Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

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5 from 12 votes

Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

Learn how to make creamy, high-protein mac and cheese with cottage cheese. Only 5 ingredients, 1 pot and zero prep.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Course: dinner, side

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 397kcal

Author: Agnieszka

Ingredients

8 oz pasta dry, shells or macaroni See Note 1
1 cup cottage cheese whole milk See Note 3
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
½ cup milk
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup pasta cooking water reserved

Instructions

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente, saving ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
Put the cooked pasta back in the pot. Mix in milk, cottage cheese, cheddar, and garlic powder over low heat until the cheese melts. Add pasta water gradually to smooth the sauce.
Season with salt and other spices (paprika, black pepper, onion powder), of desired, to taste. Add more pasta cooking water or milk for a creamier texture.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Note 1: Classic elbow macaroni or shells is what works best for mac and cheese but any smaller pasta will work: penne, rotini, ziti, campanelle etc.

Note 2: Pick pasta that fits your dietary restroctions - gluten-free, whole wheat, chickpea, lentil, brown rice pasta will all work.

Note 3: For extra smoothness, blend the cottage cheese in a small food processor or blender before adding to the recipe. But if you're lazy like me, skip the blending—it'll still be creamy and mostly melted.

Note 4: If your mac and cheese seems dry, add more pasta cooking water or milk (a couple of tablespoons at a time) and keep mixing gently.

Note 5: Rubber spatula works best for mixing as it won't break the pasta shapes.

Note 6: Feel free to experiment with various types of cheese. Cheddar is my go to but you can also mix in some parmesan, gruyere or gouda.

Nutrition