High-Protein Mac and Cheese
This high-protein mac and cheese gets its creamy sauce from cottage cheese, blended until completely smooth and melted with sharp cheddar so it tastes like the classic. Chickpea or lentil pasta and a cup of peas bring the protein to about 35 g a serving, with fewer calories than a butter and flour cheese sauce. The one rule is to keep the heat low once the sauce is in the pot, because cottage cheese turns grainy if it boils.
By Luca Ferraro
Published
- Prep Time
- 5 mins
- Cook Time
- 15 mins
- Total Time
- 20 mins
- Servings
- 4 servings
How do you make High-Protein Mac and Cheese?
For high-protein mac and cheese, blend 450 g (2 cups) cottage cheese with 125 ml milk until completely smooth. Cook 225 g (8 oz) chickpea pasta, adding 150 g frozen peas for the last 2 minutes, and drain. Warm the sauce in the pot over low heat without boiling, melt in 115 g sharp cheddar and 25 g parmesan, then toss with the pasta.
- Total time
- 20 mins
- Calories
- 480 per serving
- Protein
- 35 g
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Stovetop
Ingredients
Pasta
Cottage cheese sauce
Equipment
Blender or food processor · Large pot · Colander · Box grater · Silicone spatula
Quick Directions
Blend the sauce
Put the cottage cheese, milk, mustard powder, garlic powder and paprika in a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides once, until completely smooth with no curds left.
Cook the pasta and peas
Boil the pasta, adding the peas for the last 2 minutes, then drain.
Warm the sauce gently
Pour the blended sauce into the empty pot over low heat.
Melt in the cheese
Add the cheddar and parmesan and stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes, until melted and smooth.
Combine and serve
Add the pasta and peas and toss until coated.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect high-protein mac and cheese.
Blend the sauce
Put the cottage cheese, milk, mustard powder, garlic powder and paprika in a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides once, until completely smooth with no curds left.
Cook the pasta and peas
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package time, because chickpea and lentil pasta soften quickly. Add the peas for the last 2 minutes. Scoop out 125 ml (1/2 cup) of the pasta water, then drain.
Warm the sauce gently
Pour the blended sauce into the empty pot over low heat. Stir for 2-3 minutes until it is warm and just steaming. Don't let it bubble, or the cottage cheese can turn grainy.
Melt in the cheese
Add the cheddar and parmesan and stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes, until melted and smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Combine and serve
Add the pasta and peas and toss until coated. Loosen with a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick, then serve straight away.
Recipe Tips
- Blend the cottage cheese longer than you think you need to. Any curds left in the sauce will stay lumpy after it is heated.
- Keep the heat low from the moment the sauce goes in. Cottage cheese and yogurt-style sauces split when they boil.
- Legume pastas vary by brand. Start tasting a minute or two early and drain as soon as they are just tender.
Variations
- Swap the peas for 2 big handfuls of baby spinach, stirred in with the cheese until wilted.
- Add 150 g (1 cup) shredded cooked chicken or diced ham for an even higher-protein bowl.
- Use protein-enriched wheat pasta instead of chickpea pasta for a texture closer to regular macaroni.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 480 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 35 g |
| Carbs | 46 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Saturated fat | 9 g |
| Fibre | 6.5 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended, because the cottage cheese sauce turns grainy when thawed.
- Reheat
- Add a splash of milk and reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until hot to 74°C (165°F).
High-Protein Mac and Cheese FAQs
Can you taste the cottage cheese in this mac and cheese?
Not once it is blended until smooth and mixed with sharp cheddar and parmesan. It adds a mild, slightly tangy creaminess, similar to cream cheese, and no curdy texture.
How much protein is in high-protein mac and cheese?
This recipe has about 35 g of protein per serving when made with chickpea pasta, from the cottage cheese, cheddar, parmesan, pasta and peas. Made with regular wheat macaroni, it's closer to 29 g per serving.
Why does cottage cheese sauce turn grainy?
Either the cottage cheese wasn't blended long enough to break down every curd, or the sauce got too hot. Blend for a full 1-2 minutes until silky, and warm the sauce over low heat without letting it bubble.
Is high-protein mac and cheese good for meal prep?
Yes. Divide it into containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens as it chills, so stir in a splash of milk before reheating until hot to 74°C (165°F).
Is this mac and cheese gluten-free?
It can be. Chickpea and lentil pastas are naturally gluten-free, and the sauce has no flour. Check the labels on the pasta, mustard powder and spices if you need it to be strictly gluten-free.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
