Creamy High Protein Chickpea Mac and Cheese
Up-leveled comfort food for a healthy 10 minute camping dinner.
Sometimes when you come back from a long day of climbing or whatever your preferred method of outdoor struggling is, there’s just no way in Hell you’re going to cook a camping recipe that takes more than a shred of effort. Hey, we’ve all been there. You wander back into camp, likely dehydrated, and all you really want to do is crawl into the nearest somewhat fuzzy thing and pass out. But you really do need to eat something, and your stomach is likely reminding you of that.
Typically, this is where the strange concoctions of bread or tortillas with whatever spreadable thing you have laying around come out. Or maybe you’re the person that decides to go with a power bar or a pre-packaged camping meal. That’s all great, but don’t you wish it tasted better?
I started making this mac and cheese camping recipe a few months ago, and it’s quickly become a favorite of mine. I love camp cooking and one of my big goals is to eat as sustainably and healthy as possible, at home or at the campsite. I also know how important is to make sure my body is fueled properly with the nutrition I need. This is key to preventing burnout on trips and keeping me energized and ready each day. But I’m also not a fan of sacrificing the last send-go on my climb or a sunset hike with my friends just so I can make a fancy camping recipe. Luckily, the happy medium between these two is easier than it seems. A little bit of pre-planning, a few extra minutes or effort, and boom, you’ve got a nutritious alternative to end the day with. And, the answer has to do with mac and cheese. There’s not much to argue with there.
Here’s why this high protein mac and cheese is a go-to camping recipe:
6 simple ingredients
10 mins to cook (really)
34 grams of plant-based protein
It’s so damn tasty, yall
As a vegetarian “athlete,” getting good sources of protein is an important thing to keep tabs on. Having a few quick camping recipes that are high in plant-based protein is super important to keep my body feeling good. Finding plant-based protein isn’t half as hard as it’s sometimes portrayed to be, especially with plant-based diets gaining popularity. With that being said, I’m a fan of sticking to whole ingredients (or as close to them) as possible. That means sticking with protein sources like grains and pulses rather than meat alternatives that are often quite processed to gain a meat-like texture or flavor. When I’m looking for something simple but still whole-foods based, Chickpea and lentil pasta is an amazingly simple switch to make that boost meals with more protein. And they have the added benefit of making many camping recipes gluten-free for those that don’t eat traditional pasta.
A few notes for cooking chickpea pasta for this mac and cheese camping recipe: chickpea pasta cooks faster than traditional wheat pasta. Keep an eye on it and drain the pasta when it’s still slightly firm. If you overcook, the pasta will fall apart, which doesn’t affect the taste of your mac and cheese camping recipe, but it will take down the aesthetics. Also, chickpea pasta creates some foam while it cooks. Be careful not to overfill your pot with water, or the foam may boil over (not fun to clean up and not LNT friendly).
For this mac and cheese camping recipe, I’ve also added nutritional yeast (yes, it’s a favorite ingredient of mine). It’s got a great cheesy flavor, packs in an additional 8 grams of protein, and offers a great source of vitamin B12. B12 helps with energy production (hint: this is a good thing to get enough of when you’re exercising). Making the homemade sauce only takes a few more minutes than cooking a box of mac and cheese, and the flavor + nutritional quality is well worth it.
I love a little spice, so I’ve added in a bit of hot sauce to give the mac and cheese a little kick. If you’re not a fan of the heat, just leave it out. Want some different flavors in your mac and cheese camping recipe? Try adding a spoonful of pesto instead!
Creamy High Protein Mac and Cheese
Ingredients:
2 cups chickpea pasta shells
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons ghee
¼ cup milk (oat milk or almond milk work great)
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon hot sauce (I like Franks Red Hot the best)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add in chickpea pasta, lower to a simmer, and cook for 5-6 minutes or until soft (beware of overcooking, the pasta will fall apart if it’s cooked for too long).
While pasta is cooking, melt ghee in a small saucepan. Add in milk and cheddar cheese and stir over medium-low heat until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and add in hot sauce.
Drain pasta, then pour cheese sauce over noodles. Mix to coat. Sprinkle nutritional yeast over noodles and coat once more. Serve (or eat it right out of the pot), and enjoy!
Serves 2.
34 grams of protein per serving, 68 grams of protein total.