High Protein Mac and Cheese
40aprons.com/cottage-cheese-mac-and-cheese/This cottage cheese mac and cheese recipe is happily high in protein, but still has that classic rich, thick and creamy mac and cheese texture we all know and love!
Recipe Makes (Approximate):
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.
Recipe Notes
Oven baked 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.
Storage & re-heating: 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.
Nutrition Information (Approximate)
Calories: 635calProtein: 25gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 580mgPotassium: 287mgTotal Carbs: 62gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gNet Carbs: 59gVitamin A: 731IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 432mgIron: 1mg
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