Name: Cottage Cheese Tomato Basil Sauce That Tastes Like Summer
Ingredients: 2–3 tbsp olive oil; 3 cups white or yellow onion, diced; 5 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 6 oz can or tube tomato paste; 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes; 1 cup cottage cheese, preferably 4% full fat; 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup vodka; 1 pound rigatoni pasta; 1 heaping tbsp salt, for the pasta cooking water; 1/4 cup basil, chopped; 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Ingredients

Scale

Creamy cottage cheese pasta sauce

2–3 tbsp olive oil
3 cups white or yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 6 oz can or tube tomato paste
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup cottage cheese, preferably 4% full fat
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup vodka

Rigatoni with cottage cheese pasta sauce

1 pound rigatoni pasta
1 heaping tbsp salt, for the pasta cooking water
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Add diced onion, minced garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion has softened, stirring occasionally.
Begin heating 4-5 quarts of water with salt in a large pot on the stovetop to cook the pasta in.
Add the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and basil. Stir to combine everything and cook the tomato mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
tomato basil sauce being cooked in a stainless steel saute pan
Add the contents of the cooked tomato mixture to a blender along with the cottage cheese.
Cottage cheese pasta sauce in a blender before being blended
Blend on on high for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce is velvety smooth and creamy with no lumps.
tomato basil cottage cheese pasta sauce blended in a blender
Begin cooking the rigatoni pasta according to package instructions until it is al dente.
Clean out the saute pan and put it back on the stove over low-medium heat.
Add the sauce back to the saute pan and add the parmesan cheese.
Let the cheese melt into the sauce, stirring occasionally, then add the vodka. Simmer for about 2 minutes to let some of the alcohol burn off.
creamy cottage cheese pasta sauce in a saute pan
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it directly to the pan with the sauce.
Use a mixing spoon to mix the pasta into the sauce, so all the noodles are well coated in sauce.
rigatoni vodka pasta in a saute pan with a wooden mixing spoon
Portion onto plates or bowls for serving, and garnish each plate with fresh basil and shredded parmesan cheese.