High-Protein Mac Cheese Delight (Printable)

A creamy mac & cheese with a cottage cheese-based sauce that’s rich, smooth, and packed with protein.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
07 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
10 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
11 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste

→ Topping (optional)

13 - ¼ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
14 - 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of cooking water, and set 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 completely smooth and creamy.
03 - Pour the blended sauce into a saucepan. Gently heat over medium-low, whisking constantly until thickened and just bubbling, about 3-5 minutes. Add reserved pasta water if too thick to reach desired consistency.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce. Toss thoroughly to coat and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes.
05 - Transfer the macaroni mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp.
06 - Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes decadent and creamy while sneaking in serious protein—no chalky, lean-cuisine vibes here.
  • You can have it on the table in half an hour, making weeknight dinners feel special without the fuss.
  • Once you taste how smooth that blended sauce is, you'll never look at cottage cheese the same way again.
02 -
  • Use regular cottage cheese, not the no-lump kind marketed as smooth—the standard texture actually blends into the creamiest sauce, while the pre-smoothed versions can turn grainy when heated.
  • Don't skip the whisk-constantly part or you'll end up with sauce that breaks or gets lumpy, which defeats the whole purpose of using cottage cheese in the first place.
  • If your sauce thickens too quickly before it's warm, add pasta water gradually instead of more milk, because pasta water has starch that helps the sauce stay emulsified.
03 -
  • Use a high-powered blender if you have one, because cheap blenders sometimes struggle to fully break down cottage cheese curds, leaving behind a grainy texture that ruins the whole effect.
  • Taste the sauce at the blending stage and add a pinch more salt if it seems flat—cottage cheese mutes flavors, so you need to season more aggressively than you think at this point.
Go Back