This delicious take on classic boxed mac and cheese has less calories but all the creaminess. All you need are a few ingredients for this quick, comforting meal.

Healthified mac and cheese with broccoli in a white bowl on a blue and white plate and box of Kraft mac and cheese on a yellow surface

This boxed mac and cheese makeover was one of the first recipes I developed here on A Duck’s Oven as a college student learning how to cook and live just a little bit healthier, before the days of my cookbook, Everyday Sous Vide. I quickly became a pro at the college staple makeover and have another post that will teach you how to make canned tomato soup better, too!

This swap is a simple one. Instead of using butter and milk, swap it for low fat cottage cheese! It still gives it that creamy flavor without being quite so heavy. I also threw in some broccoli to up the health quotient!

What boxed mac and cheese should I use?

Any boxed mac and cheese will work, but here are some of my favorites:

How to Make Healthified Boxed Mac n Cheese

This really isn’t going to be all that different than making a box of mac n cheese as you normally would, but the important difference is boiling broccoli with the noodles.

I find 7 minutes to be the magic cooking time for both the noodles and the broccoli, but feel free to adjust to your liking.

Box of Kraft mac and cheese, container of cottage cheese, and chopped broccoli on a yellow surface
Broccoli and noodles boiling in a pot on yellow surface

Drain the noodles and broccoli when they’re done, stir in cottage cheese and the cheese packet, and that’s it!

Depending on your cottage cheese, you may want to add in a little milk to make it creamier. If you do, just do 1 tbsp at a time until you get the consistency you like.

Healthified mac and cheese with broccoli in a white bowl on a blue and white plate on a yellow surface
Healthified mac and cheese with broccoli in a white bowl on a blue and white plate and box of Kraft mac and cheese on a yellow surface
4.88 stars from 8 reviews

Get the Recipe:

Healthified Boxed Mac ‘n Cheese

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 Servings
This delicious take on classic boxed mac and cheese has less calories but all the creaminess. All you need are a few ingredients for this quick, comforting meal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 box of macaroni and cheese, such as Kraft
  • 1/2 cup low fat, small curd cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped broccoli

Instructions
 

  • Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the salt.
  • Boil the pasta from the box of macaroni and cheese and the broccoli for 7 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
  • Stir in the powdered cheese and cottage cheese until well combined.

Notes

Depending on your cottage cheese, you may find this isn’t quite creamy enough. If so, add milk 1 tbsp at a time until desired texture is reached.
Try substituting the broccoli for other veggies like torn kale or spinach – just add the greens with 3 minutes left instead of cooking the full 7 minutes.
Cuisine: American
Course: Lunch
Author: Chelsea Cole
Calories: 423kcal, Carbohydrates: 77g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 4565mg, Potassium: 121mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 165IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 1mg
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