Gluten Free Cacio e Pepe Cottage Cheese Mac & Cheese

Drop what you're doing and add this Gluten Free Protein Cacio e Pepe Mac and Cheese to your meal plan for this week. Take gluten-free protein pasta and toss it in the easiest, creamiest cottage cheese blender sauce loaded with cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan and fresh cracked black pepper. It is the best creamy, savory comfort food, but with a secret healthy twist- packed with lots of protein!

As someone who eats high-protein meals daily, I’ve tested a lot of different mac and cheese or Cacio e Pepe pasta recipes over the years… and most of them don’t quite hit exactly right. But this one? This recipe is going to be my new favorite go-to cottage cheese mac & cheese recipe. Creamy sauce, bold black pepper flavor, and the best part, a high protein boost in every bite. If you're into delicious high protein pasta recipes that actually fuel you, thank me later.

If you end up loving this pasta recipe as much as my husband and I do, you should try my High Protein Mac & Cheese, High Protein Pasta Salad or Crispy Dill Pickle Tater Tot Potato Salad. Any of these recipes are going straight to the top of your easy meal prep rotation. End your meal with either my Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese Ice Cream, or my viral High Protein Cottage Cheese Cosmic Brownies or Gooey Cottage Cheese Blondies.

Why You’ll Love This Cottage Cheese Sauce Recipe

• It takes the best of both mac & cheese and cacio e pepe recipes. Imagine a white base mac and cheese full of ooey gooey cheeses: cottage cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan but then get the punch of fresh black pepper that a cacio e pepe has. This cacio e pepe mac & cheese is just that. It is delicious, and super creamy and cheesy.
• It is high in protein. This recipe has about 13-20g protein in every serving of mac & cheese because it is made with all of these protein packed ingredients: protein pasta, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, milk, etc.
• It is a great meal prep recipe for those busy weekdays. This protein pasta recipe makes 4 entree servings so you can have this for grab and go lunch or dinners during those busy work weekdays. It stores in the fridge for 4 days!

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Cacio e Pepe Mac & Cheese Ingredients (and Substitutions)

• Protein Pasta. I like  Kaizen lupini bean pasta (20 g protein per serving, lowest net carb option), Banza chickpea pasta (11 g protein per serving), or any high protein pasta of choice. Cook according to package directions until al dente.
• Cottage Cheese. This is the secret ingredient for our creamy sauce. I love Good Culture for the best flavor and texture. One cup of cottage cheese packs around 25g protein into the full recipe! Note that some brands have more liquid in them than others. If you have a very liquidy cottage cheese but want a thicker sauce, use a slotted spoon to measure out the cottage cheese to strain some of the liquid out.
• Mozzarella Cheese. Full disclosure: pre-shredded cheese is fine here, but shredding it yourself gives the creamiest melt, especially for the cheddar.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese.
• Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch. Arrowroot acts like a gluten-free flour to help the sauce thicken. Cornstarch works just as well!
• Fresh ground pepper & Kosher Salt. If you don't have fresh ground, use regular black pepper but use half of suggested amount since the granules are smaller than freshly ground.
• Garlic Powder. Optional, but adds an extra flavor to your cheese sauce. For an easier to digest option, use garlic scapes and green onion powder from Gourmend Foods instead. 
• Butter. Just 1–2 tablespoons for richness. I prefer to use grass fed unsalted butter.
• Milk. Use whatever you have on hand: whole milk, soy milk, oat milk, etc. You will only need this in the event your cheese sauce is too thick.

Cacio e Pepe Cottage Cheese Mac & Cheese Step by Step Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Boil a large saucepan or stockpot of water and cook pasta according to package directions until pasta is al dente. Drain pasta and put the pasta back in the same pot.

2. Make the cheese sauce. In a food processor, combine cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, arrowroot powder (or cornstarch), about 30 to 40 cracks of fresh black pepper (less if you don’t like the heat), a pinch of kosher salt, and ½ tsp. garlic powder (optional). Blend until smooth and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Melt butter & combine pasta. In the same large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter with the noodles (kind of like making mac and cheese from a box). Let the butter melt over the cooked pasta and pour the cheese sauce over top.

4. Stir. Stir the sauce and pasta gently over medium-low heat until warmed through and thickened slightly. If the sauce is too thick you can add a bit of milk (1 tablespoon at a time) until you reach the desired consistency. You can also add an additional ¼ cup of mozzarella cheese here to make it extra cheesy and gooey!

5. Garnish & serve. Top with additional black pepper and parmesan cheese and enjoy! 

Cottage Cheese Mac & Cheese Expert Tips & Tricks

• Don’t skip the blender or food processor step; it’s what gives this healthy cottage cheese mac & cheese its ultra creamy texture.
• If the mac & cheese sauce is too thick, you can add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it thins out to your desired texture. I never went more than 2 tablespoons.
• Note that some brands of cottage cheese have more liquid in them than others. If you have a very liquidy cottage cheese but want a thicker sauce, use a slotted spoon to measure out the cottage cheese to strain some of the liquid out before blending it up with the other ingredients.
• Use lentil or chickpea pasta or lupini bean pasta like Banza for extra grams of fiber and protein, without sacrificing pasta taste.

Cottage Cheese Mac & Cheese FAQs

Can I use different types of gluten free pasta?

You totally can! I recommend using a high protein gluten free pasta like Banza or lentil noodles because those give you that extra protein without sacrificing flavor. But you can also use different shaped noodles like bowtie, rigatoni, or elbow noodles. I used shell noodles because that is what I had on hand and I also like the pockets of cheese that shell pasta has in each bite.

Is this a good cottage cheese recipe for meal prep?

Yes! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk to revive the creamy sauce. This recipe makes 4 entree servings so you can have this for grab and go lunch or dinners during those busy work weekdays.

Is this a classic cacio e pepe recipe?

No, this pasta is higher in protein and is just a pasta dish inspired by the flavors of a classic cacio e pepe pasta dish. Cacio e pepe means "cheese and pepper" in Italian. This classic Italian pasta dish uses only three main ingredients: long pasta (like spaghetti), freshly ground black pepper, and aged Pecorino Romano cheese. My recipe has the punch of fresh black pepper and has parmesan cheese (not the same but gives a sharp taste and is usually the thing that most people have on hand), but I also added cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese to make this more of a mac & cheese pasta dish.

How to Store Leftover Cacio e Pepe Pasta

Let the pasta and cottage cheese mac & cheese sauce cool completely before storing. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat on medium-low heat with a splash of milk to keep the texture creamy.

If you liked this cottage cheese pasta recipe, you might also enjoy these other pasta dishes

• Creamy High Protein Cottage Cheese Mac & Cheese
• Gluten Free Cacio e Pepe (FODMAP Friendly)
• Healthy High Protein Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
• Grated Tomato Pasta Sauce with Basil, Burrata & Rigatoni
• Easy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Parmesan
• 20+ Easy to Make High Protein Cottage Cheese Recipes

Did you have a chance to make this recipe? If so, please leave me a 5 star rating and review below. I always love and appreciate hearing from you!