High Protein Boxed Mac and Cheese

I have been making high protein boxed mac and cheese like this for a few months so it is about time I share my recipe here. Using bone broth instead of water is such an easy way to boost the protein content in your mac and cheese. And if you are a meat eater, you can also add some ground meat to bulk up the meal.

High Protein Boxed Macaroni and Cheese

Some weeknights are super busy and I know many people that depend on boxed mac and cheese to feed their family. While it may not be a parent’s first choice for dinner, it is usually something the kids will eat and you can go to bed knowing they have a full belly.

Growing up in the 80s and 90s, you had two choices for boxed mac and cheese. You were either a velveeta kid or a kraft kid. That’s it. These days there are so many brands that make some sort of macaroni and cheese. You also have your choice of powdered cheese or a cheese sauce.

Along with the many brands that make boxed mac and cheese, you can now choose gluten free noodles or dairy free cheese. Tons of options are great, but you are still faced with one issue: lack of protein. Sure, mac and cheese can be filling and you can even through in some peas or broccoli if your child will eat that. But the meal is mainly carbs and not a lot of protein. So, below I show you two different options for making a higher protein boxed mac and cheese.

Bone Broth Boxed Mac and Cheese

I have been adding bone broth to my meals for the past few months as an easy way to boost the protein content in my meals. A typical serving of bone broth has about 10 grams of protein. You can use chicken bone broth or beef bone broth. I usually choose low sodium bone broth since boxed mac and cheese already has a bit of sodium in it.

Instead of boiling your pasta in water and then draining, you will be cooking your noodles in the bone broth. You do not drain your pasta with this method. The pasta will absorb the bone broth as it cooks and you will be left with just pasta in the pot. From there you will follow the recipe on the box of mac and cheese that you bought to finish the recipe.

If you have more time one day and want to try making mac and cheese from scratch, here is my recipe for Bone Broth Macaroni and Cheese. I use bone broth in that recipe plus three different cheeses.

Boxed Macaroni and Cheese with Ground Beef

Another way to boost the protein in your boxed mac and cheese is to add cooked ground meat to it. I actually do this plus use bone broth to make the meal a protein powerhouse. Some days my kid doesn’t want meat though so I will omit the meat that day.

When I season the ground meat for this meal, I do not add much salt. I find that that if I add my usual amount of salt, the overall taste is too salty because the box mac and cheese is already salty. Just be mindful of that. Feel free to use garlic, onion, paprika or anything else you would like on your ground meat.

I cook the ground meat first in the pot that I will use for my mac and cheese. Once the meat is cooked, I add my pasta and bone broth and cook until the pasta is done. Then I add my milk and cheese packet. Mix together and enjoy. If you want, you can also add cooked broccoli or peas.

Boxed Mac and Cheese Cooked in Bone Broth

For a video of this recipe, head to my Instagram account.

INGREDIENTS  

• 1 box Macaroni and Cheese I used Goodles brand
• 1.25 cups Low Sodium Bone Broth 1.25 cups of broth for every 6 ounces of noodles
• 1/4 tsp Milk only if your boxed mac and cheese asks for it
• 1/2 lb Meat optional

INSTRUCTIONS 

• If you are using meat, cook the meat first with your favorite seasoning. Be mindful of the salt because the mac and cheese is already salty and so is the bone broth. 
• Add the noodles and bone broth to the pot. Please note that I use a brand that has 6oz of pasta. If you are using a brand that has 12oz in the box, you should double your bone broth. There should be enough broth to just cover your noodles slightly. It is ok if a few noodles are poking out. 
• Boil on medium heat and stir frequently. Once the liquid has been almost completely absorbed, the noodles should be tender. Do not drain anything. 
• Turn off your heat, add your milk (if required), and your cheese packet. Mix well and enjoy. 

NOTES

If you want to use a full lb of meat, you can always use two boxes of macaroni and cheese and double the bone broth.