Cottage cheese in pasta sauce sounds wrong until you realize it's basically ricotta's tangy American cousin from the 1800s.
Garlic Parmesan Beef & Bowtie Pasta
Dive into a delicious bowl of Garlic Parmesan Beef & Bowtie Pasta! This protein-packed delight features savory ground beef tossed in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce, all embraced by perfectly cooked bowtie pasta. Whip it up in no time for a satisfying meal that won’t break the bank!
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This bastardized Italian-American creation emerged in 1950s Milwaukee when Polish-Italian immigrants discovered cottage cheese could mimic ricotta at half the price—what started as Depression-era desperation cooking became the ultimate weeknight cheat that would make any nonna from Napoli weep into her proper ragu, yet somehow works brilliantly for exhausted parents who need dinner in twenty minutes flat.
Regional Twist
In Chicago's Little Italy district, they brown the ground beef with fennel seeds, swap cottage cheese for ricotta, and finish with a splash of red wine that transforms this humble bowtie dish into something resembling actual Italian cooking.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 8 oz (227 g) bowtie pasta
- 1 cup (237 ml) cottage cheese
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 2 cloves ground meatd garlic
- 1 cup (118 ml) shredded parmesan cheese
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 cup (237 ml) diced tomatoes
- garlic powder (to taste)
- italian seasoning (to taste)
- onion powder (to taste)
- oregano (to taste)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- water or milk (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the bowtie pasta according to package instructions, then strain and set aside.
- 2
In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, shredded parmesan, and water or milk. Blend until smooth.
- 3
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add ground beef. Cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
- 4
Add diced tomatoes to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until they start to wilt.
- 5
Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and oregano. Cook for 30 seconds.
- 6
Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- 7
Reduce heat to low and add the blended sauce to the skillet. Mix well and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- 8
Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta, mix well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 9
Portion out into meal containers for the week.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook bowtie pasta 1-2 minutes less than package directions since it will continue cooking in the sauce, preventing the butterfly wings from becoming mushy while maintaining al dente texture.timing1-2 minutes less
- ✓Brown ground beef at medium-high heat without stirring for 2-3 minutes initially to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deeper umami flavor before breaking it up.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Blend cottage cheese mixture for 60-90 seconds until completely smooth because cottage cheese curds will create a grainy sauce texture that won't coat pasta properly.technique60-90 seconds
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup starchy pasta water before draining to add back if needed, as the starch helps bind the cottage cheese sauce to the pasta through emulsification.ingredient1/2 cup
- ✓Keep sauce temperature below 160°F when adding the cottage cheese blend to prevent protein coagulation that causes the sauce to break and become grainy.technique160°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Cottage cheese in pasta sauce sounds wrong until you realize it's basically ricotta's tangy American cousin from the 1800s.
Garlic Parmesan Beef & Bowtie Pasta
Dive into a delicious bowl of Garlic Parmesan Beef & Bowtie Pasta! This protein-packed delight features savory ground beef tossed in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce, all embraced by perfectly cooked bowtie pasta. Whip it up in no time for a satisfying meal that won’t break the bank!
The Story
This bastardized Italian-American creation emerged in 1950s Milwaukee when Polish-Italian immigrants discovered cottage cheese could mimic ricotta at half the price—what started as Depression-era desperation cooking became the ultimate weeknight cheat that would make any nonna from Napoli weep into her proper ragu, yet somehow works brilliantly for exhausted parents who need dinner in twenty minutes flat.
Regional Twist
In Chicago's Little Italy district, they brown the ground beef with fennel seeds, swap cottage cheese for ricotta, and finish with a splash of red wine that transforms this humble bowtie dish into something resembling actual Italian cooking.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 8 oz (227 g) bowtie pasta
- 1 cup (237 ml) cottage cheese
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 2 cloves ground meatd garlic
- 1 cup (118 ml) shredded parmesan cheese
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 cup (237 ml) diced tomatoes
- garlic powder (to taste)
- italian seasoning (to taste)
- onion powder (to taste)
- oregano (to taste)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- water or milk (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the bowtie pasta according to package instructions, then strain and set aside.
- 2
In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, shredded parmesan, and water or milk. Blend until smooth.
- 3
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add ground beef. Cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
- 4
Add diced tomatoes to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until they start to wilt.
- 5
Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and oregano. Cook for 30 seconds.
- 6
Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- 7
Reduce heat to low and add the blended sauce to the skillet. Mix well and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- 8
Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta, mix well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 9
Portion out into meal containers for the week.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook bowtie pasta 1-2 minutes less than package directions since it will continue cooking in the sauce, preventing the butterfly wings from becoming mushy while maintaining al dente texture.timing1-2 minutes less
- ✓Brown ground beef at medium-high heat without stirring for 2-3 minutes initially to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deeper umami flavor before breaking it up.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Blend cottage cheese mixture for 60-90 seconds until completely smooth because cottage cheese curds will create a grainy sauce texture that won't coat pasta properly.technique60-90 seconds
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup starchy pasta water before draining to add back if needed, as the starch helps bind the cottage cheese sauce to the pasta through emulsification.ingredient1/2 cup
- ✓Keep sauce temperature below 160°F when adding the cottage cheese blend to prevent protein coagulation that causes the sauce to break and become grainy.technique160°F