This cottage cheese mac and cheese recipe makes creamy, protein-packed consolation meals that’s prepared in simply 20 minutes. Right here’s find out how to mix cottage cheese into the silkiest cheese sauce you’ve ever tasted!
Cottage cheese has turn out to be fairly the stylish ingredient, and right here’s considered one of my all-time favourite methods to make use of it. After I first recommended making cottage cheese mac and cheese, Alex gave me a kind of seems that claims “I like you, however I’m involved about your judgment.” Twenty minutes later, he was scraping the underside of the bowl!
Right here’s the factor I’ve found by means of years of recipe testing: cottage cheese is just like ricotta when blended, creating an extremely creamy base that’s naturally excessive in protein. It coats the noodles completely, turning it into considered one of my household’s favourite straightforward dinner concepts!
Cottage cheese mac and cheese elements
You may be considering, cottage cheese in pasta? Sure, these white curds mix up completely when mixed with cheddar cheese and spices. I’ve discovered it’s greatest so as to add some cornstarch to assist the sauce thicken and coat the noodles. Listed here are the elements you’ll want:
- Quick pasta: Any sort of brief noodles work. I like to make use of cavatappi, however is nice with macaroni, shells, penne, rigatoni, and spirals.
- Cottage cheese: I like to recommend utilizing 4% milkfat cottage cheese for the richest taste. The two% milkfat possibility additionally works; simply keep away from fats free cottage cheese.
- Milk: I sometimes use 2% milk, however any sort of milk works.
- Cornstarch: This helps to thicken the sauce and add a silky physique, just like the flour and butter-based roux in most mac and cheese recipes (like this one).
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Cheddar provides that anticipated mac and cheese taste.
- Garlic powder and paprika: The paprika is elective, however helps to make a vibrant colour.
“It was so yummy! I baked it and added a little bit cheese on prime together with crumbs and ended up loving how straightforward and scrumptious it was. Thanks!” -Lisa
Professional suggestions for excellent outcomes
Gear: I exploit a high-speed blender for our blended recipes, which whizzes up the sauce in only a few seconds. An ordinary blender and meals processor additionally work; even a small blender may match relying on its dimension capability.
Pasta tip: If the pasta takes longer than the sauce otherwise you pre-cook your pasta, make sure that to toss it with a little bit of olive oil or it should keep on with the pan.
Baked variation: This cottage cheese mac and cheese is prepared in simply 20 minutes, which is good for fast weeknight dinners. When you might have extra time, baking the mac and cheese at 350°F for quarter-hour provides much more taste! It helps the sauce to permeate the noodles, making it style richer and extra savory.
Be aware for serving a crowd
This recipe works nicely doubled for serving a crowd. You should use the 2x button within the recipe under to rapidly double the portions. Utilizing 1 pound of pasta, you may pour it right into a 9 x 13″ baking dish and bake for quarter-hour at 350°F earlier than serving.
The cottage cheese benefit
In line with Healthline, cottage cheese could be a wholesome possibility when in comparison with different forms of cheeses. Listed here are among the advantages of cottage cheese:
- It’s a decrease calorie cheese than different varieties. A one-cup serving has simply 163 energy.
- It’s very excessive in protein. One cup has a whopping 28 grams of protein, over half your day by day want. Impressively, the protein accounts for over 70% of the energy.
- It has vitamins like B nutritional vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and selenium.
Making it your personal: variations and add-ins
I’ve served this cottage cheese mac and cheese recipe to choosy youngsters, health-conscious adults, and everybody in between: and there’s all the time a method to customise it!
Baked model: Baking takes the flavour to a different degree. I switch the completed pasta to a baking dish and bake at 350°F for quarter-hour.
Veggie adders: I like sneaking further greens into this dish. Frozen peas, boiled broccoli, or sautéed spinach all work nicely. I add them proper on the finish so that they preserve their texture.
Spice it up: I typically add a spoonful of Dijon mustard and even basil pesto to the cheese sauce (to make pesto mac and cheese).
Good serving recommendations
Is mac and cheese a most important or a facet? I like this recipe both means, as a fast weeknight meal or baked up in a giant pan as a facet for entertaining. As a most important dish, listed here are a number of methods to make it right into a meal:
Storing leftovers
Cottage cheese mac and cheese lasts refrigerated for as much as 3 days. To reheat it, place it in a pan on the stovetop and gently reheat, including a splash of milk or pinch of salt if crucial.
Dietary notes
This cottage cheese mac and cheese recipe is vegetarian.
Often requested questions
By no means! Cottage cheese provides a creamy texture and a slight tang that enhances the tacky taste fantastically. It’s additionally a lighter different to conventional mac and cheese recipes.
We suggest 4% milkfat cottage cheese right here for greatest taste. For the reason that sauce is made in a blender, you need to use any sort of cottage cheese: small or massive curd.
Sure! Whereas a blender creates the smoothest sauce, you need to use a potato masher to interrupt down the cottage cheese till it’s comparatively easy. Take note the feel shall be chunkier.
Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese
This cottage cheese mac and cheese recipe makes creamy, protein-packed consolation meals that’s prepared in simply 20 minutes. Right here’s find out how to mix cottage cheese into the silkiest cheese sauce you’ve ever tasted!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Prepare dinner Time: 10 minutes
- Whole Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Class: Important dish
- Methodology: Stovetop
- Delicacies: Vegetarian
- Food plan: Vegetarian
- 8 ounces brief pasta*
- 1 cup 4% milkfat cottage cheese
- ¾ cup milk of alternative (we used 2%)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika (elective, for colour)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Deliver a big pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and boil till al dente (verify a couple of minutes earlier than the bundle directions point out). Drain the pasta.
- In the meantime, in a blender, mix the cottage cheese, milk, cornstarch, shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, and kosher salt. Pour the cheese combination right into a skillet and warmth for five minutes, till thickened. As soon as it’s thickened, take away from the warmth till the pasta finishes.
- When the sauce is completed, add the cooked and drained pasta. Stir to mix. Style and add a pinch of salt if crucial.
- Serve instantly, or permit it to take a seat for a couple of minutes to soak up the sauce flavors (you may as well switch to a baking dish and bake for quarter-hour at 350°F for much more taste). If desired, prime with seasoned panko or breadcrumbs for a crunchy topping. Leftovers last as long as 3 days refrigerated; reheat gently on the stovetop and add a splash of milk or pinch of salt if crucial.
Notes
*This recipe is simple to double for a crowd, then place in a 9 x 13 pan and bake for quarter-hour at 350°F .
