By Made with just a few simple ingredients and ready in 20 minutes, this bone broth mac and cheese packs in 32 grams of protein. And because it wouldn't be one of our recipes without fiber, this one has 7 grams as opposed to standard mac and cheese that has just 2g! I've tested this so many times that I'm confident you can make great pasta in just one pot (without boiling the pasta separately).
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I grew up on boxed mac and cheese, and I love it for a family meal. And to be fair, every time someone tried to feed me homemade mac and cheese, it was not good. It was dry and flavorless. That was until I had Panera's (let's be real - it's so good).
I then started testing various recipes for this family favorite and eventually tried to turn it into a quick high-protein dinner version. But it wasn't until I nailed our high-protein hamburger helper that I figured out how to make high-protein mac and cheese. Adults love it, kids love it, everyone loves it!!
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add broth as you go
Every pasta will absorb liquid differently. The only way to ensure your pasta cooks correctly and isn't dry or all liquid is to only add broth as needed. I start with the recipe as written and then add a splash more broth as needed when the pasta is almost done, and only if I see the pasta isn't covered all the way anymore.
ingredients notes & swaps
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Pasta: Dan and I had a lot of discussions about what pasta to use. I love a floppy one or shells. He enjoys penne or macaroni. So, use what you like. Gluten-free works, but you will need to add more broth towards the end so keep an eye on it. If you're a noodle enjoyer, check out our other easy high-protein pasta recipes!
- Garlic: Fresh is best!
- Chicken bone broth: The pasta cooks in this, so it has so much more flavor! Plus, it has 8x more protein than standard broth.
- White beans: These can be cannellini beans or Great Northern beans.
- Cottage cheese: Low-fat, small curd, whatever you have is fine! This is my go-to swap for heavy cream or whole milk in pasta.
- Cheddar: Use any combination of white and yellow cheddar cheese. I love a mild cheddar shredded cheese and pepperjack.
- Salt & pepper: Add to taste!
- Dijon: One of the easiest ways to amp up the flavor of mac and cheese.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
high protein ingredient spotlight: bone broth
Bone broth is made by simmering bones for much longer than traditional broth. This results in a much more concentrated broth with more nutrients and protein (a good one will have the gelatinous collagen floating at the top). It has 8-9g of protein per cup as opposed to 1-2 grams, and is much more flavorful. Use it to make bone broth pasta, cauliflower cheddar soup, or this chicken and rice.
here's how to nail this recipe every time
- Blend everything thoroughly to achieve a silky smooth sauce. We don't want cottage cheese curds!
- Taste and adjust frequently. When dealing with a big pot of pasta, it can become undersalted quickly. To avoid this, taste often and salt as you go.
- Monitor and stir the pasta while it cooks to keep it from sticking to the bottom. This also makes sure you can add more bone broth as needed.
- Add veggies if you can. Some kids are ok with some shredded carrots or spinach mixed in for extra fiber from vegetables. You can also blend it in!
quick recipe video
how much bone broth should I add?
When using 8 oz of pasta, you should be fine with the amount listed in the recipe. However, if you are using a gluten-free pasta (for example), you will likely need to add more towards the end. It's important to fill up the liquid enough to just barely cover the pasta to finish cooking to al dente.
can I use this to make baked mac and cheese?
Sure! You can make this as directed, then top with your favorite breadcrumb topping and bake it for a holiday side dish. In testing this, however, the mac and cheese always got dried out, which I find to be the case with any baked mac and cheese... So proceed with caution.
troubleshooting & testing notes
My pasta is sticking!
Keep stirring! Since we aren't cooking with just water, the pasta might stick, so make sure you stir it periodically.
There's too little or too much liquid.
If your pasta is almost done and there isn't enough broth for the top pasta to finish cooking, add more to cover it. If there's too much liquid when the pasta is done, remove the lid and cook until it's cooked off.
how to store it
I wouldn't say mac and cheese is great for meal prep because it needs to be reheated with some more liquid to rehydrate. But it will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I don't recommend freezing it.
more cheesey cheese recipes to love
Recipe
bone broth mac and cheese (a high protein dinner)
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta (any kind, see notes for gluten free)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1.5 cups chicken bone broth
- 15 oz white beans drained (like cannelini or Great Northern)
- ½ c cottage cheese (any kind)
- 2 cups of any combination of white and yellow cheddar (I like doing half and half)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt to taste
- ½ - 1 teaspoon black pepper or hot sauce (optional)
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Blend together 3 cloves garlic, 1.5 cups chicken bone broth, 15 oz white beans drained, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and ½ c cottage cheese. Pour this into a large stock pan or Dutch oven and bring to a simmer. Add the 8 oz pasta and stir to coat. Make sure the pasta is fully covered. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Stir constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Although it will likely still stick some due to the sauce being made from beans. Also monitor the liquid level. If the pasta absorbs too much and is no longer submerged, add enough broth to just cover the top of the pasta. This is common if using gluten free pasta.
- When the pasta is done, stir in the 2 cups of any combination of white and yellow cheddar until melted. Then taste and add salt and pepper as desired. I love mine with buffalo!
Video
Notes
Keep stirring! Since we aren't cooking with just water, the pasta might stick, so make sure you stir it periodically. There's too little or too much liquid.
If your pasta is almost done and there isn't enough broth for the top pasta to finish cooking, add more to cover it. If there's too much liquid when the pasta is done, remove the lid and cook until it's cooked off. Storage: I wouldn't say mac and cheese is great for meal prep because it needs to be reheated with some more liquid to rehydrate. But it will last for up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. I don't recommend freezing it.
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
Great! Love the bean addition! Very cheesy! Used high protein penne - a mix of regular and wheat. Did stick a lot, so needed to turn the heat down and stir.
This recipe is so savoury and delicious! My toddler and husband both loved it and I felt great feeding my family a cheesy pasta with some added protein and fibre. I served with chicken breast and broccoli and it was a lovely meal.
You definitely have to stir often (much more often than if just boiling pasta). I also had to add a lot of water but I believe that was my choice in pasta as it was a thicker variety and will use a different pasta next time I make this recipe.
We loved this recipe! Added frozen mixed vegetables at the end for some extra color, but have made this multiple times now. I only struggle with the sauce burning on the bottom of the pan! If anyone has tips let me know!
Glad you enjoy it!! I would turn the heat wayyyy down, if not take it off the heat initially when adding the pasta, then put it back on the what but very low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally as directed and see if that helps. The beans in the sauce definitely are prone to this sticking issue so I've just had to watch it more than I probably care to while the pasta cooks.
So yummy!
This seems like a very good recipe and I'm excited try it. I'm just so curious: could you parboil the pasta and finish in the sauce? I'm not criticising, just wondering since you mention the sticking.
You definitely could! I just prefer to use one pot 🙂
Yeah this rocked. Sliiiightly beany but a recipe genuinely taking <30 minutes on the first try and leaving me with only one pot, one blender jug and one box grater to clean was awesome. Fresh garlic without crushing garlic. Cheesy pasta with fibre and protein. Hit with the baby. Hit with me. Will definitely make this as our go-to Mac & Cheese from here.
Ps: added onion powder too and that was an excellent addition.
That sounds delicious!!
Delicious! Used Carbe Diem pasta to up the fiber and protein even more (and lower the calories). Also, if anyone else is like me and grew up in a Black household where baked mac and cheese is the only acceptable kind lol, try adding an egg or two to the mix before you transfer it to the baking dish. Helps keep it from drying out and make it more of a casserole-y texture.
that sounds delish!!