High Protein Mac and Cheese
Made with easy 4-ingredient cottage cheese sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound (8 oz) small shaped pasta, such as elbows
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup milk (any kind)
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded cheese (I use a Monterey Jack and Cheddar blend)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Place drained pasta back into the pot.
- Add the butter, cottage cheese, milk, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese into a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended cheese sauce over the hot, cooked pasta and stir to combine. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste then serve. Stir in a splash of pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and make it more creamy as it cools and sets.
Notes
Want to make a whole pound of pasta? You can easily double the sauce recipe and make the full pound.
Add veggies to the Mac and cheese by stirring frozen peas into the pasta after draining. You can also add small broccoli florets to the pasta during the last 2 minutes of boiling.
For blended veggies, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup soft cooked carrot, cauliflower, or sweet potato to the cheese sauce.