I’ve made high protein versions of everything from classics like spaghetti bolognese and chicken alfredo to creamy gochujang noodle bowls and breakfast mac n cheese. You’ll find a bit of everything in this collection of recipes.
Before you get cooking, I’d like to touch on the best types of pasta for high protein meals and if it’s worth using speciality pastas.
Pasta Selection for High Protein Pasta Dishes
While some of my recipes call for high protein and/or high fiber pastas made with things like chickpeas or beans, all the recipes in this post work with any type of pasta.
The protein content of standard wheat pasta might be higher than you think. Take a look at this comparison:
The nutrition facts for two ounces (dry weight) of each type of pasta above show a closer race than you might think. When you compare larger serving sizes, the differences can add up, especially when it comes to fiber.
That said, I think the primary way to make a high protein pasta recipe is through the sauces and meat selections. Choose whatever pasta you prefer and let the other ingredients pack the protein punch!
So let’s get into the recipes where you’ll learn how to use everything from chicken breast and ground beef to low fat ricotta and blended cottage cheese sauces.
1. One-Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta
I was a long time holdout on the blended cottage cheese trend, but I did make a creamy blended ricotta pasta in this dish. It combines ricotta with black pepper, lemon zest and juice, and parmesan to make a creamy sauce that coats jumbo pasta shells, pan roasted broccoli, and ground turkey.
- Calories: 390
- Protein: 36g
- Carbs: 38g
- Fat: 11g
Recipe: Lemon Ricotta Ground Turkey Pasta
2. Creamy Lemon Pepper Orzo
A one-pan recipe that starts with pan roasting broccoli florets before cooking lemon pepper ground turkey and orzo together. The broccoli is added back to the pan along with parmesan and a few extra flavor boosters to finish. Easy and really great for meal prep.
- Calories: 355
- Protein: 32g
- Carbs: 32g
- Fat: 11g
Recipe: Turkey and Broccoli Orzo
3. My Best Protein Mac and Cheese
I put together a protein mac cook-off back in 2023 testing some of the internet’s best mac n cheese recipes. Instead of just finding my favorite of the bunch, I borrowed my favorite bits and pieces from each to create an ultimate version. The end result is a one-pan pasta dish with ground chicken, blended cottage cheese sauce, and a crunchy topping.
- Calories: 475
- Protein: 41g
- Carbs: 43g
- Fat: 18g
Recipe: Mason’s Protein Mac
4. Cheesy Italian Ground Chicken and Goodles
A 5-ingredient recipe that combines a jar of pasta sauce with ground chicken, two boxes of Goodles or high protein pasta, and a bit of shredded Italian cheese blend all in one pan. It’s one of the easiest recipes in this group.
- Calories: 330
- Protein: 25g
- Carbs: 30g
- Fat: 13g
Recipe: Ground Chicken and Goodles
5. Green Chile Ground Beef and Goodles
Similar to the Italian version, this mac and cheese spin uses lean ground beef, diced onion, Mexican spices, green chiles, colby jack cheese, and Goodles or protein pasta. There’s a little more prep required (10 minutes), but it’s time well spent.
- Calories: 295
- Protein: 25g
- Carbs: 27g
- Fat: 9g
Recipe: Ground Beef and Goodles
6. High Protein White Bolognese
Have you ever had bolognese bianco or white bolognese? This recipe is a low calorie spin made with a lot of bolognese staples except tomatoes. You can use it all the same ways to make pasta, lasagna, bolognese sandwiches and quesadillas, and all kinds of fun stuff.
- Calories: 175
- Protein: 28g
- Carbs: 5g
- Fat: 6g
Recipe: High Protein Ground Chicken Bolognese
7. Ground Turkey Bolognese
A spin on classic “Sunday Sauce” bolognese, this recipe simmers lean ground turkey with soffrito and other standard ingredients. The ingredient list is a bit lengthier than most of my recipes, but everything has shortcuts and convenience swaps. This is a great recipe to make in bulk to make high protein pasta dishes at a moment’s notice. Just cook your choice of healthy pasta then toss it with this sauce out of the fridge/freezer.
- Calories: 240
- Protein: 23g
- Carbs: 18g
- Fat: 8g
Recipe: High Protein Turkey Bolognese
8. High Protein Crockpot Chili Mac
Lean round roast is slow cooked in chili sauce before it’s shredded and combined with protein pasta and cheese. It’s like a pulled beef Hamburger Helper that’s loaded with protein and made entirely in a Crockpot.
- Calories: 375
- Protein: 37g
- Carbs: 31g
- Fat: 13g
Recipe: Crockpot Pulled Beef Chili Mac
9. 30-Minute Lazy Lasagna
If you’ve never tried a “lazy lasagna” it’s time to change that. Extra lean ground turkey breast or ground chicken is cooked with onion, garlic, Calabrian chiles, and marinara before broth and manicotti is added to the same pan. Then a mixture of egg, parmesan, ricotta, and parsley is layered on top and baked until golden brown.
- Calories: 380
- Protein: 36g
- Carbs: 34g
- Fat: 12g
Recipe: Ground Turkey Lasagna Casserole
10. Creamy Gochujang Noodles
You may not think of gochujang or crispy sesame beef when you think of pasta, but these noodles are from one of my favorite recipe series from 2026. They’re made with Trader Joe’s knife cut noodles. The next two recipes in this post use the same noodles, so please heed my advice and pick up a few packs the next time you’re at TJ’s.
- Calories: 500
- Protein: 40g
- Carbs: 69g
- Fat: 8g
Recipe: Gochujang Noodles
11. Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Noodle Bowls
Back to the Trader Joe’s knife cut noodles, but this time sautéed coleslaw mix is added to the noodles along with ground chicken cooked in a sweet and spicy honey garlic sauce. No cottage cheese or blending sauces required!
- Calories: 380
- Protein: 34g
- Carbs: 50g
- Fat: 7g
Recipe: Honey Garlic Noodles
12. Crispy Ground Beef Noodle Bowls
Caramelized hoisin ground beef and crunchy coleslaw mix are added to instant noodles (TJ’s knife cut noodles) in this 20-minute ramen upgrade. The sauce for the ground beef in this dish is one of my all-time favorites. It’s so aromatic and complex, but it’s easy to make without any crazy ingredients.
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 28g
- Carbs: 41g
- Fat: 7g
Recipe: Crispy Beef Noodle Bowls
13. Cottage Cheese Chicken Alfredo
Blending low fat cottage cheese and your choice of jarred alfredo sauce creates a high protein pasta sauce that’s creamy and every bit as alfredo-y without the fat. Seriously, these two are probably the perfect combo for a blended cottage cheese sauce. In addition to the sauce, this pasta adds lean ground chicken breast, green peas, and a crispy panko breadcrumb topping seasoned with parmesan and lemon zest.
- Calories: 405
- Protein: 30g
- Carbs: 51g
- Fat: 10g
Recipe: Cottage Cheese Chicken Alfredo
14. High Protein Chicken Alfredo
Air fried garlic herb chicken breast served over pasta tossed in alfredo sauce. Add even more protein by using blended cottage cheese and alfredo sauce like the next recipe on this list.
- Calories: 430
- Protein: 35g
- Carbs: 46g
- Fat: 11g
Recipe: High Protein Chicken Alfredo
15. High Protein Rotisserie Chicken Lasagna
You only need six ingredients to make this lasagna. Rotisserie chicken, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, no-boil lasagna, and blended vodka sauce or marinara and low fat cottage cheese. Super easy, cheesy, and absolutely loaded with muscle building protein.
- Calories: 525
- Protein: 50g
- Carbs: 39g
- Fat: 18g
Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Lasagna
16. High Protein Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
You’ve heard my spiel on the Kobe and Shaq-ness of blended alfredo sauce and low fat cottage cheese. So trust me when I tell you adding it to no-boil lasagna, baked or air fried frozen chicken nuggets, fresh parsley, mozzarella, and parmesan is a good move.
- Calories: 500
- Protein: 43g
- Carbs: 31g
- Fat: 24g
Recipe: Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
17. Creamy Pesto Cottage Cheese Pasta
Take your favorite basil pesto and blend it with cottage cheese. You now have a high protein pesto sauce that’s perfect for pairing with high protein pasta and some type of chicken. This version uses frozen lightly breaded chicken breast bites for simplicity, but the world is your oyster.
- Calories: 420
- Protein: 30g
- Carbs: 46g
- Fat: 14g
Recipe: Creamy Cottage Cheese Pesto Pasta
18. Breakfast Mac and Cheese
One of my early recipes from way back in 2019 that still bangs. It combines breakfast sausage crumbles, egg whites, alfredo sauce (no cottage cheese but that could be a way to add more protein), pasta, and a crunchy cornflake topping. It’s a little sweet, salty, and hearty breakfast option that’s a nice change of pace from baked oats or breakfast burritos.
- Calories: 235
- Protein: 21g
- Carbs: 20g
- Fat: 9g
Recipe: Breakfast Mac and Cheese
19. Ground Chicken and Parmesan Roasted Zucchini Bowls with Orzo
This one is kinda like a rice bowl thanks to the orzo, and I’m possibly the biggest rice bowl enthusiast in the high protein cooking space. Orzo aside, the parmesan roasted zucchini is probably the star here. And it goes perfectly with the spicy Italian ground chicken and pasta.
- Calories: 505
- Protein: 38g
- Carbs: 51g
- Fat: 17g
Recipe: Ground Chicken and Parmesan Roasted Zucchini Bowls
20. High Protein Spaghetti and Meatballs
The meatballs are the star of this dish. Ground chicken meatballs are pan seared then finished in your joice of jarred pasta sauce. Cooked protein pasta is added to the sauce and finished with meatballs and parmesan over the top.
- Calories: 290
- Protein: 24g
- Carbs: 28g
- Fat: 10g
Recipe: Italian Chicken Meatballs and Spaghetti
21. High Protein Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
I’m a big fan of huli huli chicken and Hawaiian takeout, and I particularly love the creamy mac salad. That’s why I made a spin that adds, you guessed it, blended cottage cheese to the classic grated onion and carrot, vinegar, and spices.
- Calories: 210
- Protein: 9g
- Carbs: 31g
- Fat: 5g
Recipe: High Protein Macaroni Salad
22. Chicken Fajita Pasta Bake
Chicken breast and fajita veggies are cooked in the same pan before pasta, queso sauce, and more cheese are added. It’s a very cheesy affair, in the best way possible.
- Calories: 260
- Protein: 22g
- Carbs: 24g
- Fat: 10g
Recipe: Chicken Fajita Pasta Bake
23. BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese
I go through a phase every spring/summer where I always have pulled BBQ chicken on hand. Whether I make it myself in a slow cooker, on the smoker, or just toss rotisserie chicken with BBQ sauce, it’s a warm weather staple. It also makes a great high protein macaroni and cheese if you mix a pound of it with protein pasta, milk, reserved pasta water, and shredded cheese.
- Calories: 360
- Protein: 30g
- Carbs: 21g
- Fat: 19g
Recipe: BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese
24. Taco Pasta Bake
Lean ground beef is cooked with diced tomatoes and green chiles, taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, and pinto beans then combined with chickpea pasta and Mexican cheese. It’s giving chili mac but with a Doritos casserole spin thanks to the ranch seasoning. This is another early recipe of mine (2018!) that has withstood the test of time. Readers tell me all the time this is still a staple meal in their house.
- Calories: 250
- Protein: 24g
- Carbs: 28g
- Fat: 7g
Recipe: Taco Pasta Bake
25. Cajun Sausage Pasta Bake
Another classic from 2019, this recipe combines sliced turkey sausage or andouille chicken sausage with zucchini, bell peppers, cajun seasoning, and a blend of alfredo sauce and marinara to make a creamy pasta with lots of flavor.
- Calories: 220
- Protein: 15g
- Carbs: 22g
- Fat: 9g
Recipe: Cajun Sausage and Pepper Pasta
More High Protein Recipe Roundups
You may have noticed a few recipes in this post use shortcut ingredients that I use all the time like frozen lightly breaded chicken or rotisserie chicken. Check out my collections of 25 rotisserie chicken recipes or 20 frozen chicken nuggets recipes for more ideas.
Or if you’re more of a mince fan (my personal favorite), you’ll prefer my high protein ground beef recipes or ground turkey meal prep recipes.
