A High-Protein, Vegetarian Alfredo Pasta You’ll Crave Again and Again

There are some flavor combinations that just work—and caramelized onions with mushrooms is one of them.

When slow-roasted until golden and sweet, onions become silky, savory, and almost jam-like. Pair them with earthy mushrooms and mellow, roasted garlic, and you’ve got the foundation for a pasta dish that tastes indulgent, cozy, and restaurant-worthy… without being heavy.

This Creamy Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Pasta with Chickpeas is proof that comfort food doesn’t have to come with a side of regret. Instead of relying on heavy cream and butter, I created a lighter, protein-packed Alfredo-style sauce using low-fat cottage cheese, Parmesan, and pasta water—giving you all the creaminess with a fraction of the fat.

And yes… it’s just as good as it sounds. Plus, it’s perfect for busy weeknights, post-workout dinners, or anytime you want something cozy and nourishing. And, prepared as directed, it has only 335 cal per serving with 20g vegetarian protein.

The Secret: Oven-Caramelized Onions + Roasted Garlic

Traditional caramelized onions are delicious—but let’s be honest: standing over a stove for 45 minutes, stirring constantly, isn’t always realistic. That’s why I love oven-roasting them instead. By roasting sliced onions alongside mushrooms, chickpeas, and a whole head of garlic, everything slowly transforms in the oven:

• The onions become sweet, tender, and deeply flavorful
• The mushrooms turn rich and savory
• The chickpeas get lightly crisped and hearty
• The garlic becomes soft, buttery, and mellow

Later, that roasted garlic gets blended right into the sauce, adding incredible depth without overpowering the dish. It takes a little longer than stovetop caramelizing—but it’s mostly hands-off. Let the oven do the work while you live your life.

A Lighter, Protein-Packed Alfredo (Without Heavy Cream)

Traditional Alfredo sauce is delicious… and also loaded with heavy cream, butter, and tons of fat.

So I decided to flip the script. Instead, this creamy sauce is made with:

• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Reserved pasta water
• Roasted garlic

When blended together, it becomes smooth, rich, and velvety—just like Alfredo—while delivering extra protein and far less fat. You still get that luxurious, cling-to-your-noodles texture… without feeling weighed down afterward.

I also used a lower-carb pasta (spagetti noodles) from Carbe Diem — just to bring a little more balance to this pasta dish. Of course, you can use any type and shape of pasta that you need including gluten-free or veggie noodles.

Print

Creamy Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Pasta with Chickpeas (Vegetarian and Lower Carb)

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 45 mins

 

Creamy caramelized onion and mushroom pasta with chickpeas made with a lighter, high-protein cottage cheese Alfredo sauce. This vegetarian comfort food delivers big flavor with just 360 calories and 20g protein per serving.

Course: dinner, dinner, entree, Pasta

Cuisine: pasta, vegetarian

Keyword: alfredo, cottage cheese, mushroom, onions

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 360 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. white or yellow onions preferably a “sweet onion” like Vidalia or Texas 1015, sliced thinly
• 1 head garlic cut in cross section (still in husk)
• 3 tbsp olive oil divided
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 8 oz white button or Cremini mushrooms sliced
• 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground pepper
• 12- oz dry weight low-carb pasta (I used Carbe Deim), cooked per manufacturer’s instructions*
• 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
• 1 cup pasta water *don’t drain the pasta before pulling this out!!!
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Garnish – chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In large cast iron skilled (or 9”x13” baking dish), add sliced onions. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Add halved garlic head (still in husk). Cover pan/dish with foil.
3. Roast in oven, with pan covered in foil, for 45 minutes, stirring up once or twice and returning foil to cover.
4. Remove from oven and add sliced mushrooms, drained chickpeas, salt and pepper, and remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil.
5. Return to oven, UNCOVERED, and turn heat up to 400F. Cook for another 30-45 minutes until onions caramelized to a nice deep golden color and mushrooms softened.
6. Meanwhile, while onions and mushrooms are cooking in this step, prepare low-carb pasta per box instructions – AND, it is important to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining to use in the sauce.
7. To make the sauce, add cottage cheese, ¾ cup of pasta water, 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce the Parm cheese to blender and process until smooth. If it seems too thick, add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
8. Remove onion mixture from oven and pop roasted garlic out of pods – lightly smash garlic cloves in pan with back of fork. Pour cottage cheese sauce over onion mushroom mixture and add noodles. Stir well to coat and garnish with chopped parsley.
9. Store leftovers for up to 3 days, covered in fridge.

10. Makes 6 huge servings: 335 cal, 63g carb, 10g fat and 20g protein per serving

Recipe Notes