Lighter Macaroni and Cheese
Creamy, homemade cheese sauce covering al dente noodles and sautéed veggies you won’t even tell are there, make this Lighter Macaroni and Cheese a family favorite. A delicious comfort meal that will leave you feeling good.
Servings: 8
Calories: 561kcal
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
- Sauce pot
- vegetable chopper or knife & cutting board
- cheese grater
- measuring cups / spoons
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 14 oz box Barilla Protein+ Elbow Pasta
- 2 ½ tbsp Zero Acre cultured oil divided
- ¼ cup white onions diced
- 1 bag frozen cauliflower rice 10 oz
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ⅔-1 cup skim milk I used Fairlife
- 8 oz raw cheddar shredded
- 8 oz mozzarella shredded
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp spicy mustard
- 16 Ritz crackers optional for topping
Instructions
- Start by preparing the noodles. Heat a sauce pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the recipe instructions. Strain after noodles are al dente and set aside until needed.
- Use a cheese grater to finely shred the raw cheddar and mozzarella. Set aside.
- Use a vegetable chopper (or knife) to finely dice the onions.
- Then, heat the dutch oven/large sauce pot to medium heat and add ½ tablespoon of Cultured Oil. Add in the diced onions and cauliflower rice and sauté. Cover the pan for a few minutes to let cauliflower steam. Remove the vegetables from the pot and set aside.
- Now it’s time to make the roux. Use the same dutch oven/pot and add 2 tablespoons of cultured oil. Whisk in flour until completely absorbed. Continue whisking fervently while slowly adding the milk. Set aside remaining ⅓ milk to add later. Depending on noodle type and roux thickness, you may not need this.
- Then, add all of the shredded cheese (cheddar and mozzarella/cheddar) while continuing to whisk. The result will be a thick cheese sauce. If the sauce is too thick to stir, add ¼ cup more milk.
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle in all of the seasoning and mustard to the cheese sauce.
- Add the cooked noodles and sautéed vegetables to the pot and stir again so everything is evenly coated.
- Top with crumbled ritz crackers (optional) and serve hot!
Notes
If cheese sauce is too thick, whisk in additional milk or reserved pasta water.
Store this Lighter Macaroni and Cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 752mg | Potassium: 431mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g