Mac and cheese, the ultimate comfort food. But what if it could also give you a massive hit of protein? Yep that’s right, here is a recipe for a high protein creamy mac and cheese, the recipe contains 40g of protein per serving!
I adore mac and cheese. Is there anything as nice as a warm bowl of pasta covered in a cheese sauce? I think not. It’s not something that is generally considered a vegan dish due to the cheese, but this recipe will have you thinking otherwise. Most vegan mac and cheese recipes I have seen use a combination of vegetables. There will be no vegetables used in this recipe! I think that it gives it a weird taste and detracts from the cheesy taste it should have.
Instead, this recipe is made almost as a traditional mac and cheese meal would be. Using some vegan butter and adding protein powder over the standard flour to make a roux. Add in some plant based milk, I like to use Oat, yeast flakes, herbs and spices and you have yourself a high protein creamy mac and cheese! No blenders, no boiling potatoes, and certainly no carrots!
If you would like to omit the protein powder, this recipe will work perfectly if you replace the exact quantity of protein powder for plain flour!
What makes this mac and cheese so special?
What makes this mac and cheese into the great tasting dish that it is?
There are two super important ingredients in this, the yeast flakes and the protein powder. I’ve added links to my favourite brands on Amazon, these are affiliate links so if you do buy anything from them I could earn commission from them.
The Engevita yeast flakes are fantastic, they are full of vitamins and minerals including B12! It’s also packed with protein and fibre, a superfood! The nutty cheesiness of these yeast flakes are incredible and when used in this mac and cheese recipe really make a super tasty sauce.
I love to buy my yeast flakes in bulk, I use them so much! The link above is for a pack of six which at the moment is the best value! I use these in a lot of recipes so it would be a good idea to stock up. Yeast flakes are incredible for adding a cheesy nuttiness to meals and adding a vitamin boost! It’s always important to get all of those B vitamins.
Getting the right protein powder is super important! The protein powder above is unflavoured which is perfect for this recipe. You don’t want the cheese sauce to have a hint of salted caramel! I love adding protein powder to my dishes to increase the nutritional benefit.
Let me know in the comments what you think of this make and cheese recipe! What would you top your mac and cheese with? I added This isn’t bacon and chilli flakes.
Protein Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 250 g Macaroni Pasta
- 40 g Plant-Based Butter
- 40 g Unflavoured Protein Powder
- 500 ml Oat Milk
- 3 tsp English Mustard
- 1 tbsp Mixed Herbs
- 100 g Yeast Flakes
- 10 g Garlic Granules
Instructions
- Heat up a pan of water and cook the macaroni according to the package instructions
- In a separate pan, gently melt the butter
- Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat
- Stir in the protein powder until it has all been incorporated into the butter
- Slowly add in the milk, about 50ml at a time and return the pan to the heat
- Stir the mixture until it has dissolved into the milk. I find a whisk can help maintain a smooth sauce
- Add the rest of the milk
- Stirring continuously add the herbs, mustard and garlic powder
- Add in the yeast flakes bit by bit. Make sure to stir continuously to keep the sauce smooth
- Once all of the yeast flakes have been added the sauce should have thickened up. If you would like a thicker sauce, add more yeast flakes. If the sauce is looking too thick for you, stop adding the yeast flakes.
- Add in the cooked macaroni and stir
- Serve with your choice of toppings!
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories – 657
Carbs – 82.8g
Fat – 16.8g
Protein – 40g
