Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni, shells, protein pasta, or chickpea pasta
- 1 1/2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup milk, almond milk, Fairlife, or pasta water
- 1/3 cup reserved pasta water plus more as needed
Seasonings & Flavor
- 25-30 g cheddar cheese powder
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
- 1/4 tsp mustard powder or 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- to taste Black pepper
- only if needed Salt
Optional Additions
- 1/4 tsp turmeric for stronger yellow color
- 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar for a more real mac texture
Method
- Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Before draining, carefully save at least 1 cup of the hot pasta water.
- Add the fat-free cottage cheese and 1/2 cup of milk (or 1/2 cup pasta water) to your blender. Process on high speed until completely liquid and uniform with zero remaining curds.
- Return the empty pasta pot to the stove over medium-low heat. Pour in the blended cottage cheese sauce, followed by the cheddar powder, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, mustard powder, and black pepper.
- Stir gently and continuously over medium-low heat until the sauce becomes warm and uniform. Do not allow it to boil or heat up aggressively, as this causes dairy proteins to separate.
- Slowly Server your reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce develops a glossy, coat-the-spoon consistency. Add the optional shredded cheese now if using.
- Add the cooked pasta back into the pot. Fold gently with a spatula until completely covered. Taste the final dish before adding salt, then plate immediately.