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Overhead view of creamy cheddar macaroni in a white bowl topped with cracked pepper on a wooden table

Creamy Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese with 37g Protein

Stovetop mac and cheese made with blended cottage cheese, sharp cheddar and Parmesan. Each serving has about 37 g protein and the whole dish is ready in 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, American comfort, Tex-Mex, Italian-American
Calories: 248
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 300 g elbow macaroni about 3 cups dry
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt for the pasta water
Sauce
  • 500 g 4% small curd cottage cheese about 2 1/4 cups
  • 120 ml whole milk
  • 30 g Parmesan finely grated
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 170 g sharp cheddar shredded from a block, about 1 1/2 cups

Method
 

  1. Fill the 5-quart / 4.7 L pot with 3 L of water, add the salt, and bring to a boil over high heat, about 8 minutes. While it heats, shred the cheddar and grate the Parmesan.
  2. Cook the macaroni for 1 minute less than the package time, usually 7 to 8 minutes, until al dente. Scoop out 60 ml of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and leave it in the colander.
  3. While the pasta cooks, blend the cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, Dijon, garlic powder, paprika and pepper in the 1.5 L blender for 45 seconds. Scrape the sides once, until no curds are visible.
  4. Return the empty pot to the burner on the lowest heat and melt the butter. Pour in the blended sauce and stir for 2 minutes until steaming, with no bubbles at the edge. If it bubbles, pull the pot off the heat, because boiling makes the sauce grainy.
  5. Add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts. Fold in the drained macaroni and loosen with the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce coats the pasta. Taste for salt and serve within 10 minutes.

Notes

  • Protein for the whole pot is about 149 g: pasta 37, cottage cheese 55, cheddar 42, Parmesan 11, milk 4.
  • This recipe uses no protein powder, so there is no powder-free version and no protein lost.
  • Do not boil the sauce after the cottage cheese goes in, or it turns grainy.
  • Serve within 10 minutes of finishing for the best texture.
  • Salt the pasta water well, because the cottage cheese sauce is mild on its own.