Cottage cheese's whey proteins create the creamiest mac without flour—food scientists discovered this accidentally in 1970s health food experiments.
Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese
Indulge in a rich and satisfying Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese that packs a punch with 26 grams of protein in every serving! This creamy delight comes together in a flash—just 20 minutes—thanks to the magic of cottage cheese and a touch of sharp cheddar. Get ready to elevate your comfort food game with a dish that's both delicious and nutritious!
Prep
5
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- 4 ounces of cheddar cheese (113 g)
- cheese and panko for toppingoptional
- 1 cup of cottage cheese (240 ml)
- 1/2 cup of milk (120 ml)
- 2 ounces of Parmesan (56.7 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- a little cornstarchoptional
- 8 ounces of elbow pasta (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- black pepperoptional
- some garlic powderoptional
- paprikaoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook eight ounces of elbow pasta in salted water until al dente. Save some water just in case and drain.
- 2
In a blender, add one cup of cottage cheese, half a cup of milk, four ounces of cheddar cheese, two ounces of Parmesan, a little cornstarch, and some garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Blend until super smooth.
- 3
Pour the sauce into a pot over medium-low heat and stir for about a minute until it thickens.
- 4
Add the pasta back in and stir well. If you want it baked, pour it into a dish topped with cheese and panko, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use 2-3 teaspoons of cornstarch per cup of cottage cheese in your sauce because cottage cheese has high water content (80%) and needs starch to prevent breaking when heated.ingredient2-3 tsp per cup
- ✓Blend the cottage cheese sauce for 60-90 seconds minimum because cottage cheese curds need complete breakdown to prevent grainy texture in the final dish.technique60-90 seconds
- ✓Keep sauce temperature below 160°F when thickening because cottage cheese proteins will curdle and separate at higher temperatures, creating a broken sauce.timing160°F maximum
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining because the starch content (6-8%) helps bind the cottage cheese sauce to pasta better than plain water.technique1/2 cup, 6-8% starch
- ✓Toast panko breadcrumbs with 1-2 tablespoons melted butter before topping because raw panko won't develop proper golden color in just 15 minutes of baking.technique1-2 tbsp butter
Share this recipe
Prep
5
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Cottage cheese's whey proteins create the creamiest mac without flour—food scientists discovered this accidentally in 1970s health food experiments.
Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese
Indulge in a rich and satisfying Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese that packs a punch with 26 grams of protein in every serving! This creamy delight comes together in a flash—just 20 minutes—thanks to the magic of cottage cheese and a touch of sharp cheddar. Get ready to elevate your comfort food game with a dish that's both delicious and nutritious!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- 4 ounces of cheddar cheese (113 g)
- cheese and panko for toppingoptional
- 1 cup of cottage cheese (240 ml)
- 1/2 cup of milk (120 ml)
- 2 ounces of Parmesan (56.7 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- a little cornstarchoptional
- 8 ounces of elbow pasta (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- black pepperoptional
- some garlic powderoptional
- paprikaoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook eight ounces of elbow pasta in salted water until al dente. Save some water just in case and drain.
- 2
In a blender, add one cup of cottage cheese, half a cup of milk, four ounces of cheddar cheese, two ounces of Parmesan, a little cornstarch, and some garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Blend until super smooth.
- 3
Pour the sauce into a pot over medium-low heat and stir for about a minute until it thickens.
- 4
Add the pasta back in and stir well. If you want it baked, pour it into a dish topped with cheese and panko, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use 2-3 teaspoons of cornstarch per cup of cottage cheese in your sauce because cottage cheese has high water content (80%) and needs starch to prevent breaking when heated.ingredient2-3 tsp per cup
- ✓Blend the cottage cheese sauce for 60-90 seconds minimum because cottage cheese curds need complete breakdown to prevent grainy texture in the final dish.technique60-90 seconds
- ✓Keep sauce temperature below 160°F when thickening because cottage cheese proteins will curdle and separate at higher temperatures, creating a broken sauce.timing160°F maximum
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining because the starch content (6-8%) helps bind the cottage cheese sauce to pasta better than plain water.technique1/2 cup, 6-8% starch
- ✓Toast panko breadcrumbs with 1-2 tablespoons melted butter before topping because raw panko won't develop proper golden color in just 15 minutes of baking.technique1-2 tbsp butter