Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce With Carrots

Why did it take me this long to blend cottage cheese into a creamy, cheesy, pasta sauce?

Cottage cheese is having a moment and as a dietitian, I’d say it’s well deserved.

Why I love this cottage cheese macaroni recipe

Toddlers are notorious for not being crazy about meat, or pieces of veggies in their food. But we still want to get those nutrient-packed foods into their meals!

If your little one is into macaroni and cheese, then this cottage cheese creamy pasta sauce recipe will be right up their alley.

Adults love pasta, kids love pasta (even many picky eaters!), and this sauce is packed with nutrition thanks to the addition of cottage cheese and carrots. Not to mention, it’s hearty, delicious, and takes no longer than pretty much boiling some noodles!

Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce with Carrots

This recipe combines vegetables with an awesome protein source to make a savory sauce that you can feel great about serving to your family- babies, toddlers, kids, and adults alike!

But I particularly created this recipe for toddlers and picky eaters who wouldn’t normally welcome the sight of carrots on their plate. They add a touch of sweetness and a lot of vitamins and minerals. I love how well they blend into this sauce!

Even though you can’t notice the carrots – remember to share the truth about them being there if your little one asks.

Ingredients Needed

All you need is:

• 1 lb rotini or elbow pasta (you can use whole wheat pasta)
• 1 cup whole milk cottage cheese (small or large curd)
• 1 to 1.5 cups steamed carrots (I used baby carrots and steamed them for about 10-15 mins until fork tender. I used 1 cup but you could easily add more)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• Up to 1 cup pasta water
• 1/2 tsp salt (omit for baby under 1)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup Cheddar or Colby jack cheese, shredded 

If you want to make this for just your baby/toddler, you could trim this recipe down and just make a quarter of it! The amounts would look like this:

• 0.25 lb rotini or elbow pasta 
• ¼ cup whole milk cottage cheese (small or large curd)
• ¼-½  cups steamed carrots
• 1.5 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¼ cup pasta water
• ⅛ tsp salt (omit for baby under 1)
• ¼ cup (or even less) Cheddar or Colby jack cheese, shredded

How to make this recipe

For the carrots:

1. Add 1.5 inches of water to a saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
2. Place baby carrots in steamer basket in saucepan (or peel and chop regular carrots)
3. When the water boils, carefully place the steamer basket in the saucepan, cover, and steam the carrots until just tender – check with a fork, and start checking after 10 minutes. Also, keep an eye on the water to make sure it doesn’t completely evaporate. Add more water if it gets too low. 

For the pasta:

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water in a large pot, according to package instructions. Drain when cooked, reserving some of the pasta water to add to the sauce (depending on the quantity you’re making). 
2. While the pasta is cooking, add cottage cheese, steamed carrots, salt and pepper to the blender. Blend until completely smooth. 
3. After removing cooked pasta from the pot, add butter to the pot over low heat. Pour pasta back in, and stir in all of the cottage cheese sauce, adding a little pasta water at a time to the pot to thin the sauce to your desired consistency. Then stir in shredded cheese until fully melted.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Yes! I used whole wheat for the added benefit of some whole grains and fiber, but you could use a gluten-free pasta (if you need to!), or an alternative flour pasta with even more protein like Banza, which is made from chickpeas. The recipe doesn’t *need* more protein, but it’s ok to use!

Should I add anything else to the pasta?

Sure! You could serve it with ground meat, chicken breast, or mushrooms/other veggies that you have. But one of my favorite things about recipes like this one is its ability to stand on its own when you just need to get something on the table! With both the pasta and the sauce, you have a good mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

Expert Tips

Pre-shredded cheese works in a pinch, but if you have it in you, shredding it from a block with provide a better melting experience.

I love this recipe for a toddler lunch that you can meal prep and serve a few more times throughout the week. I would add a side of roasted broccoli spears, canned pears packed in 100% juice, kiwi slices, or sautéed spinach, depending on what your toddler likes!

If they are super picky — grab my free picky eater starter guide now.

Other recipes you might like

Banana Cottage Cheese Pudding

Healthy Pumpkin Pasta for Toddlers

Get control over picky eating

Free Picky Eater Starter Guide

Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce with Carrots Recipe

Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce with Carrots

Kacie Barnes, MCN, RDN, LD

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 434 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb rotini or elbow pasta whole wheat
• 1 cup whole milk cottage cheese small or large curd
• 1-1.5 cup steamed carrots
• 3 tbsp butter unsalted
• 1 cup pasta water
• 1/2 tsp salt can omit for babies under 1
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup colby jack or cheddar cheee shredded

Instructions

 

• For the carrots, add 1.5 inches of water to a saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
• Place baby carrots in steamer basket in saucepan (you can used peeled and chopped regular carrots, too).
• When the water boils, carefully place the steamer basket in the saucepan, cover, and steam the carrots until just tender – check with a fork, and start checking after 10 minutes. Also, keep an eye on the water to make sure it doesn’t completely evaporate. Add more water if it gets too low.
• For the pasta, cook noodles in salted boiling water in a large pot, according to package instructions. Drain when cooked, reserving some of the pasta water to add to the sauce (depending on the quantity you’re making).
• While the pasta is cooking, add cottage cheese, steamed carrots, salt and pepper to the blender. Blend until completely smooth.
• After removing cooked pasta from the pot, add butter to the pot over low heat. Pour pasta back in, and stir in all of the cottage cheese sauce, adding a little pasta water at a time to the pot to thin the sauce to your desired consistency. Then stir in shredded cheese until fully melted.

Notes

The original recipe yields 6 servings, so this nutritional information is based on one of those 6 servings from the original quantities listed. You can quarter the recipe if you are only making for a toddler, and it would yield 3 toddler servings. 

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 19gFat: 15gSodium: 448mgFiber: 7.7gSugar: 4g

Keyword Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!