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This rich, creamy macaroni and cheese recipe is made with cottage cheese for extra creaminess and protein! Cottage cheese is blitzed until smooth and stirred through a roux made with butter, flour and classic spices for a rich sauce ready to be loaded up with sharp cheddar and melty mozzarella. Add the pasta, and then this upgraded mac and cheese is then ready to be either baked with an extra cheesy top, or simply served right from the pan for a simple dinner.
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why You’ll Love This Take On Mac and Cheese
- This is a super-versatile mac and cheese recipe with hidden cottage cheese for extra protein! It either works straight from the saucepan for a creamy bowlful when you need a quick meal, or baked with an extra topping of cheese like I’ve done in the pictures. You could even top it with panko mixed with melted butter. Just broil it for 2-3 minutes until golden!
- We’re blitzing the cottage cheese until smooth so you still get the same silky smooth texture as regular mac and cheese, but with extra protein! It also makes a mac and cheese that is a bit healthier for you than the regular cream cheese method.
- Lots of cottage cheese mac and cheese recipes I’ve found come out watery as they try to lean too hard into the cottage cheese element of the recipe, skipping the traditional flour roux base in favour of a thicker, drained cottage cheese approach. By adding the blitzed cottage cheese to a traditional base we’re guaranteeing a rich, silky cheese sauce that clings to the pasta every time!
What I Learnt Testing This Recipe
- I found both my food processor and my high speed bullet blender were both great for blitzing the cottage cheese. For both methods, remember to scrape down the sides at least once to make sure you get all the cottage cheese curds.
- Don’t let the sauce get too hot in the pan. I’ve found if I let it get any higher than just a gentle heat the sauce splits and turns grainy. This is not just an essential tip for this cottage cheese mac and cheese, but for any mac and cheese recipe!
- Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the package instructions. The pasta will finish cooking in the hot cheese sauce, and I’ve found it overcooks and turns a little soft if it goes into the sauce already perfectly cooked.
Ingredients
Elbow macaroni or shells: Which ever is your families favorite for mac and cheese!
Full-fat cottage cheese: While lower fat cottage cheese varieties tend to have a little more protein than the regular version, full-fat cottage cheese has that creamy mouthfeel we’re looking for to make a good mac and cheese recipe truly great.
Whole milk: As with the cottage cheese, use whole milk here for maximum creaminess. However, if you are looking to lighten the dish little, whole milk for half fat would be a better swap than changing the cottage cheese.
Unsalted butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter here as it is easier to control the amount of sugar in the overall dish.
All-purpose flour: This will thicken the roux base to make a rich sauce that clings perfectly to the macaroni elbows.
Garlic powder, mustard powder and smoked paprika: These dried spices will add savory depth and a bit of a kick to your macaroni and cheese making sure it is anything but bland and boring!
Sharp cheddar and mozzarella: Freshly shredded cheese matters here — pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that make sauces grainy. The sharp cheddar is what makes the mac and cheese taste super cheesy, and the mozzarella is the melting cheese that gives it that nice pull. With this in mind, you can also use mild cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, or Gruyère cheese instead. Make sure whatever cheese you use is suitable for vegetarians if that matters to you!
Baked Version Instructions
To make a baked version of this cottage cheese mac and cheese, first follow the recipe as usual but undercook the pasta by 2 minutes rather than 1, to allow for the pasta to continue cooking in the oven.
Then, transfer the mac and cheese into a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish, and spread it out in an even layer. Top with an additional 4 ounces of the sharp cheddar cheese.
Bake uncovered at 375°F for 15–20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is completely melted and bubbling around the edges.
Let the mac and cheese rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
Serve this mac and cheese (the stovetop or baked versions) with either a simple green salad or some steamed veg on the side. If you want the mac and cheese to serve more people than suggested, I often also add garlic bread to the table so people need less of each carb.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the stovetop version gently re-heat it with a splash of milk to make up for where the pasta will have absorbed some of the liquid in the sauce in the refrigerator. For the baked version, microwave it until the cheesy top has melted and the pasta is heated through with a splash of milk in the bottom of the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all! It is literally just there to add creaminess and a tiny bit of balancing acidity. And as we’ve blitzed it until smooth, the curd-like texture won’t mess with your silky smooth mac and cheese either.
No, I find that the extra liquid helps the cottage cheese blend as smooth as possible.
I’ve not tried it for this specific recipe, but I can’t see why you can’t use gluten-free pasta and sub the all-purpose flour for your usual 1:1 substitute. If you try it, do let me know how you get on!
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
High Protein Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni or shells
- 16 ounces full-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for topping
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar freshly shredded
- 4 ounces mozzarella freshly shredded
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 1 minute short of package directions, so it stays slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, blend the cottage cheese in a food processor or high-powered blender until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside—this is your secret creamy base!
- In the same pot you cooked the pasta in (or a separate large saucepan), melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to get rid of the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until smooth and no lumps remain. Cook, whisking often, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, this should take about 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the garlic powder, mustard powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the blended cottage cheese and stir until fully incorporated and warmed through.
- Add the cheddar and mozzarella a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding more. The sauce should be glossy, thick, and pourable, not stiff.
- Fold the drained pasta into the sauce until every piece is coated. If the sauce feels too thick, loosen it with a splash of warm milk, a tablespoon at a time.
- Serve immediately, with an extra dusting of smoked paprika or black pepper on top.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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