This Skinny Three Cheese Penne recipe is everything you want in a pasta dish – cheese and full on flavor – but without the guilt!

We’re officially full swing into the new year and I’m sure a lot of you are working on your new year’s resolutions, whether that be staying more organized, living a healthier lifestyle, reading a bit more, giving back to others, or who knows what!

The year is your oyster! (Wait…does that make sense?)

Seeing as this is a food blog, I try to sometimes help you with the lighter fare… See what I did there?

I said, sometimes.

Sometimes means not all the time. You see, I’m a girl who is all about balance. Or, I try to be, anyway. Sometimes I want to indulge in whatever sounds good to me. For example, on Fridays (after the kids go to bed), I like to split a bowl of movie theater butter popcorn with Josh and maybe have a glass of wine or a mug of cocoa.

Then other times, I might want something fried, like these tacos, or something cheesy, like this mac n’ cheese.  I love eating these yummy meals, but not every day. As the menu maker and chief of staff of our household, I try to make it my job to ensure that my family lives a balanced foodie lifestyle.

Enter this Skinny Three Cheese Penne! It’s all the things you want in a pasta dish – cheese and full on flavor – but without some of the guilt. I made this so many times over the summer – it’s such a hit every time, and the leftovers get gobbled up.

If you’re in the market for a “skinnier” pasta dish, this is it. I promise, you will love it!

Continue to Content

Skinny Three Cheese Penne

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This Skinny Three Cheese Penne recipe is everything you want in a pasta dish - cheese and full on flavor - but without the guilt!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 box whole-wheat pasta (you could use gluten-free, if you like)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 a sweet onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar of Prego Light Smart Traditional Pasta Sauce
• 4 tbsp fresh basil, chopped, divided
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water boil over high heat. Cook the pasta to al dente, according to the box's directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, in a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and pour in the pasta sauce along with 2 tbsp of basil, dried oregano, and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Lightly spray a 4 qt baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. In a medium sized bowl, combine the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Remove the sauce from heat and stir into the pasta. Transfer half the pasta into the greased baking dish and divide half of the cheese mixture and spread over the top of the pasta. Then add the remaining pasta and spreading the remaining cheese mixture over the top. Using the last 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, top it over the pasta and bake for uncovered for 20 minutes. Turn the broiler on for 3-5 minutes, just long enough to brown the mozzarella cheese a bit - watch it closely so it doesn't burn.
4. Remove from oven and top with remaining chopped basil.

Notes

Slightly adapted from Skinny Mom

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 156Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 316mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 10g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.