Mac and Cheese with Cottage Cheese

5 from 3 votes

Creamy homemade mac and cheese with cottage cheese made on the stovetop in 20 minutes. Kid-friendly and packed with protein.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 20 minute dinner, easy dinner recipe, mac and cheese

Servings:

Calories: 474kcal

In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the elbow macaroni and boil for 6-7 minutes. It should still be very firm. Drain the macaroni and return it to the pan. 8 ounces elbow macaroni
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and cornstarch. Pour this into the macaroni. 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 2 tablespoons cornstarch*
Add the cottage cheese, cheddar cheese and garlic salt. 12 ounces small curd cottage cheese, 12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
With the pan over medium-low heat, stir constantly until the cheese has completely melted and is smooth (about 5-7 minutes).

The original recipe called for 16 ounces of macaroni. I reduced the amount of macaroni to make the dish creamier. You can add up to 8 more ounces of pasta if needed. It's a great way to make this dish serve more. Please note it won't be as cheesy though.
Use arrowroot or tapioca starch if you don't have cornstarch.
Whole milk gives the creamiest mac 'n cheese, but 2% or skim milk will work as well.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 6, with 1 serving being 1/6 of the mac and cheese. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **