Can I double this recipe?

This can only be doubled in an 8-quart Instant Pot — just don’t fill past the Instant Pot max line. Cooking time stays the same, just allow a few extra minutes for the pot to come to pressure. If you have a 6-quart Instant Pot, you could increase the recipe 1.5x and it should fit.

do i have to blend the cottage cheese?

Blending gives the sauce a silky, creamy texture and keeps the curds from showing. I definitely prefer blending, but if you don’t mind the clumpier texture, you can skip it.

can i use pasta shapes other than spaghetti?

Sure! Short high-protein shapes like penne, rotini, or elbows work well. Keep the liquid amounts the same, but reduce the cook time by about 1 minute since many shorter shapes cook faster.

what if my pasta is overcooked or undercooked?

If undercooked, add ¼ cup extra broth, stir, and cook on high pressure for 1–2 minutes more. If overcooked, reduce cook time by 1–2 minutes next time.

can i make this in the crock-pot?

Definitely! In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with olive oil and seasonings, then transfer to the slow cooker. Pour in the marinara and 3 cups broth or water (you'll need less!). Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours. Stir in the spaghetti (broken in half) during the last 30–45 minutes of cooking, making sure it’s submerged. Check and stir occasionally; add extra broth if it looks too dry. Once pasta is tender, stir in the blended cottage cheese and Parmesan, cover for 5 minutes to warm through, then serve.

can i make this on the stovetop?

Sure! Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large deep pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook and crumble until browned and cooked through, 5–6 minutes. Stir in the marinara, 4 cups broth or water (you need more than the Instant Pot version because some will evaporate), salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and bring to a boil. Add the spaghetti (broken in half if you’d like). Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook at a low boil for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed. Add a splash more broth if needed. Turn off heat. Stir in the blended cottage cheese until creamy, then mix in the Parmesan. Rest 2–3 minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken.

High Protein Instant Pot Spaghetti

Name: High Protein Instant Pot Spaghetti
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 teaspoon each: fine sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 cups chicken broth or water, divided*; 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara or favorite pasta sauce; 8 ounces uncooked high-protein spaghetti* (noodles broken in half); 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; chopped fresh basil, for serving (optional)

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon each: fine sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups chicken broth or water, divided*
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara or favorite pasta sauce
8 ounces uncooked high-protein spaghetti* (noodles broken in half)
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
chopped fresh basil, for serving (optional)

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Instructions

Sauté beef.Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add olive oil and ground beef. Cook, crumbling the beef as you go, until browned and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Stir in salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Deglaze. Turn off Sauté. Add 1/2 cup of the water and scrape the bottom of the pot well with a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits.
Layer pasta and sauce. Break spaghetti in half and scatter it in crisscross layers over the beef. Pour the marinara sauce evenly on top, then pour in the remaining 1 1/2 cups water. Do not stir.
Pressure cook. Lock the lid and set the Instant Pot to Manual (or Pressure Cook) on high pressure for 7 minutes. (*See note below for different cooking times for different brands of high-protein pastas.*) Once cooking ends, quick-release the pressure.
Blend the cottage cheese. While the pasta is pressure cooking, blend the cottage cheese in a blender (or you can use an immersion blender) until completely smooth.
Add cheeses. Remove the lid and gently stir the pasta. Stir in the blended cottage cheese until creamy, then mix in the Parmesan. Let rest for 2–3 minutes — the sauce will thicken as it sits.
Serve. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm, topped with fresh basil and extra Parmesan if you’d like, and enjoy!

Equipment

Instant Pot

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High-Protein Spaghetti

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Fine Grater

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Notes

*Cooking different brands of high-protein pasta: Chickpea-, lentil-, and lupini-based pastas (Banza, Tolerant, Brami) do great with 1¾ cups liquid and 6–7 minutes cook time. Wheat + protein blends (Barilla Protein+, Ronzoni Smart Taste) work well with 2 cups liquid and 8 minutes.Edamame or black bean pastas (Explore Cuisine) benefit from 2 cups plus 1 tsp olive oil, 6 minutes cook time, and a 1-minute natural release.

Protein calculations: The amount of protein per serving will depend on the brands of pasta, cottage cheese and the amount of parmesan that you use, so please calculate accordingly! I calculated 45g per serving using Brami pasta.

Source: Recipe adapted from The Kitchn.