Name: White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 8 oz. chickpea cavatappi noodles (Banza); 1 small yellow onion (very finely minced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 cup low-fat milk (240 ml); 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese (112g); 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour; 1 cup white cheddar cheese (shredded, 112g); salt and pepper (to taste); fresh parsley (chopped, optional)

With its cheesy and creamy homemade sauce, this White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is a comfort food dream. Decadent and rich, this healthier version of a classic will be an instant family fav.

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White cheddar mac and cheese in a white bowl.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

A comfort food classic!
Tossed in a creamy dreamy good for you cheese sauce.
Made with chickpea noodles to make it high protein at 16g per serving.
This white cheddar mac and cheese comes together quickly and is guaranteed to be a hit with adults AND kids.

Get ready to toss out those powdered cheese mixes! This white cheddar mac and cheese is every bit as comforting and cheesy and comes together in no time. Made with low fat milk, cottage cheese and high protein chickpea noodles, this mac and cheese is one you will feel good about eating and equally as satisfied.

Noodles!

Mac and cheese is about two things. The first being…mac! I made this white cheddar mac and cheese with Banza chickpea cavatappi noodles. You can use any noodle variety you prefer, including a regular pasta noodle.

I love using chickpea noodles because they are high in protein and I am still able to get my pasta cravings in, but don’t feel heavy or lethargic after. The best part about this recipe, the sauce totally hides that it’s made with chickpeas! Note, keep a close eye on chickpea pasta when cooking, if overcooked it get’s mushy really fast.

Spoon scooping white cheddar mac and cheese from a bowl.

Optional add-ins

I highly recommend making the white cheddar mac and cheese with toasted breadcrumbs on top. To do this, preheat your broiler. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top the prepared mac and cheese and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden and toasty. Be careful not to burn!

You can also add ham, peas, chicken or even Macro Friendly Chili for a delicious Chili Mac. I usually make this with my blackened chicken and mix the chicken into the mac. Beyond good!

Want some heat? Mix some hot sauce into your bowl before eating for a cheesy spicy mac and cheese.

Is this gluten and dairy-free?

This recipe is not dairy-free and I don’t recommend subbing dairy ingredients out to make it so but hey, if you want to try, go for it!

This recipe is gluten-free if you use a gluten-free flour, such as Bob’s 1:1 flour.

Spoon in a bowl of white cheddar mac and cheese.

Ingredients and Substitutes:

These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for this white cheddar mac and cheese.

Chickpea noodles: I used Banza cavatappi noodles. Any noodle variety works. Regular pasta may also be used.

Yellow onion: for flavor, chop finely. I do this by using a cheese grader to slice as thin as possible and then chop then mince the onions.

Garlic: adds flavor.

Milk: I used low-fat but any milk, including whole will work.

Cheese: I used Tillamook white cheddar. Shred your own for the freshest taste or buy pre shredded. Any cheddar cheese variety will work. Note, if using low fat cheese, it will not melt as well as full-fat.

Cottage cheese: I used Good Culture low-fat cottage cheese. Nancy’s is another favorite brand.

All-purpose flour: thickens the sauce, can use whole wheat flour as well. For gluten-free use Bob’s 1:1 flour or omit flour altogether for a thinner cheese sauce.

White cheddar mac and cheese next to a blue cloth napkin.

How to make this white cheddar mac and cheese

Cook the pasta

First, cook the elbow noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain, leaving slightly wet and set aside.

Cook onions and garlic

While the pasta is cooking, spray a pan with cooking spray over medium heat. Add the finely minced onion and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

Make your sauce

In a separate bowl, using an immersion blender or food processor, blend the milk and cottage cheese until there are no lumps. Add the flour and blend to combine. Pour this mixture into the pot with the onions and garlic.

Thicken your sauce and add cheese

Stir the mixture continuously over medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken. This happens quickly and should only take about 2-3 minutes.

Once the sauce has thickened, reduce the heat to low and add the shredded white cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is completely melted and incorporated into the sauce.

Mix pasta and cheese sauce

Finally, add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir until the pasta is completely coated with the cheese sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and fresh chopped parsley.

Optional: add breadcrumbs or other add-ins

If you want to top with breadcrumbs, preheat your oven broiler. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top of the mac and cheese, then place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden and toasted.

Other options: add ham, peas or blackened chicken. For heat, add a little hot sauce.

Spoon with a scoop of white cheddar mac and cheese.

Serving and storing notes!

White cheddar mac and cheese makes a total of 6 servings weighing approximately 169 grams each.

This is best served right away and hot but can be stored for up to three days in the fridge. Reheat over the stove or microwave. If the mac and cheese is too thick when reheating add a splash of milk to loosen it up. I personally have had no issues reheating this dish in the microwave.

If you like this recipe be sure to check out some of our other recipes!