How to Make One Pot Cheesy Pasta
One of my ultimate comfort foods is a large bowl of cheesy pasta. The rich flavor of the cheese smothered over each noodle with the creaminess from the sauce will always have me going back for more. This one pot cheesy pasta is so easy to make, will for sure be a family favorite, and it only uses one pot, making the after mess so much easier to take care of.
Ingredients:
Dry pasta
Cottage cheese
Shredded cheese
Half & Half
Salt and Black Pepper
Equipment Needed:
Saucepan
Blender
Substitutions:
Pasta. Penne pasta, elbow macaroni, or any type of dry pasta can be used for this recipe, but if you really want to impress your family, homemade pasta would kick this recipe up a notch. Homemade pasta adds extra flavor and freshness and surely cannot be beat.
Shredded Cheese. I used extra sharp cheddar for this recipe, because I love the flavor. Whatever your favorite cheese is, use it! A salty parmesan cheese or feta would be a great addition, or even a combination of your favorite cheeses.
Milk. If you don’t have half & half on hand, heavy cream or milk would be great alternatives.
Chicken Stock. For added protein, cook the pasta in chicken broth instead of water.
Why You’ll Love the One Pot Cheesy Pasta
Besides all the cheesy goodness of this dish, it has added protein from the cottage cheese. Adding cottage cheese to recipes is a great way to add extra protein, without anyone even realizing it has been added. Since the cottage cheese and half & half are blended, it creates the most amazing creamy sauce. Another favorite of this recipe is how quickly it comes together, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Having a weeknight meal that only takes me bout 20 minutes to complete, and only uses one pan, will always be a recipe on repeat.
How to Make the One Pot Cheesy Pasta
To start, add 6-8 cups of water to a large pot, and over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add two teaspoons of salt to the boiling water, and add your pasta. Adding salt to the boiling water is a much better way of flavoring all of your pasta, rather than adding salt at the end. Give the pasta a stir, making sure it isn’t sticking to the pan. I like to stir the pasta every few minutes while cooking, to ensure it doesn’t stick to the pan.
While the noodles are cooking, in a blender, add the cottage cheese and half & half. Blend well until combined. Once the noodles are done, I like to reserve about a half cup of pasta water. I don’t typically need it, but if your pasta dish is too thick, the reserved water works great to help thin the dish out a bit.
Drain your noodles and add them directly back to the saucepan. Add the cottage cheese and half & half mixture, salt and pepper, and the best part, the shredded cheddar cheese. Cook on low, stirring continuously, until the cheese starts to melt, and the ingredients are combined. To help thicken the sauce, I typically turn the burner off for a few minutes, allowing everything to settle. This will thicken the sauce nicely.
Additional One-Pot Meals with the Cheesy Pasta
To take this recipe one step further, add some cooked diced chicken, making it a cheesy chicken pasta dish, served perfectly with some fresh garlic bread. Other additions such as italian sausage, lean ground beef, tomato sauce, and even marinara sauce are super simple ingredients making this an easy pasta dish with lots of flavor that the whole family can enjoy.
How to Store
There is a good possibility you won’t have leftovers, but if you do, store the pasta in an airtight container. The next day, while warming up, add a splash of milk, as the noodles will soak up a majority of the liquid. The pasta dish will be good in the fridge for three to four days.
How to Make One Pot Cheesy Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta noodles
- 1 c cottage cheese
- 1 3/4 c shredded cheese
- 2 c half & half
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Start by bringing 6-8 cups of water to a boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add the salt, and then add the pasta. Stir the pasta so it doesn't stick to the pan. Continue to stir every couple of minutes, keeping the pasta from sticking.
- While the pasta cooks, to a blender, add the cottage cheese and the half & half. Blend until well combined.
- Once the pasta is done, reserve about a half cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta, and return to the saucepan.
- Add the shredded cheese, along with the cottage cheese and half & half mixture.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the temperature on low, stirring the ingredients together until everything is combined, and the cheese is melted.
- To allow the recipe to thicken, turn the stove off, allowing the pasta dish to cool and thicken for a couple of minutes.
- If the pasta dish is too thick, use the reserved pasta water to help thin it out.
