High-Protein Mac Cheese (Printable Version)

A creamy mac & cheese with creamy cottage sauce and a nutritious, high-protein boost.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 1⅓ cups low-fat cottage cheese
03 - ½ cup low-fat milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)
04 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
05 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
07 - 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - ½ tsp garlic powder
10 - ½ tsp onion powder
11 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
12 - ¼ tsp salt, or to taste

→ Topping (optional)

13 - ¼ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
14 - 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water following package directions until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup pasta water.
02 - Blend cottage cheese, milk, cheddar, Parmesan, nutritional yeast (if used), cornstarch, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt until smooth.
03 - Pour sauce into saucepan and heat over medium-low, whisking until thickened and beginning to bubble, about 3-5 minutes. Thin with reserved pasta water if needed.
04 - Add drained pasta to sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Heat through for 1-2 minutes.
05 - Transfer mixture to baking dish, sprinkle breadcrumbs on top, and broil 2-3 minutes until golden and crisp.
06 - Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get that velvety, indulgent mac and cheese comfort without the heavy feeling afterward.
  • It's genuinely high in protein, so it can stand alone as a complete meal instead of needing sides.
  • The blended sauce comes together in minutes, making weeknight dinners feel effortless.
02 -
  • Do not skip blending the cottage cheese completely smooth—I learned this the hard way and spent a whole meal apologizing for the grainy texture.
  • Keep your heat at medium-low when warming the sauce; crank it too high and the cheese will separate and the sauce breaks into greasy sad clumps.
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining—it's your safety net if the sauce thickens too much.
03 -
  • Grate your cheese fresh rather than using pre-shredded; the anti-caking agents in bags prevent the sauce from becoming truly silky.
  • If you don't have a blender, a food processor works fine, though you might need to blend in batches to get it completely smooth.
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