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Decadent 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese Tortellini, Skinnyfied

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Decadent 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese Tortellini, Skinnyfied
I could eat this every day! It’s sooo good. This mac and cheese is a guilt-free dream come true! The very cheesy sauce includes three low-fat kinds of cheese, shredded, cottage cheese, and Parmesan. Once combined with the cooked cheese tortellini, it becomes a cheese lover’s delight! Each generous serving has 213 calories, 7 grams of fat.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Bake Time: 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 213kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 (10 oz) package cheese tortellini, see shopping tips
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-fat butter or Smart Balance Light
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper or leave out if you don’t want it a little spicy
  • â…“ cup + 1 tablespoon reduced-fat milk
  • 1¼ cups low fat cottage cheese or part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup light cheese such as Mozzarella, cheddar or a blend of cheeses, shredded
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup light shredded cheese such as Mozzarella, cheddar, or a blend of cheeses
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Cook tortellini according to package instructions.  Drain. Set aside.
  • To make the cheese sauce:  In a large nonstick pan, melt butter. Using a whisk, mix in dry mustard powder and cayenne pepper. Whisk in milk, cottage cheese, and shredded cheese. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.
  • Using a rubber spatula so the tortellini doesn’t tear, stir in cooked tortellini. Mix well. Add to the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle all over top with ¼ cup shredded cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, until the cheeses are melted.
  • Cool slightly and cut into 6 servings.

Notes

Makes 6 main-course servings.
Shopping Tips
I used Trader Joe’s Cheese Tortellini. It’s fresh pasta and is found in the refrigerated section. Most supermarkets carry a few brands, such as Buitoni.
WW Freestyle SmartPoints-6 Blue
WW SmartPoints-6 Green
WW POINTS PLUS 6
SKINNY FACTS: for 1 serving
213 calories, 7g fat, 3g sat. fat, 24mg chol, 15g protein, 24g carbs, 1g fiber, 377mg sod, 3g sugar
 

Skinny Facts

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 213kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 15gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 377mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gBlue Smart Points: 6Green Smart Points: 6Plus Points: 6

Comments

  1. Sounds yummy. Where do you find “light” cheese? I’ve found one (cheddar) fat free cheese but have never seen a “light” cheese.

  2. Dava, when my recipes say light cheese, it means reduced-fat cheese. Most supermarkets including Trader Joe’s sell reduced-fat cheeses.
    All the best,
    Nancy

  3. Brenda, Once you cool this casserole slightly, you cut (score) into 6 servings. Each serving is 1 slice.
    It’s one of my all-time favorite mac and cheese recipes. I hope you love it too!
    My best,
    Nancy

  4. 5 stars
    This is so good – I’ve made it twice, and both times declared that it feels so much like I’m cheating! Paired it with a mixed salad of arugula and lettuce with pears, toasted pecans and balsamic vinaigrette. Also, I couldn’t find tortellini this time at the store, so I used fresh cheese raviolis and it worked perfectly. Thanks, Nancy!

  5. Thanks so much, Becky for taking the time to review this mac and cheese. I always appreciate it! I know what you mean, it tastes like you’re cheating and it’s actually quite low in calories. Every time I serve it, people think it’s so fattening! But we know better, right?
    Take care and all the best,
    Nancy

If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it. Leave me a comment below or give it a rating. Thanks so much. Happy Skinny Cooking!

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