Why You’ll Dig This Pasta Salad
So much pesto flavor without all the calories. The blended cottage cheese, basil, and spinach sauce is so light and bright. When paired with roasted broccoli, green peas, and protein pasta, it rounds out an ultra satisfying and filling meal.
This pasta salad is perfect for spring and summer, or whenever you need a high protein meal on the go that doesn’t require reheating. And with around 10g of fiber per serving, you’ll be #fibermaxxing before you know it.
Protein Pasta vs Standard Pasta
I used Brami protein pasta, which is made with wheat and lupini beans. It’s my favorite high protein, high fiber pasta option since it holds up much better than options like chickpea pasta when refrigerated.
- 2-ounces of Brami protein pasta: 200 calories, 12g protein, 36g carbs (5g fiber), and 2g fat.
- 2-ounces of standard wheat radiatori pasta: 200 calories, 7g protein, 42g carbs (2g fiber), and 1g fat.
Not as different as you might think!
While I designed this recipe to be served chilled and as a take-to-work lunch option, it’s great when served straight away. Pasta salad inevitably soaks up lots of the sauce in the refrigerator. So it will never be creamier than when you first make it.
Feel free to scale the recipe down to serve 2-4 people if you prefer the creamiest version and/or don’t want leftovers.
While it adds a few extra calories, I’ve found adding a tiny drizzle of olive oil to leftovers really goes a long way in bringing the creaminess factor back. Extra chopped Calabrian chili peppers can also do the trick.
I hope you enjoy my take on cottage cheese pasta salad. (And my attempt to help you get more fiber in your diet.) Recipe reviews are always great to read and help me fine tune recipes. Don’t be a stranger now. – Mason
Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz (dry) Protein Pasta
- 16 oz Broccoli Florets, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 ½ Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 cup (170g) Frozen Green Peas, microwaved for 2-3 minutes to thaw
- 2 Tablespoons Chopped Calabrian Chili Peppers, or sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
For the Sauce
- 1 cup Low Fat Cottage Cheese
- 1 oz Grated Parmesan
- 1 oz Fresh Basil
- 1 oz Baby Spinach
- 1-2 cloves Garlic
- ⅓ cup Water
Instructions
- Blend the sauce ingredients together until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water for 9-11 minutes or until just al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and toss to coat in the oil. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is well roasted and nicely browned all over.
- Toss the cooked pasta and broccoli with the blended sauce, peas, and Calabrian chili peppers. Salt to taste and garnish with freshly grated parmesan, black pepper, and optional chopped roasted pistachios, if desired.
