Healthy Mac-N-Cheese
I’ve never really tasted a healthy mac-n-cheese that I’ve liked… for some reason I felt it was always missing something. After fiddling around with several recipes, I finally found one that tasted just as good as the real thing!
First you want to melt a three tablespoons of butter in a saucepan.
Next you take a 1/4 cup flour and whisk into melted butter until fully blended
Pour 2 cups skim milk into flour mixture and stir until thickened
Add two cups 2% grated cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup grated parmesan, stir until melted
Boil 1 1/2 cups Barilla Pasta and cook according to boxed instructions
Pour drained pasta in 2 quart dish and stir in cheese sauce
For added freshness, I like to chop up a few Roma tomatoes for the top
Combine 1 cup bread crumbs with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
The end result is a perfect mac-n-cheese that is light and satisfying! This can easily be made into a meat dish by adding some cooked ground turkey before going in the oven.
- 1 ½ cups elbow macaroni
- 3 T butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 C skim milk
- 1 t dry mustard
- ½ t salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 C grated cheddar cheese
- 1 C grated parmesan cheese
- 2-4 roma tomatoes – sliced
- 1 C bread crumbs
- Cook pasta until firm. Set aside.
- Melt butter on low heat. Whisk in flour and stir for about 3 minutes until blended.
- Pour in milk and continue to whisk until mixture comes to a light boil. Sauce will thicken some. Add mustard, salt, and pepper and continue to cook at a low simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened – about 3 minutes.
- Stir in cheddar cheese and half (1/2 cup) of the parmesan cheese.
- Stir until cheese has melted.
- Place cooked macaroni in a greased baking dish.
- Pour sauce over the macaroni and stir until macaroni is fully coated.
- In a small bowl mix together bread crumbs and remaining parmesan cheese. Top with sliced tomatoes and sprinkle crumb mixture over the pasta.
- Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Enjoy!!
What’s your favorite mac-n-cheese dish?
Estela, it looks delish! I am with you on not finding a healthy mac n’ cheese that tastes as good as the real stuff. I’ll give your recipe a try!! 🙂
Thanks Jessica 🙂
Looks great! Mac and cheese is one of my favorite meals–and I’m always looking to try healthier versions… I’m currently trying to work on a microwaveable healthy version haha
yumm! i’m always searching for a healthier version of mac and cheese and elbow pasta is the only way i like it 🙂 thanks for the great recipe, i can’t wait to try it!
I LOVED my kabocha and bacon mac and cheese…it was amazing. I still haven’t tried “real” mac and cheese before though.
yours look incredibly cheesy and fabulous!!
looks delicious! i like the tomato addition
YUM! I love mac and cheese. Love this healthy version.
Wow…that looks so impressive and delicious.
I’ve never made my own, but my favorite is Amy’s Organic Mac ‘n Cheese in the oven. The last 10 minutes I add a bunch of broccoli, sliced mushrooms and whatever other veggies are hanging around to the mix and it cooks up so creamy and delicious. (It’s fun to add salsa on occasion, as well.)
YUM! Love this healthified recipe for mac-n-cheese! Your blog is amazing BTW. I love it! Keep up the great work. I can’t wait to read and learn more!