Healthy-ish Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Meet my family’s all-time favorite mac and cheese recipe… my Healthy-ish Stovetop Mac and Cheese! This recipe was a necessity to convince my now 6-year-old MJ that homemade mac and cheese was better than any boxed mac and cheese. But at the time… my then 4-year-old only ate orange mac and cheese.

In other words, she wanted the “blue box” mac and cheese. You know, the one that many of us elder millennials grew up eating and enjoying. But, I wanted a healthier version of this stovetop mac and cheese. using real ingredients. Enter… cooked and pureed carrots! Yup! I add pureed carrots to get that orange color reminiscent of the blue box stuff. If you really want it to look like the blue box… try casarecce for your pasta!

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The best part? This mac and cheese could not be easier to make. There’s no béchamel sauce technique. I use cream cheese to thicken the sauce instead! Don’t worry you don’t get any kind of prominent cream cheese flavor either. Homemade mac and cheese for the win!

Extra Details for Success

• Add salt to the boiling water before cooking the pasta (you need to add a good amount so the pasta has good flavor as well.
• Use quality cheddar cheese. The cheese is the predominant flavor here (and rightly so). I recommend Westby Creamery Cheddar Cheese. for a white cheddar version…ry Organic Valley® Raw Mild Cheddar.
• Grate the cheese by hand. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with starch or cellulose to prevent the shreds from sticking and clumping. This can, and likely will prevent you from obtaining a perfectly creamy melted cheese sauce.
• Better pasta makes better mac and cheese. I love Montebello’s organic pastas. I buy them at my local Co-op, but Barilla also offers some great pasta at a very affordable price.
• Make sure your ingredients are measured and ready. This recipe comes together quickly. You won’t have time to measure the ingredients (or specifically shred all that cheese) before it’s time to add the next one!
• Don’t overcook the milk. Letting the milk boil too long reduces the moisture content to the point that the cheese sauce ends up stringy and possibly with curds (and not the awesome kind you get from your local dairy).
• Make sure you’re pasta is slightly less done than al dente so it doesn’t overcook as you continue cooking the pasta after you make the sauce. It will also cook a little in the strainer as it waits for you to add it back into the pot.
• The reserve water is just in case the pasta sits for a little. if you add the water to it as it gets thick and clumpy it’ll re-constitute.

Ingredient Options/Substitutes

1. The pasta shapes can be the funniest part! Try using cavatppi/cellentani for a fun play on the elbow macaroni pasta. For a more “nostalgic” blue box feel, use casarecce. You can also use gluten-free pasta as well.
2. You can use olive oil as a healthier option.
3. For extra protein, try Fairlife whole milk.
4. For the carrot pureé, you can use baby food (yes, baby food) OR you can make your own!
   • A quick way to do this is to take a can of cooked carrots strain ¾ of the liquid, then blend the carrots until well smooth using your immersion blender.
5. If you want a white cheddar version, use pureed cauliflower.

Cooking Equipment

Below are some of the items you see featured in this post that I use to make my Healthy-ish Stovetop Mac and Cheese. All linked items are part of the Amazon Affiliate (Affiliate Disclaimer), but I do use them and truly love them.

• All Clad D3 3-quart Sauce Pan
• Rachael Ray Tools and Gadgets Stainless Steel Box Grater

Want more details or an easier-to-shop list? Check out my Amazon Storefront for all my cooking recommendations (and fun outfits I share on the Gram).

5 More Easy Pasta Dishes and Sauces

• One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu
• One-Pot Asparagus and Bacon Rigatoni
• Easy Marinara Sauce
• Pesto Pasta Recipe
• Pizza Pasta Bake

ENJOY and Share!

Let me know what you think of this Healthy-ish Stovetop Mac and Cheese! Your star ratings with your comments are tremendously helpful! I love seeing friends and family come together over food. If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram or Facebook! Use @jenngiamsmith & #jenngiamsmith. Or share it on this post’s Pinterest Pin!

Healthy-ish Mac and Chees

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Jenn Giam Smith
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 people 1x

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Description

Try this healthier version of stovetop mac and cheese using real ingredients and a secret orange twist!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 8 oz Elbow Macaroni (see NOTES 1 for details)
• 4 oz Cream Cheese [cubed and softened]
• 8 oz cheddar cheese [shredded]
• 3 tbsp butter (see note 2 for other options)
• 1 cup whole milk (see note 3 for substitutions)
• 1 cup Chicken Stock (see NOTES 4 for substitutions)
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 cup pureed carrots [optional] (see NOTES 5 for details)
• Salt (to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper (taste)
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (see Instructions 1 & 6 for details)

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Instructions

1. Boil the pasta to 2 minutes less than al dente. *once the pasta is cooked, take a glass measuring cup, I use a 2 cup to get a good amount of extra just in case I need it, and collect some pasta water for later.
2. Drain the pasta (leave it in the strainer for now)
3. Turn heat to medium. In the same pot used to cook the pasta , add butter. Once hot and melted, add the Cream Cheese, then whisk until the Cream Cheese is melted into a thick paste.
4. Slowly add the Chicken Stock while continuously whisking.
5. Add mustard powder
6. Next, add 1/4 cup of pureed carrots (see note 4 for options on this).
7. Add the pasta water to the sauce. Stir until incorporated.
8. Add the pasta into the sauce, and stir until completely mixed.
9. Add the whole milk and 3/4 of the cheddar cheese to the mixture, and fold until fairly mixed together. Turn off the heat.
10. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
11. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. 
12. Serve immediately

Equipment

All-Clad D3 3-Ply Stainless Steel 3 Quart Sauce Pan

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KitchenAid Universal Bamboo Short Turner, One size, Wood

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Rachael Ray Stainless Steel Box Grater (Teal Blue)

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Notes

1. The pasta shapes can be the funniest part! Try using cavatppi/cellentani for a fun play on the elbow macaroni pasta. For a more “nostalgic” blue box feel, use casarecce. You can also use gluten-free pasta as well.
2. 1:1 ratio of olive oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil
3. whole milk can be replaced with the following ratios:
   • 5⁄8 cup skim milk + 3⁄8 cup half-and-half
   • 2⁄3 cup 1% milk + 1⁄3 cup half-and-half
   • 3⁄4 cup 2% milk + 1⁄4 cup half-and-half
   • 7⁄8 cup skim milk + 1⁄8 cup heavy cream
4. 1:1 ratio of Vegetable Stock
5. For the carrot pureé, you can use baby food (yes, baby food) OR you can make your own!
   • A quick way to do this is to take a can of cooked carrots strain ¾ of the liquid, then blend the carrots until well smooth using your immersion blender.

Nutrition Info

Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, I recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Beverage
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6 people
• Calories: 1165
• Sodium: 1010mg
• Fat: 59.2g
• Saturated Fat: 36.6g
• Carbohydrates: 103.9g
• Fiber: 4.6g
• Protein: 52.8g
• Cholesterol: 178mg

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©Photo, Prop Styling, and Food Styling by Jenn Smith