Cottage Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

This Cottage Cheese Macaroni and Cheese is insanely delicious to make, packed with protein and made with just 3 ingredients. Plus it is gluten-free, nut-free, ready in under 15 minutes and kids and adults love it.

This high protein cottage cheese macaroni and cheese is truly delicious. It is also incredibly easy to make, has more protein than your typical mac and cheese and is healthier than the boxed mac you get at the store.

I am obsessed with making this dish for my family right now. You can easily whip it up in under 20 minutes, it adds protein to a dish that is usually just carb heavy and my kids even devour this when I add in some veggies or shredded chicken to it too. Or you can serve it with a side salad for extra greens!

Ever since my Gluten-free Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese went viral on Instagram, I wanted to try a way to switch things up. And we all know cottage cheese is having a moment right now so this recipe is coming in HOT everybody.

This dish was a hit with my kids, my husband and it is one we go back to over and over again. Feel free to add in any other flavors or spices you want. I kept things basic but you can really add in anything!

What ingredients are in this creamy mac and cheese:

• Gluten-free pasta – or regular pasta if not gf! Any small shaped pasta can work well for this
• Cottage cheese – blended if desired to make it not as chunky but that is optional
• Shredded cheddar cheese – shred a block of cheddar or buy pre-shredded cheese
• Reserved pasta water – this loosens up the cheese sauce when you have it

How to make macaroni and cheese with cottage cheese:

1. Cook the pasta per directions on the package. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the water you cooked the pasta in
2. Add the pasta back to the pot and add in the cheese, cottage cheese, spices and a few tablespoons of the water as needed to mix until you get the right consistency
3. Serve while warm!

FAQs on making this one-pot cottage cheese mac and cheese:

• Can I add anything to this dish? You can easily make this with any variations you want too by adding in some extra fixings. We love adding in some frozen broccoli, shredded chicken, breadcrumbs, etc.
• Do I have to use gluten-free pasta? If you aren’t gluten-free, you can use plain pasta, whole what or anything you want. 
• I don’t like cottage cheese, what else can I use? Greek yogurt is a great option too!
• What is the best way to reheat this? In the microwave with a splash of water or milk!
• Why do I need pasta water? You will need some of it to make the sauce and mix everything together well when you toss it all together after the pasta cooks.

A few other delicious pasta dishes to try:

Broccoli Pesto Pasta (gluten-free)

10-minute Creamy Zucchini Pasta (gluten-free)

Gluten-free Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese

Easy Gluten-free Pasta Primavera Recipe