Light, creamy pasta salad featuring fresh vegetables and cottage cheese for a filling, protein-rich dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta (rotini, penne, shells, or farfalle)
→ Salad Base
02 - 9 oz cottage cheese (small or large curd, as preferred)
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced (optional)
→ Dressing
08 - 4 tablespoons Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
09 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
13 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Add-ins
15 - ½ cup shredded carrots
16 - ½ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
17 - ¼ cup sliced black olives
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water to cool, then set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, prepare all vegetables: dice cucumber and bell pepper, halve cherry tomatoes, chop spinach, and finely dice red onion if using. Chop any optional add-ins.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Italian dressing, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Add the cooled pasta, cottage cheese, cucumber, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, spinach, red onion, and any optional add-ins to the bowl with the dressing.
05 - Gently toss until everything is well combined and evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld. Stir well and add additional dressing or lemon juice if needed before serving.
