High Protein Mac and Cheese in a Crockpot

Introduction

Elevate your comfort food game with this High Protein Mac and Cheese in a Crockpot. Classic mac and cheese gets a nutritious upgrade by boosting the protein content and using your slow cooker—making this a delicious, hands off meal perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or feeding a hungry crowd. With minimal prep and a creamy, satisfying finish, this dish is sure to be your new go to for wholesome, family friendly dinners.

Irresistible, Easy High Protein Mac and Cheese

What makes this recipe shine is its ability to effortlessly blend extra protein into every bite without sacrificing any of the creamy, cheesy goodness you expect from mac and cheese. Using lean cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and your favorite high protein pasta, you get all the comfort and flavor while keeping your nutrition goals in check. Set it, forget it, and return to a bubbling pot of rich, velvety pasta that satisfies every appetite.

Protein Power in Every Ingredient

To pack a protein punch, this mac and cheese starts with high protein pasta made from chickpeas, lentils, or whole wheat. Blending cottage cheese and Greek yogurt into the sauce gives it a lush, creamy texture and amps up the protein. Add shredded chicken breast or turkey sausage for an even bigger boost! Layer in sharp cheddar and a touch of mozzarella for gooey meltability.

Crockpot Cooking for Effortless Results

Simply mix all ingredients in your slow cooker, set the timer, and walk away. Your crockpot will do the work, slowly melting the cheeses and infusing each noodle with rich flavor. This makes the recipe ideal for batch cooking—have a wholesome dinner ready with minimal hands-on time, and enjoy easy leftovers for lunch or dinner all week.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields approximately 6 hearty servings. Each serving supplies a robust 28–32 grams of protein (exact amount varies based on pasta type and meat add-ins) and around 400–450 calories. It’s an excellent option for active individuals and families looking to meet their protein needs.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section—perfect for efficient grocery trips and meal planning.

Instructions

1. Lightly spray your crockpot insert with oil or nonstick spray.
2. Add the dry pasta, milk, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, 1 1/4 cups cheddar, mozzarella, and all seasonings to the crockpot. Stir well to evenly combine.
3. If using chicken or turkey sausage, scatter it over the mixture and gently stir to distribute.
4. Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, stirring halfway through. Pasta should be tender and sauce creamy—avoid overcooking!
5. In the last 15 minutes, stir in remaining cheddar cheese. Taste, then adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Serve warm, garnished with fresh chives, black pepper, or a sprinkle of smoked paprika for an extra flavor kick.

Weekly Meal Planning

This High Protein Mac and Cheese is a stellar addition to your weekly meal plan—it reheats beautifully, making healthy lunches and fast dinners a breeze. Save and schedule this recipe to plan out your meals for the week and generate smart, consolidated grocery lists.

Planning Benefits:

– Calculates total ingredient quantities for all planned recipes
– Organizes your list by grocery store section
– Syncs with other meals for accurate, waste free shopping
– Streamlines batch prep for lunches and dinners

Pro Tip: When scheduling several protein rich recipes, let CookifyAI handle your meal planning—it ensures you buy the right amount of each ingredient and incorporate variety to keep your week exciting and nutritious!

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Enjoy this simplified, power packed twist on mac and cheese—where comfort food meets wholesome, high-protein convenience!