High Protein Mac Cheese (Printer-friendly)

Velvety mac and cheese featuring a high-protein cottage cheese sauce, rich and satisfying.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz high-protein pasta (chickpea, lentil, or whole wheat)

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 1 1/3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
03 - 1/2 cup low-fat milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)
04 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
05 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
07 - 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
10 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
11 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

→ Topping (optional)

13 - 1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
14 - 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water.
02 - Combine cottage cheese, milk, cheddar, Parmesan, nutritional yeast (if using), cornstarch, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
03 - Pour blended sauce into a large saucepan and heat over medium-low, whisking constantly until thickened and starting to bubble, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add reserved pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick.
04 - Add drained pasta to the sauce, toss to coat evenly, and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes.
05 - Transfer mac & cheese to a baking dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.
06 - Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgently creamy and comforting while actually keeping you satisfied for hours, not just ten minutes.
  • The cottage cheese trick means you're packing serious protein into something that feels like pure comfort food.
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, and your kitchen smells incredible the whole time.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or gets grainy, it's usually because the heat was too high or you didn't whisk constantly—keep it low and gentle, and you'll never have that problem.
  • The cornstarch is what keeps this stable; I learned this the hard way by skipping it once and ending up with separated, weepy sauce.
03 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining; that starch is your secret weapon for adjusting sauce consistency at the last second.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta and adjust seasoning then—it's much easier than trying to fix it after everything is mixed together.
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