High Protein Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Protein-packed pasta with crisp vegetables and creamy cottage cheese, ideal for meal prep and summer lunches.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as rotini, penne, shells, or farfalle

→ Salad Base

02 - 1 cup cottage cheese, small or large curd
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced

→ Dressing

08 - 4 tablespoons Italian dressing, store-bought or homemade
09 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Optional Add-ins

15 - 1/2 cup shredded carrots
16 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
17 - 1/4 cup sliced black olives

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water until completely cooled, then set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, dice the cucumber and bell pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the spinach, and finely dice the red onion. Chop any optional add-ins as desired.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Italian dressing, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Add the cooled pasta, cottage cheese, cucumber, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, spinach, red onion, and any optional add-ins to the bowl with the dressing.
05 - Gently toss all ingredients until well combined and evenly coated with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld. Stir well before serving and add additional dressing or lemon juice if needed.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's packed with protein and actually keeps you full, so no afternoon snack raid an hour later.
  • The texture is creamy without being heavy, thanks to cottage cheese doing all the heavy lifting in the dressing department.
  • Summer or winter, it works as a main dish, side, or meal-prep hero that somehow gets better in the fridge.
02 -
  • If your cottage cheese is watery, drain it first in a colander lined with cheesecloth for five minutes—this prevents your beautiful salad from becoming soupy by hour three.
  • Don't add all the dressing at once; start with three-quarters and add more after tasting, because cottage cheese soaks up liquid as it sits and you don't want a dry mess tomorrow.
  • The red onion step matters more than you think; it softens slightly and stops tasting aggressive, but only if you let it sit with the acid from the lemon juice for a few minutes first.
03 -
  • If you're meal-prepping, keep the dressing separate from the pasta and vegetables until a few hours before eating, then combine; this prevents mushiness and lets you control the texture day to day.
  • Add fresh basil or parsley just before serving so it stays bright and doesn't turn dark or bitter from sitting with the acidic dressing.
  • A tiny pinch of red pepper flakes wakes up the whole dish without making it spicy—it's the move if you find yourself thinking something's missing but can't put your finger on it.
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