Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe - iFoodReal.com (2024)

Easy Healthy Mac and Cheese is creamy and comforting with a fraction of fat and calories. Ready in 15 minutes, in one pot!

If you’re healthy macaroni and cheese obsessed like me, you might also enjoy Instant Pot mac and cheese and baked mac and cheese with cauliflower.

When you’re craving mac and cheese but not all the unhealthy saturated fats, calories, and heavy dairy that comes with traditional recipe, this healthy mac and cheese recipe is the perfect answer.

Perfect healthy dinner idea for the whole family, this pasta recipe is ready in just 15 minutes and can be customized in several ways!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Only 8 ingredients: Just simple and wholesome ingredients. No shelf stable cheese or powdered cheese packets are involved.
• Low calorie mac and cheese: Restaurant-style versions have 600+ calories vs. this homemade macaroni and cheese with only 400 calories per serving.
• One pot meal: For a fuss-free, simple weeknight dinner.
• Uses no flour: Less calories, lower in fat, and overall healthier macaroni and cheese.
• Only 1/4 cup cheese needed: For a decadent cheesy flavor that is still the ultimate comfort food.
• Kid approved: Healthy mac n cheese is a wonderful crowd pleaser even if you have picky eaters.
• Super versatile: Enjoy as is or bulk it up with veggies and protein. You can even prepare it dairy-free or gluten-free.

Ingredients for Healthy Mac and Cheese

This healthy mac and cheese recipe requires just 8 simple ingredients, most of which are likely already in your kitchen.

• Pasta: Macaroni or also known as elbow pasta is our favorite and traditional shaped pasta for mac and cheese. However, you can use any short pasta that can hold creamy sauce like penne, fusilli, bow ties, etc. Feel free to use whole wheat noodles, white pasta or gluten-free noodles.
• Broth: Use low sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth for extra flavor.
• Milk: I recommend using whole milk vs. skim milk for the creamiest results, or at least 2%.
• Butter: All you need is 2 tablespoons of salted butter for this low calorie mac and cheese recipe.
• Cheese: I use a combination of marble cheese or cheddar cheese and aged Parmesan cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano.
• Seasonings: I used a combination of garlic powder, mustard (the condiment), salt and pepper.

How to Make Healthy Mac and Cheese

Here is quick overview how to make healthy mac and cheese. You can also find full recipe card below.

• Prepare the creamy cheese sauce: In a large potorDutch oven, whisk the broth, milk, butter, and all the seasonings. Then bring to a boil, keeping an eye on it, as it can spill over as soon as it begins to boil.
• Add the pasta: As soon as your liquid mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to a medium heat simmer and add the macaroni to the saucepan.
• Cook: Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente. Stir occasionally, to stop the pasta sticking to the pan.
• Add the cheese: Once the pasta is ready, remove the pot from the heat. Do not drain. Then gradually add in the cheese, stirring between each addition.

Tips for Best Results

• Have all the ingredients prepped: Since this stovetop mac and cheese can come together in just 15 minutes, it’s a good idea to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before starting. So, you don’t slow the process down!
• Don’t use pre-shredded cheese: For the best melting results, make sure to use blocks of real cheese and grate them yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that prevents it from melting well.
• To adjust the cheese sauce consistency: If you notice that the pasta is almost cooked but there’s still a lot of liquid, I recommend increasing the heat. Likewise, if the liquid seems to be running out, add an extra 1/4 cup or more of any broth.
• Use whole wheat pasta when possible: Unlike processed white pasta, which many consider “empty calories”, whole wheat pasta is packed with nutrients including complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals.
• Adjust the time for gluten–free: Gluten-free pasta usually only takes a few minutes to cook, so adjust the time accordingly.

Additions

There are several ways you can bulk up this healthy macaroni and cheese, either as add-ins or toppings.

• Frozen vegetables: Frozen green peas, corn or edamame beans are good additions. Rinse under hot water and drain before adding.
• Finely chopped veggies: Broccoli florets or cauliflower that have been blanched or steamed, roasted, or some even like it raw.
• Spinach: Add a handful into the hot, ready healthy mac and cheese and stir until wilted.
• Other veggies: I also like adding chopped zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, etc. You can saute them in a separate pan if you want them more browned, or add directly to the pot.
• More heat: Drizzle the bowl with Frank’s red hot sauce, Cholula or Tabasco.
• Spices and seasonings: Everything bagel seasoning, Montreal steak spice, paprika, nutmeg, soy sauce and even honey or pesto can be added.
• Bacon:Leftover chopped oven baked bacon will add extra salty flavor. I like to bake mine at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes – it’s less mess and fuss-free!

Variations

There are also several ways to vary this easy mac and cheese recipe:

• Creamier: For creamier mac and cheese, you could swap out a few tablespoons of the milk for heavy cream or half and half. It’ll have a lot of impact on the flavor but not too much impact on the calories!
• Other cheese: Feel free to experiment with using a combination of cheese in the cheese sauce. For example, gouda, sharp cheddar cheese or cream cheese.
• Vegetarian mac and cheese: Unfortunately, Parmesan cheese isn’t vegetarian because it contains rennet. However, simply swap this out for another sharp cheese for vegan Parmesan or some nutritional yeast. Also, if you can buy vegetarian Parmesan, it’s an option as well. It does exist!

FAQs

What Do I Serve Healthy Mac and Cheese with?

I often get asked “What to serve with mac and cheese?”. You can enjoy this healthy macaroni and cheese for as a side dish, alone as is, or with these meal ideas:

• Comfort food: For a mac and cheese dinner pair with ground turkey meatloaf or healthy fried chicken. Kids love almond crusted chicken!
• Meatballs: Like these turkey meatballs.
• Coleslaw: Either a creamy healthy coleslaw or here is my favorite coleslaw recipe ever!
• A simple side salad: Leafy green salads like kale salad or lettuce salad recipe.
• Veggie salad: Like creamy cucumber salad.
• Roasted Vegetables: Like roasted cauliflower or oven roasted asparagus.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: This healthy, low calorie mac and cheese tastes best while fresh and super saucy. As it sits, the noodles will soak up the sauce and cause the dish to dry out. For that reason, I recommend storing leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day only.

The pasta won’t spoil after a day. It’s just that it will soak up the sauce and just won’t taste as good. However, feel free to store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, if you want.

Do not freeze, as pasta and dairy don’t freeze well.

Reheat: It’s best to reheat the pasta gently on the stovetop with an extra splash of broth to bring back the saucy consistency. Alternatively, you can use a microwave in 40-second increments.

More Healthy Pasta Recipes to Try

• One pot chili mac
• Spaghetti in tomato sauce
• Healthy hamburger helper
• Cottage cheese pasta
• One pot spaghetti
• Turkey pasta casserole
• Healthy chicken alfredo