Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad (Printable)

Protein-packed Mediterranean pasta with fresh vegetables, creamy cottage cheese, and tangy lemon dressing. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - 1 tsp salt (for pasta water)

→ Dairy

03 - 1 cup cottage cheese

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
06 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Add-ins

15 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
16 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

# How to Prepare:

01 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cottage cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, and parsley.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If desired, top with crumbled feta cheese and pine nuts before serving. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to chill and develop flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cottage cheese creates this incredible creamy texture while packing in 15 grams of protein per serving without any heavy ingredients
  • You can throw it together in 25 minutes flat and it actually tastes better after a few hours in the fridge
02 -
  • Rinse your pasta under cold water immediately after draining to stop the cooking process and prevent it from getting gummy
  • The cottage cheese will break down slightly as it sits creating its own creamy dressing so don't stress about making it perfectly smooth
03 -
  • Use whole wheat pasta to boost fiber content without sacrificing any flavor
  • Let the salad rest for at least 30 minutes before serving so all those Mediterranean flavors can really get to know each other

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