Description
Baked Mac And Cheese With Cottage Cheese is a creamy, cheesy comfort food dinner made with elbow macaroni, sharp cheddar, cottage cheese, and simple pantry staples. This easy baked mac and cheese recipe has a rich, velvety texture, a golden oven-baked top, and plenty of cozy flavor for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or holiday meals.
Ingredients
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni until just al dente.
3. Drain the pasta and set it aside for a few minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, whole milk, melted butter, beaten eggs, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until fully combined.
5. Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese mixture and stir until all the pasta is evenly coated.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.
7. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top.
8. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling and the top is lightly golden.
9. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the sauce can settle.
Notes
This recipe tastes best with full-fat small curd cottage cheese because it melts more smoothly into the sauce.
Do not overcook the pasta before baking, or the final texture can become too soft.
For a deeper golden top, place the dish under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching it closely.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 115mg