Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz elbow macaroni (or your favorite pasta shape)
- 1 cup low-fat or whole milk cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup milk (skim, 2%, or whole)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: A pinch of paprika for color
Instructions
- Step 1: Boil the Pasta Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to the package instructions until it reaches an al dente texture. Before draining, reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain the rest and return the pasta to the pot.
- Step 2: Blend the Cheese Sauce While the pasta is cooking, place the cottage cheese, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper into a blender or food processor. Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and no lumps remain. This step is crucial for achieving that classic creamy texture.
- Step 3: Combine and Melt Pour the blended cottage cheese mixture over the warm, drained pasta. Add the shredded cheddar cheese and the optional paprika. Stir everything together over low heat until the cheddar cheese is melted and the sauce is thick and glossy. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.
- Step 4: Season and Serve Give the mac and cheese a final taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Once everything is perfectly coated and heated through, remove from the heat and serve immediately.