One-Pan Sweet Pepper Pasta Shells with Melted Cottage Cheese Curds

Cooking pasta in a giant pot of boiling water and draining it discards valuable starches down the sink.

In this one-pan dinner, Jamie Oliver caramelizes sweet bell peppers, red onions, zucchini, and garlic, then cooks the dry pasta shells directly in the same pan with measured water. The pasta absorbs the aromatic vegetable juices as it cooks, creating a natural sauce.

Stirring in creamy cottage cheese curds at the end melts them into warm pockets of protein without requiring heavy cream.

Watch the Recipe Video

Nutritional Architecture: Carotenoids & Casein Emulsions

• Carotenoid-Rich Sweet Peppers: Sautéing red and yellow bell peppers in olive oil maximizes the bioavailability of capsanthin and zeaxanthin.
• Starch Emulsification: Cooking pasta shells directly in the vegetable liquid concentrates starch molecules, thickening the sauce naturally without flour roux or cornstarch.
• Low-Fat Casein Protein: Cottage cheese adds slow-digesting micellar casein and calcium, creating creamy comfort with 70% less fat than heavy cream.

Mid-Recipe Culinary Connection: If you love incorporating high-protein cottage cheese into your weekly rotation, explore our High-Protein Whipped Cottage Cheese Ice Cream.

To understand Italian regional traditions of “one-pot” pasta (pasta risottata), explore the culinary history archives at Academia Barilla Italian Food Culture.

Ingredients Breakdown (US Standard & Metric)

• Medium Pasta Shells (Conchiglie): 11 oz (approx. 300g)
• Sweet Bell Peppers (Red & Yellow): 3 medium, deseeded and sliced
• Red Onions: 2 medium, finely sliced
• Zucchini (Courgettes): 2 small, halved and thinly sliced
• Garlic: 4 cloves, thinly sliced
• Fresh Basil: 1 large bunch (stems sliced fine, leaves pounded into basil oil)
• Cherry Tomatoes: 1.5 cups (approx. 250g), whole
• Good-Quality Cottage Cheese: ½ cup (approx. 120g)
• Boiling Water: 3.5 cups (approx. 800ml)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons
• Sea Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: To taste

Step-by-Step Cooking Technique

1. Caramelize the Veggies: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced peppers, red onions, zucchini, garlic, and sliced basil stems. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables shrink down and caramelize sweet and golden.
2. Pound Fresh Basil Oil: In a mortar, pound the reserved fresh basil leaves with a pinch of sea salt into a paste. Loosen with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to make an emerald drizzle.
3. Add Pasta & Liquid: Add whole cherry tomatoes, raw dry pasta shells, and 3.5 cups (800ml) of boiling water directly into the skillet with the caramelized vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Simmer Under Lid: Stir thoroughly, clamp a tight-fitting lid on top, and simmer on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes (matching the pasta packet instructions) until the shells are al dente and have absorbed the vegetable broth.
5. Fold Cottage Cheese: Remove lid, turn off heat, and spoon in 4 heaping tablespoons of cottage cheese. Fold gently through the hot pasta so the curds warm through and melt into creamy pockets.
6. Finish: Drizzle with fresh basil oil and scatter with extra basil leaves before serving straight from the skillet.

Nutritional Analysis (Per Serving)

• Servings: 4
• Calories: 385 kcal
• Protein: 17g
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Dietary Fiber: 7g (28% Daily Value)
• Fat: 8.5g
• Vitamin C: Over 150% Daily Value