Description
Hearty cottage cheese pasta bake satisfies comfort cravings with creamy layers of cheesy goodness. Simple ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a delightful meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (500 grams or 17 oz) cottage cheese, 2% MF
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 cups marinara sauce (or any tomato sauce)
- 3 cups dry penne pasta
- 3 cups baby spinach (tightly packed)
- 2 cups broccoli florets (about 5 oz or 142 grams)
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 5 large leaves fresh basil, chopped (for garnish)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: Ignite the oven to a blazing 400°F (200°C), setting the stage for a golden-crusted pasta masterpiece.
- Pasta Foundation: Bring a substantial pot of water to a vigorous boil, ready to transform pasta into perfectly tender strands.
- Vegetable Prelude: Deconstruct broccoli into delicate florets and finely chop garlic, preparing the aromatic base of the dish.
- Culinary Symphony: Cook pasta until achieving an impeccable al dente texture, then drain and set aside as the canvas for the upcoming flavors.
- Sauté Sonata: In a spacious skillet, heat olive oil and introduce garlic and broccoli, dancing them together for 7 minutes until they caramelize and soften.
- Green Harmony: Incorporate baby spinach into the vegetable medley, allowing it to gently wilt and release its verdant essence.
- Composition Assembly: Layer the baking dish with pasta, crowned with the sautéed vegetable ensemble, creating a robust foundation.
- Creamy Intervention: Distribute cottage cheese throughout the dish, generating pockets of velvety richness.
- Sauce Infusion: Cascade marinara sauce over the ingredients, blending components into a harmonious mixture while seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Cheese Crescendo: Blanket the creation with a lavish layer of mozzarella, promising a golden, bubbling finale.
- Baking Transformation: Slide the dish into the preheated oven, allowing 20 minutes of intense heat to meld flavors and create a molten cheese crust.
- Finishing Touch: Emerge from the oven and garnish with freshly chopped basil, adding a fragrant flourish to the completed masterpiece.
Notes
- Pasta Perfection: Choose short pasta shapes like penne or rigatoni for maximum sauce-holding potential and even cooking.
- Vegetable Prep Power: Chop broccoli into similar-sized florets to ensure uniform cooking and prevent uneven texture.
- Cheese Melting Magic: Allow cottage cheese to come to room temperature before adding to reduce excess liquid and create creamier consistency.
- Flavor Boost Tip: Toast garlic briefly to enhance its nutty, rich flavor without burning, releasing deeper aromatic notes throughout the dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg