a comforting, cheesy dinner in minutes!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb short pasta (penne, fusilli, or similar)
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup baby spinach
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- In a blender, combine cottage cheese, pesto, garlic powder, spinach, and water. Blend until smooth.
- In a large greased 9×13-inch baking dish, add the uncooked pasta.
- Pour the blended cottage cheese mixture over the pasta and stir until evenly coated.
- Sprinkle one cup of mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes to allow the pasta to cook through.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining one cup of mozzarella cheese evenly over the dish.
- Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.