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This alfredo casserole is creamy, comforting, and secretly protein-packed (thanks to a velvety cottage cheese Alfredo sauce). Bonus: dinner is done in 45 minutes!
save this recipe!This isn’t your average alfredo situation. We’re doing classic alfredo meets high-protein cottage cheese sauce (because we put cottage cheese in virtually everything nowadays). It’s somehow indulgent yet still healthy for you.
Your Weeknight Go-To
- Meal Prep-Friendly: Make it once and enjoy easy dinners all week.
- Kid-Approved: This cheesy pasta is always a hit with little ones. (They won’t even be able to tell it’s actually good for them!)
- Easy To Customize: Want to swap the broccoli? Use cauliflower or spinach. No beans? Add peas or lentils. The choice is yours!
Key Ingredients
We’ve got zero hard-to-find ingredients in this high protein vegetarian casserole—mostly items already in your pantry and fridge! Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Cheeses: We’ll use cottage cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella for the ultimate savory yet creamy trio.
- Seasonings: Just the basics (garlic/onion powder, salt, and pepper).
- Veggies: We went with broccoli florets here because they’re easy to prep and steam up quickly. You can microwave, boil, or even roast them. (Frozen broccoli works too—just thaw and pat dry!)
- Pasta: Any shape will work, but short pasta varieties are best in casserole form like this.
- White Beans: We tested this with canned and cooked-from-scratch beans and prefer canned for convenience. Just drain and rinse!
Pack In More Protein
We’ve tested this meatless alfredo pasta bake with regular and high-protein pasta—either works, but if you’re looking to sneak in even more protein, go with something like Barilla Protein+ or chickpea pasta.
Add a side
This healthy alfredo pasta recipe is a full meal on its own, but if you want to round things out, pair it with this shaved Brussels sprouts salad. It’s bright, crunchy, and tangy enough to balance out the richness of the bake.
Cottage Cheese Alfredo Casserole (Vegetarian)
Ingredients
Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce
- 1 ½ cups cottage cheese
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
Casserole Fillings
- 16 oz penne pasta, can use high protein pasta
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 15-oz cans cannellini beans
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Sauce: Blend all Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce ingredients until smooth, about 1 minute of blending.
- Boil Pasta: Cook 16 oz penne pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Cook until al dente (stop and drain 1 or 2 minutes before it's done).
- Microwave Broccoli: Add 4 cups broccoli florets to a large microwave-safe bowl. Add a splash of water, cover tightly (either with plastic wrap or with a plate), and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, until bright green and tender.If you prefer not to microwave, the broccoli can also be steamed or quickly boiled until tender.
- Assemble: In a large bowl, gently stir together boiled pasta, cooked broccoli, 2 15-oz cans cannellini beans, half of the mozzarella, and sauce. Transfer to a large casserole dish. Top with remaining mozzarella.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until top is golden and melty and sauce is bubbling at the edges. Serve warm!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Hi! 😊
Do you know of a vegan cottage cheese? I’ve yet to find one…
I don’t actually know of any! You could replace the cottage cheese with silken tofu for a similar creamy protein boost 🙂
Does violife make one? I want to say they do
This was delish Sarah and love the quick and easy cheese sauce in the blender!! I’ll try this with chickpeas next time instead of beans
Thanks for the kind words Amy, happy eating!
I’m so happy to hear you loved it, Amy! Enjoy!!
I love the idea, but this one was more than a little bland. I added some hot sauce and some store-bought tomato sauce to the finished product to add some seasoning, as this makes a huge amount and I didn’t want it to go to waste. That helped a lot. I recommend making 1/2 this recipe for starters, and have some additional sauces on hand for flavor.
I wanted to love this, but I agree with another reviewer…really bland. And I also agree that it makes a massive batch of bland pasta.
IF I were to make a spin on this again, I’d add ricotta, fresh minced garlic, dried parsley or Italian seasoning, and fresh basil at the end.
My family loved this!
I’m so happy to hear it, Jenn! Thanks for leaving a review!
I made the Alfredo casserole with some mushrooms added and am blown away by how good it is. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it Angela, thanks for sharing!
I found this just okay. Definitely salt upon serving.
This recipe is great if you go in knowing what alfredo is like and are prepared for an alfredo-esque experience (because it is obviously not a true alfredo, it’s less heavy). I did not find it bland at all! I made the recipe pretty much exactly as written, except halved. I used all full-fat ingredients because who wants a low fat alfredo? I’m gonna make it with chickpeas next because Sarah has converted me to a chickpea eater. Thank you Sarah!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review, Spencer. Happy eating!
This recipe is super quick, easy and delicious. I made it as written (with slightly more garlic & onion powder because I can’t help myself!) but with only one can of chickpeas because that’s all I had. My family loved it! And in fact, I might prefer it with only one can of chickpeas (the can I had was 19oz). I can see how this would be yummy with beans!
I’m not sure how some folks found it bland? But if you want to make sure it isn’t, then I’d suggest tasting the sauce before you pour it all over the pasta..!
Thanks for the recipe!! I will definitely make this again.
Thanks for the sweet review Ash, happy cooking!