Creamy, Cheesy Pasta Salad

With fresh, crisp veggies and creamy cottage cheese, this pasta salad offers a perfect blend of flavors. It’s ideal for a quick lunch, a side dish, or a potluck contribution. This dish is an ideal Phase 3 ViCera meal, promising to satisfy your hunger and keep you feeling nourished and content. I hope you enjoy this creamy cottage cheese garden pasta as much as I do—it’s a great addition to any meal!

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces of cassava flour pasta (I use this brand)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes diced in half
• 1 cucumber sliced and diced in fourths
• 1 sliced yellow bell pepper
• 1 cup of spinach finely chopped
• 1 lemon juiced
• 2 cups of cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup of Italian dressing (my recipe)

Directions:

Cook the Pasta:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add the cassava flour pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
• Drain the pasta and lightly toss it with olive oil to prevent sticking

Prepare the Vegetables:

• While the pasta is cooking, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice and dice the cucumber, and slice the yellow bell pepper.
• Finely chop the spinach.

Combine Ingredients:

• In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, yellow bell pepper, and spinach.
• Pour the lemon and Italian dressing mixture over the pasta and vegetables.
• Add the cottage cheese to the bowl.

Toss the Salad:

• Gently toss all the ingredients together until well combined and evenly coated with the dressing.

Chill and Serve:

• Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
• Serve chilled and enjoy!

Serving Ideas:

As a Side Dish:

• Serve alongside grilled meats or fish for a light and refreshing complement.
• Pair it with my Simple Smashburgers

As a Main Course:

• Add shredded rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken strips to make it a more substantial meal.

Macros Per Serving:

The recipe yields 8 servings

1 cup per serving

• Calories: 370
• Carbohydrates: 80g
• Fat: 2g
• Protein: 9g

A Few Thoughts:

I hope you love making and enjoying this pasta salad as much as I do. It’s become a go-to in my kitchen because of its versatility and clean ingredients. Whether I’m whipping it up for a quick lunch, serving it as a side at family dinners, or bringing it to a church potluck, it never disappoints.

I love how adaptable this recipe is. Sometimes, I add rotisserie chicken to make it a hearty meal, or I mix in extra veggies for even more crunch and flavor. The combination of creamy cottage cheese and fresh veggies with the light cassava pasta works so well together!