Recipe: Three-Cheese Penne

This recipe will exceed your expectations! Adding cheese to any dinner is great, but adding three [...]

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(Photo: PopCulture)

This recipe will exceed your expectations! Adding cheese to any dinner is great, but adding three cheeses is simply amazing! The whole-wheat pasta helps you cut carbs compared to traditional Italian dishes and each cheese is lower in fat so you can feel good about enjoying. That's amore!

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Recipe: Three-Cheese Penne

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Serving size: 1¼ cup

Ingredients

  • 1 (13.25-ounce) box whole wheat penne pasta
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 (23.25-ounce) jar light pasta sauce
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
  • ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1½ cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

  2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions have softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

  3. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the pasta sauce. Stir in the basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

  5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the cottage cheese, ricotta, and 1 cup of the mozzarella.

  6. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cooked pasta.

  7. Transfer half of the pasta to baking dish. Evenly spread half of the cheese mixture on top. Then add the remaining pasta followed by the remaining cheese mixture. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella on top.

  8. Bake uncovered for until the cheese is melted, 18 to 20 minutes.

  9. Serve garnished with the parsley.

Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (1¼ cup)
Calories: 284
Fat: 7g
Carbohydrates: 44g
Fiber: 7g
Sugar: 8g
Protein: 16g
WWP+: 9
SmartPoints: 8

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The nutrition content of recipes on Popculture.com have been calculated by Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, of Smart Nutrition.

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