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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 335 calories and 20g protein per serving.
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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 335 calories and 20g protein per serving.

Course: dinner, dinner, entree, Pasta
Cuisine: pasta, vegetarian
Keyword: alfredo, cottage cheese, mushroom, onions
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 335 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

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