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Close-up of a fork in a bowl of creamy, spiral macaroni and cheese.
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Whipped Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese Recipe

This super creamy whipped cottage cheese mac and cheese packs a whopping 17g of protein per serving! Make it in under 30 minutes and don't skip the bread crumb topping 😃
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: American
Keyword: whipped cottage cheese mac and cheese
Servings: 4
Author: Emily Richter

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. pasta any kind works
  • ½ cup full-fat cottage cheese*
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Optional Topping

  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Strain the pasta and transfer the pasta to a serving bowl, not the hot pot.
  • For the cheese sauce, add the cottage cheese to a high-speed food processor or blender and blend on high until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and salt to the cottage cheese and blend on high until smooth. Set aside.
    Top view of a blender with creamy, whipped mixture inside, surrounded by a dusting of white powder on the container's edges.
  • Heat avocado oil in a skillet over medium/high heat if preparing the topping. Add the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and salt. Toss periodically until the breadcrumbs are brown and crunchy. Remove from the heat.
    Crumbled cauliflower in a dark skillet on a light surface.
  • Add the sauce to the pasta (making sure it's not in the hot pot!!*) and stir until coated. Top with breadcrumbs and enjoy immediately.
    A bowl of rotini pasta with creamy sauce, topped with chopped herbs and breadcrumbs, on a round plate with a fork.

Video

Notes

  • Be sure NOT to mix the pasta and the cheese sauce together in the hot pot, the sauce will melt into soup. We recommend mixing the sauce and pasta together in a separate bowl. If you would like the pasta warmed up, microwave the pasta in 30-second increments until warm.
  • We highly recommend using high-fat cottage cheese. Lower-fat cottage cheese has a higher water content.

Nutrition

Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 14g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g