High Protein Mac & Cheese

Comfort food, but better for you! This high protein mac and cheese is creamy, rich and everything a good mac and cheese should be, but with 20 grams of protein per serving thanks to cottage cheese. It’s easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes.

Mac and cheese is my ultimate comfort food, but sometimes you need a healthier take on comfort food! This high protein mac and cheese is just as rich, comforting and cheesy as your classic mac and cheese, but with added protein thanks to cottage cheese. I know we’re probably all sick of cottage cheese going into everything (it’s actually the first time I’ve used it in a recipe on the site!), but I promise, you actually can’t taste it in here.

We blend it right into the milk, so before you freak out, there’s no weird cottage cheese texture happening here. Just lots of extra protein! If you love this recipe, try my broccoli cheddar pasta next!

Tips before we get cooking!

• We’re mostly using cheddar cheese here, but I also love adding parmesan cheese to give a richer and sharper flavor. It will also add a touch more protein!
• This recipe calls for 12 ounces of pasta, but if you like your sauce really, really cheesy and more “saucy,” I suggest using 10 ounces! You can always cook 12 ounces, add most of it, then add more as desired to reach the desired level of sauciness. I used 12 for references in the photos, but the pasta will absorb the sauce as it sits, so keep that in mind if prepping in advance.

How to make high protein mac and cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions.

Add the milk and cottage cheese to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

In a large pot or wide brimmed pan, melt the butter over medium/low heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour, salt, pepper and spices until no clumps remain.

Pour in the milk mixture and whisk everything to combine. Reduce the heat to low and let the milk thicken slightly.

Whisk in the cheddar cheese until melted, then remove from heat. Combine with the cooked pasta and toss to combine.

Serve hot as is or with freshly grated parmesan and chopped chives. Enjoy and try my gluten free vodka pasta next!

Key ingredients & variations

Pasta. I used gluten free brown rice elbow pasta here, but honestly, anything goes! You can use a chickpea or legume based pasta to up the protein even more, but if keeping it gluten free, I find a brown rice based pasta has a more similar texture to regular pasta.

Butter. Butter adds a nice richness to the cheese sauce. I used unsalted butter, but if you only have salted, just decrease the added salt in the recipe.

Flour. A little bit of flour will mix with the butter to create a roux which will then help thicken the milk and therefore the sauce! This helps everything stay together and have a smooth consistency.

Milk. I used 2% milk, but you can use whole, skim, whatever you like!

Cottage Cheese. Cottage cheese is what makes this a high protein mac and cheese. Before you tell me you don’t like cottage cheese, don’t worry, I don’t either, but it will get blended with the milk to create a really smooth consistency and you won’t even know it’s in there!

Cheddar. I suggest a block of sharp cheddar cheese that you can grate yourself to ensure the cheese melts fully. Pre-shredded cheese often has anti-caking agents and can give the sauce a weird texture.

How to store

This high protein mac and cheese will store in the fridge for about 3-4 days. I like to store it either right in the pot with the lid on, or transfer to a smaller contain if a lot of it has already been eaten! Reheat either on the stove, microwave or pop back in the oven if you baked it and want to get some of the crispy top back!

To freeze, add the cooked and cooled mac and cheese to a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the oven until warm. As it sits in either the fridge or freezer, some of the sauce will be absorbed into the pasta, so you can add some more milk or cheese when you reheat to ensure it’s nice and creamy.

Bake it!

If you want to “bake”, transfer to a large baking or casserole dish, top with about 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup of parmesan and broil on high for 3-5 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy! I suggest this over baking because the longer baking time can cause the pasta and cheese to dry up a bit, and broiling keeps the sauce nice and creamy but gives the top that golden brown crunch.

Other high protein dinner recipes!

• Creamy Tofu Pasta
• Peanut Chicken Noodles
• Gluten Free Lasagna
• Roasted Red Pepper Chicken

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