High Protein Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad

Poolside Protein Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad Recipe

This easy high protein pasta salad is loaded with protein pasta, lean ground beef, cottage cheese, sweet roasted corn, and fresh vegetables. It’s perfect for meal prep, summer lunches, pool days, and busy weeknights when you need a filling meal that tastes great served cold (or warm!)

Here’s the deal. I still have about 22 more pounds of baby weight I’d like to lose. I’m not rushing it, but I am putting in a lot more effort these days. I’ve been walking 3 to 4 miles daily, doing a few weight workouts, staying active with my family, and even picking tennis back up.

The biggest area that needs some fine tuning is my diet. My goal is to cut back on the processed snacks that seem to magically find their way into my day (thank you, toddler life) and replace them with foods that actually fuel my body. I’m focusing on higher protein options like cottage cheese, protein shakes, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and balanced meals that keep me satisfied longer.

When we go to the pool, we’re usually there all day. I spend so much time packing snacks and lunch for my toddler that I end up eating whatever he doesn’t finish. Beef jerky sticks, chips, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, crackers, and random handfuls of snacks throughout the day. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying those foods occasionally, they do not always leave me feeling my best or keep me full for very long.

So this summer, I’m making a few simple changes. Instead of relying on leftovers from my toddler’s snack bag, I’ll be packing protein pasta salads, hearty salads, fresh fruit, yogurt, and meals that actually support my goals. Not only will they help keep me fuller longer, but they’ll also help me recover from all the walking, tennis, swimming, and daily activities I’m doing with my family.

I’m not chasing quick weight loss. I’m focusing on building healthy habits, fueling my body well, and letting the progress happen one day at a time. Plus, these are the kinds of meals I genuinely enjoy eating, which makes sticking with healthy choices so much easier.

This protein pasta salad took me literally 20 minutes to prep before heading to the pool. It would have taken more time if I didn’t already have the pasta cooked and chilled in the refrigerator, but that’s a great trick if you’re meal prepping ahead of time.

Ingredients

• Protein pasta
• Organic ground beef
• Cottage cheese
• Roasted corn
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Red onion
• Olive oil
• Arctic Seasoning (diy recipe below)
• Salt
• Black pepper

How to Make Poolside Protein Pasta

All I did was cook the organic ground beef with a little salt and pepper. Once the beef was finished, I cooked the corn in the same pan to soak up all of that flavor. While the beef and corn cooled, I chopped up the vegetables.

Next, I added the protein pasta, cottage cheese, corn, and beef to a large bowl. I sprinkled everything generously with Arctic Seasoning and gave it a good toss. Then I folded in the cucumber, red onion, and tomatoes. I added a little more Arctic Seasoning, a drizzle of olive oil, and mixed everything together until combined.

I chilled the pasta salad until it was time to head to the pool. I packed it in a freezer bag, and it stayed cold all day, which is pretty impressive in this Southern heat.

How to Make the Seasoning

If you don’t have Arctic Seasoning on hand, you can make a simple homemade version with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons raw sugar

Whisk everything together until combined and store in an airtight container. This seasoning blend is delicious on ground beef, chicken, vegetables, burgers, and pasta salads.

More Poolside Dishes You’ll Love:

Chicken and Feta Couscous Pasta Salad
The Best Italian Subs for Pool Days
Lemon Ricotta and Garlic Chicken Pasta Salad
Greek Chicken and Orzo Pasta Salad
Italian Caesar Salad With an Antipasto Twist
Best Healthy and Easy Creamy Broccoli Salad Recipe
Restaurant-Style Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap
The Best Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
Best Tuna Salad Recipe: High Protein
Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken & Bacon Avocado Sandwiches
Roasted Corn Jalapeño Queso Dip
The Easiest Chicken Salad Recipe

Now this, my almond flour chocolate chip cookies, and a sparkling kombucha is going to be my vibe all summer long! My toddler used this as a dip for his potato chips and it was kind of genius.

I hope you all love this easy recipe and I’ll keep the high protein summer recipes coming!

Ingredient Substitutions

Make It Vegetarian
Swap the ground beef for one of these protein packed options:

• Plant based ground meat
• Roasted chickpeas
• White beans
• Black beans
• Extra cottage cheese
• Diced grilled tofu

Make It Gluten Free
Simply use your favorite gluten free protein pasta. Chickpea pasta, lentil pasta, or gluten free rotini all work well in this recipe. Be sure to double check your seasoning ingredients if you are highly sensitive to gluten.

Add More Protein
Want even more protein? Add:

• Extra cottage cheese
• Grilled chicken
• Diced turkey breast
• Hard boiled eggs

Switch Up the Vegetables
This recipe is easy to customize with whatever you have on hand. Try:

• Bell peppers
• Avocado
• Green onions
• Jalapeños
• Cherry tomatoes
• Fresh herbs

The best part about this pasta salad is that it’s incredibly flexible and still tastes great with whatever ingredients you have in the refrigerator.

What are you eating by the pool this summer!?