Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Amercian

Keyword: cottage cheese mac and cheese, cottage cheese macaroni and cheese, mac n cheese with cottage cheese

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 727kcal

Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese is a delicious twist on classic comfort food! It's a high protein mac and cheese with a creamy texture that's ready in 20 minutes. Easy to make and a healthy weeknight dinner for the whole family. Gluten free friendly.

Print Recipe

Equipment

1 Blender or Food Processor

Ingredients

16 ounces short pasta I used large elbows
1 cup cottage cheese I used 4% milkfat
2 cups milk I used unsweetened cashew milk, but another dairy free or 2% milk works
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese used from a block
1 tablespoon cornstarch (see notes)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon paprika optional, but adds a touch of color and flavor
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (taste test, see notes)
red pepper flakes or cracked black pepper for serving

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, al dente.
Meanwhile, start the cottage cheese sauce: In a blender or food processor, add the cottage cheese, milk, shredded cheese, cornstarch, salt, and paprika (do not add sugar). Blend until smooth, about 20-30 seconds.
Heat sauce: Pour cheese sauce into a large skillet over medium heat. Stir continuously until cheese is melted and sauce begins to thicken, do not let boil. Remove from heat.
Add pasta to sauce: Add drained pasta to sauce and stir to combine. Taste test and adjust spices to your liking. Add sugar here if you'd like and stir again to fully combine.
Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

SUGAR: Because I used cashew milk in this recipe to lighten up the dairy portion of the ingredients, I added 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar to help balance it out. If you use dairy milk, you likely won’t need the sugar. Please taste test before adding!

CORNSTARCH: If you don’t have cornstarch, flour will work in a pinch.

STORAGE: Leftover mac n cheese cottage cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.

REHEAT: Reheat in a large skillet over medium to low heat until warm, about 10 minutes. If the sauce looks thick, add a splash of milk to bring it back to the creamy sauce consistency.

Nutrition