Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Protein-packed Mediterranean pasta with fresh vegetables, cottage cheese, and zesty 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

# Steps:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, cottage cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, and parsley.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste salad and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed for balanced flavor.
06 - Top with crumbled feta and pine nuts if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours to chill and meld flavors.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its the kind of dish that somehow tastes better after sitting for a bit letting all those Mediterranean flavors really get friendly with each other
  • You get a protein boost from the cottage cheese without that heavy dairy feeling weighing you down afterwards
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the pasta with cold water or you will end up with a mushy warm salad that nobody wants
  • The cottage cheese breaks down slightly as it sits creating its own creamy sauce that makes leftovers even better
03 -
  • Let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes after tossing so the pasta absorbs some of that tangy dressing
  • If making ahead reserve a little dressing to refresh right before serving since pasta soaks it up

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