High-Protein Mac Cheese (Printable Format)

Delicious creamy pasta with blended cottage cheese sauce, rich in protein and comforting.

# What's Needed:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz high-protein pasta (e.g., 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of cooking water, and set pasta aside.
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 saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until thickened and just bubbling, about 3–5 minutes. Add reserved pasta water as needed to adjust consistency.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat evenly and heat through for 1–2 minutes.
05 - Transfer mac and cheese to a baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and broil for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp.
06 - Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and creamy while actually giving you 31 grams of protein per bowl.
  • The whole thing comes together in half an hour, making it perfect for weeknights when you need something satisfying but don't have energy for complexity.
  • Cottage cheese becomes virtually invisible in the blend, so even people skeptical about it will ask for seconds.
02 -
  • Don't let the sauce boil aggressively or it can break and become grainy—medium-low heat and constant whisking is not optional here.
  • The sauce will thicken more as it cools, so if it looks slightly looser than you want at the stovetop, that's actually perfect.
03 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain—it's liquid gold for adjusting sauce consistency, and you can't get it back once the pasta is drained.
  • Blending the sauce until it's completely smooth is what gives you that restaurant-quality creaminess that people assume came from heavy cream.
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