Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Submitted by jjaquee
Lighter baked mac and cheese made with pureed cottage cheese, skim milk, and sharp cheddar for creamy comfort with less fat.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
45 minHere’s how to get that silky, luxurious mac and cheese texture without all the heavy cream.
Blend low-fat cottage cheese in a food processor until completely smooth—this becomes the secret base that makes the sauce creamy and adds protein.
Whisk flour into skim milk and cook until thickened, then stir in the pureed cottage cheese, sharp cheddar, and a hint of nutmeg for warmth.
Toss with cooked macaroni, transfer to a casserole, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
Finish under the broiler with a sprinkle of Parmesan until the top turns golden and bubbly.
Kitchen Tips
- Blend the cottage cheese thoroughly—any lumps will show up in the final dish
- Use the sharpest cheddar you can find so you get big flavor from less cheese
- Watch the broiler closely in the final step; it can go from golden to burned in seconds
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare macaroni according to pacakge directions; drain.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, spray shallow broiler safe 2½ quart casserole with non stick cooking spray.
Meanwhile, if food processor with knife blade attached, blend cottage cheese until smooth.
In a 2 quart saucepan, mix flour with ¼ cup milk until smooth.
Slowly stir in remaining milk until blended.
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until mixture just boils and thickens slightly.
Remove from heat, stir in cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Place macaroni in casserole; cover with cheese sauce.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Remove casserole from oven.
Turn oven control to broil, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.
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