DinnerComfort foodHigh proteinQuick & easy20 min
High protein mac and cheese in a cast iron skillet

High-Protein Mac & Cheese

Cottage cheese blended into the sauce, which sounds wrong and tastes like nothing but cheese. It carries the protein without the sauce splitting.

31gProtein
542Calories
64gCarbs
17gFat

Computed per serving from USDA FoodData Central

5 minPrep
15 minCook
20 minTotal
4Serves
AmericanCuisine

Ingredients

  • 3 cupsmacaroni
  • 1¾ cupscottage cheese, full fat
  • 5½ ozextra sharp cheddar, grated
  • ⅔ cup2% milk
  • 1 tspdijon mustard
  • 1 tspgarlic powder
  • 1 pinchsalt and black pepper

Method

  1. Boil the macaroni in well-salted water one minute short of the packet time, then drain and keep a mug of the water.

  2. Blend the cottage cheese, milk, mustard and garlic powder until completely smooth. Completely — any texture left here stays in the finished sauce.

  3. Warm the blended mixture in the pan over low heat. Do not let it boil or it will split.

  4. Off the heat, stir the cheddar through in handfuls until it melts into a glossy sauce.

  5. Fold in the macaroni, loosening with pasta water until it coats rather than clumps. Season hard and serve immediately.

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What you’ll need

The gear this recipe actually uses. Essentials marked; the rest make it easier.

All-CladStainless 3 qt SaucepanPasta water and sauces.EssentialAmazon Vitamix5200 BlenderMousses, baked oats, anything that has to go silky.Amazon OXOGood Grips Box GraterCheese, zucchini, and grating ginger or pear on the fine side.Amazon OXOGood Grips Measuring CupsDry measures for cups of oats, flour, yogurt.EssentialAmazon OXOGood Grips Measuring SpoonsTeaspoons and tablespoons of spice, oil and honey.EssentialAmazon GIRUltimate Silicone SpatulaFolding batters and scraping the last of anything out.Amazon OXOGood Grips 5 qt StrainerDraining pasta, rinsing beans.Amazon

Links go to Amazon.