Even though I may have called it a "lightened up version," this creamy tomato sauce for pasta DEFINITELY falls under the category of vegetarian comfort food!
It's got the rich taste and so much flavor you want in a pasta sauce, but instead of heavy cream I use...Oooh, you'll have to keep reading to find out!
You guys know I'm NOT one to count calories when it comes to making up great recipes. While this may be a bit of a lighter version of creamy tomato sauce, it certainly doesn't taste like it's missing anything...And that's exactly how I like it!
Okay, okay, I'll get to that secret ingredient now.
Cottage cheese!
I know some people have mixed feelings about cottage cheese because of the texture. But for this particular creamy tomato sauce you put all of the ingredients in a food processor again, so texture won't be an issue!
Cottage cheese is so versatile and it's a super easy way to add an extra dose of protein to your meal.
I'm not the first one to use cottage cheese with pasta sauce. The more I read about it, the more I realized lots of people use it for healthier versions of their favorite pasta... Like this cottage cheese alfredo from 40 Aprons.
The first time I made this it was because I had some cottage cheese I needed to use up. I also had some pasta sauce I needed to use up so it really worked out great. I asked myself how I could combine the two, and I found the perfect answer.
So, I didn't really come up with this because I was trying to make a healthier version of a creamy tomato sauce. But that's just what it turned into.
This has become my staple pasta sauce recipe. And the best part? It's so freakin' easy to make.
And I think you'll be verrrrry pleasantly delighted at how delicious it tastes.
The first time I made this, I texted my mom after just to say I think I made the best pasta sauce I've ever had!!! Yes — I feel THAT strongly about it!
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this creamy tomato sauce, including cottage cheese, marinara sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and a touch of milk! But I'll get down to the specifics before you know it.
How to Make Creamy Tomato Sauce
To start off, get your food processor out. A high-power blender will work too!
- Cook the noodles according to package directions in salted water.
- Measure ingredients for the sauce and add the cottage cheese, milk, marinara sauce, garlic, balsamic, and Italian seasoning to the food processor.
- Blend until you get the perfect creamy consistency you desire.
- You can add a touch of olive oil if you want, but it's not necessary.
- Once your pasta is cooked and drained, add the creamy tomato sauce to the noodles, and mix well. Allow the heat of the noodles to heat the sauce.
- Serve with fresh parmesan and salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
A Few Notes on this Recipe
- I don't use specifics for the type of noodle or marina sauce you should use. I usually make this with rigatoni, but I've used lots of other kinds of noodles with great results (including penne)!
- I've also tried different marinara sauces with it. I usually use a classic version, and I actually love the PC Marinara Pasta Sauce from Superstore! It's just a great, basic sauce that's the perfect foundation for this recipe.
- You can add a little splash of olive oil to the food processor with the other ingredients if you want. Sometimes I do this, and sometimes I don't. It doesn't make or break the recipe but if you want an extra dose of those heart-healthy fats, go for it!
- You'll see I also didn't include any cooking time for this recipe. Yes, the noodles take time to cook but since the recipe is technically just for the sauce, the time stays at zero since you don't need to cook it!
- If you want to make this sauce ahead of time, go for it! Keep it in an air-tight jar in the fridge and heat it up before serving. I keep mine in the fridge for up to five days...but I usually eat it all up before then!
- Feel free to divide or multiply the recipe to serve more people.
Creamy Tomato Sauce: Lightened Up Version
Equipment
- Food processor or high-powered blender
- Large pot for cooking pasta
Ingredients
- 4 servings your favorite pasta I usually use 350 grams of rigatoni or fusilli
- 2 cups marina sauce Choose your favorite
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 oz Parmesan added on top of each pasta dish at the end
Instructions
- Cook your noodles according to package directions in salted water.
- Add the cottage cheese, milk, marinara sauce, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and Italian seasoning to the food processor. Blend until you get the perfect creamy consistency you desire. You can add a touch of olive oil if you want, but it's not necessary.
- Once your pasta is cooked and drained, add the creamy tomato sauce to the noodles, and mix well. Allow the heat of the noodles to heat the sauce.
- Add one ounce of Parmesan on each of the four bowls of pasta, along with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you make the sauce ahead of time (it keeps in the fridge for about a week), reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop before adding it to the pasta.
I hope you're kind of amazed at how easy this creamy tomato sauce is to make. And even more, I hope you're amazed at how freaking good it is! I don't even consider this a "compromise" when it comes to wanting to eat your favorite vegetarian comfort foods with lighter ingredients. I would genuinely choose this over other pasta sauces — it's that good!
Hope you love it.
XO - C
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