Easy Mac and Cheese

No more box mixes. This healthy, creamy stovetop recipe is way better!

By: Jodie Shield, RDN

If you love macaroni and cheese, but hate all of the artificial colors and unpronounceable additives, give this recipe a try. My Easy Mac and Cheese is way healthier than a box mix and tastes better, too. It’s from Bobby Dean’s latest cookbook and he calls it Yes You can Mac and Cheese. I liked his recipe, but it just wasn’t cheesy enough. So, I used extra sharp cheddar (regular not low fat), skipped the Parmesan, and added onion powder to boost the flavor. To save time, you could make the macaroni ahead and store in the fridge; simply make the sauce, toss in the pasta, heat and eat. It makes amazing leftovers. Just sprinkle a little grated cheddar over the top and heat in the microwave. For more quick and easy pasta meals try are my Linguine with White Clam Sauce and Caprese Lasagna Roll-Ups which are also on my app Time to Eat Healthy.

Easy Mac and Cheese

8 servings

 Prep Time = 15 minutes

Cooking Time = 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (10 ounces) whole-grain elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups skim milk
• 2 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese
• 2 ounces low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

1. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Set pasta aside.
2.  Return empty pasta pot to stove and melt butter in pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and simmer until bubbling and slightly thick (about 5 minutes). Whisk in cheddar, cream cheese, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, salt and pepper to taste.
3.  Stir macaroni back into pot and cook until heated through, about 1 minutes. Season with some more salt and pepper and serve.

Nutritional Information per Serving (1 generous cup): 334 calories, 17 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrate, 16 grams fat, 10 grams saturated fat, 50 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams fiber, 287 milligrams sodium

SaveSave