Go Back
–+ servings
high protein mac and cheese recipe in a black bowl.

High Protein Mac and Cheese (34g Protein!)

This high protein mac and cheese is a healthy spin on the ultimate comfort food. It combines high fiber chickpea pasta with a blended cottage cheese sauce that is packed with delicious flavor!
No ratings yet
Print Pin
Course: Main Course
Keyword: easy, healthy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 507kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 oz chickpea pasta
  • ½ cup cottage cheese
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt plain
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • 2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta

  • Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

Make the cheese sauce

  • In a blender or food processor, blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and milk for about 30 to 60 seconds or until smooth.
  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper. Then pour in the blended cottage cheese mixture and stir to combine.
  • Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in cheddar cheese slowly until melted and the cheese sauce is smooth.

Assemble your mac and cheese

  • Mix the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, stirring until fully coated. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Note: for best results, allow your cooked chickpea pasta to cool a little before mixing into the cheese sauce. If it’s scalding hot, it may cause the cheese sauce to separate or curdle

Notes

Optionally, you can add some panko bread crumbs and more cheese on top - cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese, and parmesan cheeses all work well for this. Then broil the mac and cheese in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. 
Store any leftover protein mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to eat it, simply microwave it to reheat.
For substitutions and variations, see full blog post above.

Nutrition

Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 723mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 681IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 534mg | Iron: 6mg