This cottage cheese sausage pasta is a hearty pasta dish featuring sautéed bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini with savory chicken sausage, all tossed in a rich and creamy cottage cheese and Parmesan sauce.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup gemelli pasta
• 2 links tomato basil chicken sausage, sliced diagonally
• 2 mini red bell peppers, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 mini yellow bell peppers, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 mushrooms, quartered
• 1 (1 1/2 inch) piece zucchini, cut into matchsticks
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 3 ounces high protein cottage cheese, such as good culture®
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 ounce shredded parmesan cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch italian seasoning

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in gemelli and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 7 minutes; drain and set aside. Keep warm.
2. Combine sausage, red peppers, yellow peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini in a heavy skillet. Cook until sausage is browned, about 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sausage-vegetable mixture to cooked pasta; set aside.
3. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat; add cream cheese and stir until smooth.
4. Add cottage cheese and whipping cream to the jar of a blender; blend until smooth. Pour into cream cheese mixture; stir until heated through. Add Parmesan, and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste. Pour sauce over pasta mixture; serve immediately.