How To Incorporate Cottage Cheese Into Pasta Salads Without Changing The Texture

Cottage cheese seems to be all the rage these days, partly because it's packed full of protein as a healthy snack. However, cottage cheese is far more than just a way to add protein to your morning bowl of fruit, because it's also an alternative to fattier options like mayonnaise in an array of dishes. One dish that can benefit from cottage cheese's protein factor is your next bowl of pasta salad — but there's a way it should be incorporated to achieve the best texture.

That cottage cheese needs to have a smooth consistency, and there are a few different ways to blend or puree those chunks out to make it happen. First, you can mix the cottage cheese in your blender until it's smooth. Another handy kitchen appliance that will do the trick is your food processor. And to make it even easier, use your immersion blender directly in the bowl. Any of these techniques and appliances will effortlessly break up those clumps rather quickly so that it's smooth before it's tossed with the pasta and other ingredients.

One thing to remember is not to blend the cottage cheese too much, or it will become watery. So, limit it to around two minutes, and keep an eye on it as you go. If you want to take advantage of the process, you can also add a little lemon juice, zest, or olive oil to the cottage cheese to give it more flavor. For every eight or so ounces of pasta, expect to use just under a cup of blended cottage cheese, but this will depend on what other ingredients are in the recipe and how creamy you prefer the dish.

You can use cottage cheese to replace the mayo or Greek yogurt in any recipe, and Tasting Table has you covered with some options. Try it in our creamy macaroni salad recipe that has bell peppers, celery, and tomatoes. Another option is to replace the mayonnaise in our Caesar chicken pasta salad recipe with your blended cottage cheese.