Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

Creamy cottage cheese mac and cheese made the easy way, right on the stovetop. The blender does most of the work, and you’re left with a silky, cheesy, protein-packed mac and cheese.

Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese (The Blender Version)

If you’re also deep into your cottage cheese era, this cottage cheese mac and cheese might be the dish that keeps you there. It starts in the blender, skips the butter and flour baggage, and still comes out creamy enough to make you forget what’s missing. I pour it over hot pasta and watch it turn into a cheesy tangle that tastes way better than it has any right to.

It’s quick, rich, and currently giving every other creamy pasta dinner on my stove an inferiority complex.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Protein-packed without screaming “health food.”
• No butter, no flour, still ridiculously creamy.
• Tastes like cheddar, not cottage cheese.

Ingredients

Everything this one pot, stovetop mac and cheese needs to make it happen.

• Cellentani pasta noodles – perfect shape for maximum sauce cling.
• Cottage cheese – creamy base and loaded with protein.
• Whole milk – smooths it all out.
• Cornstarch – a quick thickener that skips the roux completely.
• Dijon mustard – gives the cheese just enough flavor.
• Garlic powder – a quiet boost of savoriness.
• Black pepper – adds subtle warmth.
• Salt – always.
• Sharp cheddar cheese – brings all the flavor.

How to Make Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (boil the pasta)
  Get a big pot of salted water going and cook your pasta until it’s just al dente. Cellentani, elbows, or whatever shape you like. Just make sure it’s got some curves for the sauce to grab onto.
• Step Two (blend the sauce)
  Add the cottage cheese, milk, cornstarch, Dijon, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to your blender. Let it run until it’s completely smooth. You want a sauce that looks creamy, not grainy.
• Step Three (melt and thicken)
  Pour the blended sauce into a pot over medium heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar and keep going until it’s melted and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This part goes fast, so don’t wander off.
• Step Four (toss it all together)
  Add the hot, drained pasta straight into that pot of cheese sauce. Stir until every piece is coated and shiny. It should look like something you’d dive into without hesitation.

Recipe Tips

A few ways to keep this cottage cheese pasta tasting good.

• Use full-fat cottage cheese for a richer texture. My favorite brand is Good Culture, and if you have extra, it’s perfect in my cottage cheese egg bake.
• Sharp cheddar is my non-negotiable. Mild doesn’t cut it here! If you like rich, smooth sauces without the roux, you need to also try my creamy garlic chicken pasta.
• Toss in peas, spinach, or roasted broccoli for an easy upgrade, or take it the indulgent way with something like my gnocchi with burrata, pesto, and brown butter.

Storage

Because this high protein mac and cheese stays creamy even after a night in the fridge, it’s worth saving every bite.

• Fridge: Store mac and cheese leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken slightly as it chills but comes back perfectly on the stove, which reminds me how well my stove top chicken and rice comes back to life after a reheat…time to make that again.
• Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce. Stir often so it stays creamy and doesn’t separate.
• Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this one. The cottage cheese base doesn’t thaw well and the texture turns grainy.

FAQs

• Can I make this cottage cheese mac and cheese without flour or butter?
  Yes, and that’s the whole point. The cornstarch thickens the sauce without needing a roux, so you still get that creamy texture without any extra steps.
• Does it actually taste like cottage cheese?
  Not even a little. Once it’s blended and heated with cheddar, it just tastes like a rich, cheesy sauce. The cottage cheese is there for texture and protein, not flavor.
• Can I use low-fat cottage cheese?
  You can, but it won’t be as creamy or flavorful. Full-fat cottage cheese gives this stovetop mac and cheese the richness it needs.
• What’s the best pasta for cottage cheese mac and cheese?
  Cellentani or elbows work best since the sauce clings to their curves. You can use shells or rotini too; anything that traps the creamy cheese sauce.
• Can I bake it instead of serving it on the stove?
  Sure, if you want a baked version. Just pour it into a casserole dish, sprinkle extra cheese on top, and bake until bubbly. If you want a fully baked pan with a crunchy topping, my pimento macaroni and cheese is the move.

More Mac and Cheese Recipes Worth Making

Because one version of mac and cheese is never enough, here are a few more to try.

• Gnocchi Mac and Cheese – creamy Gruyère and Fontina cheese.
• Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese – tender chicken, pasta, and a creamy, spicy cheese sauce.
• Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese – smooth sauce with a rich, earthy flavor.

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Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

Creamy cottage cheese mac and cheese made the easy way, right on the stovetop. The blender does most of the work, and you’re left with a rich, cheesy, high protein pasta that skips the flour and butter.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Comfort Food, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: blendermac and cheese, cottage cheese mac and cheese, creamy mac and cheese, high protein mac and cheese, no roux mac and cheese, stovetop mac and cheese, vegetarian mac and cheese

Servings: 6 to 8

Calories: 470kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Blender or food processor. For blending the cottage cheese sauce until smooth.
• large pot For boiling the pasta and making the mac and cheese.
• whisk For stirring the sauce as it melts.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (454 g) cellentani pasta or any elbows
• 24 oz (680 g) full fat cottage cheese (Good Culture is my favorite brand.)
• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• 3 tbsps (24 g) cornstarch
• 1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
• 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper
• ½ tsp (3 g) table salt
• 16 oz (454 g) sharp cheddar cheese shredded, white or yellow

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.
  1 lb (454 g) cellentani pasta
• While the pasta cooks, add the cottage cheese, milk, cornstarch, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth.
  24 oz (680 g) full fat cottage cheese , 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, 3 tbsps (24 g) cornstarch, 1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard, 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder, 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, ½ tsp (3 g) table salt
• Pour the blended sauce into a large pot over medium heat. Add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  16 oz (454 g) sharp cheddar cheese
• Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the sauce. Stir until the pasta is fully coated and the sauce is creamy and glossy. Serve warm.

Notes

• Use full-fat cottage cheese for the best texture. My favorite brand is Good Culture, and if you have extra, it’s perfect in my cottage cheese egg bake.
• Sharp cheddar gives you that classic mac and cheese flavor. Mild doesn’t cut it here.
• The sauce blends completely smooth. Any lumps mean it needs a longer spin in the blender.
• It reheats perfectly on the stove. The sauce thickens in the fridge but loosens right back up with a splash of milk.

 

If you’re making this cottage cheese mac and cheese, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

Amount Per Serving (285 g)

Calories 470 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 75mg25%

Sodium 710mg31%

Potassium 300mg9%

Carbohydrates 42g14%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 32g64%

Vitamin A 420IU8%

Calcium 520mg52%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Have you made this Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

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