Servings: 4–6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
🥩 Ingredients
Beef + Seasoning
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef (93–96% lean)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder (optional for more flavor)
- ½ tsp onion powder
High-Protein Creamy Base
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (blended until smooth)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- ½ cup chicken or beef broth (more if needed for creaminess)
Pasta
- 8 oz high-protein pasta
(Barilla Protein+, Banza, Chickapea, or Fiber Gourmet)
Cheese on Top
- ¾ cup reduced-fat mozzarella
- 2 tbsp parmesan
Optional add-ins
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
- Red pepper flakes for heat
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Cook the pasta
- Boil high-protein pasta in salted water until al dente.
- Drain and set aside (reserve ½ cup pasta water if you want extra creaminess).
2. Brown the beef
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high.
- Add ground beef and onion; cook until browned (5–6 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Season with salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Drain excess fat if needed.
3. Make it creamy + high protein
Turn heat to low and stir in:
✔ blended cottage cheese
✔ Greek yogurt
✔ mozzarella
✔ parmesan
✔ broth
Stir until melted, smooth, and creamy. Add a splash of pasta water if you want a silkier sauce.
4. Combine
Add cooked pasta directly into the skillet.
Stir until fully coated in creamy, cheesy sauce.
5. Add cheese topping
Sprinkle mozzarella + parmesan over the skillet.
Cover with a lid for 2–3 minutes to melt OR broil for 1–2 minutes for a golden top.
🍽 Serve With
- Garlic roasted broccoli
- A big green salad
- Air-fried zucchini chips
💪 Macros (approx per serving, 6 servings)
(Will vary by pasta brand — macro-friendly brands bump protein way up)
- Calories: 340–420
- Protein: 32–42g
- Carbs: 28–40g
- Fat: 9–14g
⭐ Optional Protein Upgrades
- Add ½ cup egg whites to cottage cheese before blending (makes the sauce extra high protein).
- Use 1.5 lbs beef instead of 1 lb.
- Add a scoop of unflavored whey isolate into the sauce (whisk into broth first to avoid clumps).
🔥 Variations
Spicy Version
- Add red pepper flakes + 1 tsp hot sauce
- Swap mozzarella for pepper jack
Cheeseburger Spaghetti
- Add diced pickles + 1 tbsp mustard
- Swap Italian seasoning for burger seasoning
Creamy Veggie Packed Version
- Add zucchini, spinach, or mushrooms while browning beef
