A quick weeknight pasta that turns fat-free cottage cheese into a creamy sauce with herbs and garlic. The cheese melts into silky strands as it warms, binding to the pasta without heaviness. This shelf holds just enough for dinner and a modest sauce.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 540 calories a serving, 21 g protein, 92 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add 8 ounces of pasta, stirring once. While the pasta cooks, mince 2 garlic cloves and warm 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat until foaming.
2. Sauté the garlic in the butter for about 1 minute until fragrant, then add the entire 1 cup of cottage cheese and 1 teaspoon of dried dill, stirring to combine. The cheese will warm through and begin to break down into a sauce.5 min
3. When the pasta reaches the bite of your teeth, drain it, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Tip the pasta into the skillet with the cottage cheese mixture.
4. Toss the pasta with the cottage cheese sauce, adding 2 tablespoons of the cooking water at a time until the sauce coats each strand. The residual heat and water will help the cheese meld into a creamy coating.2 min
5. Squeeze juice from half a lemon over the pasta and season with salt and pepper to your taste. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap the dill for 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley or basil if you have it, adding it in the last minute. Leftovers keep in the fridge for one day; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to stretch the meal.