Homemade Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ready to make a delicious healthy mac and cheese the kids will love! This is a simple, creamy and cheesy dish that’s filled with goodness.
I remember buying the store-bought macaroni and cheese, you know the one that comes in a box! And as a child I loved it! But as an adult I now know just how unhealthy those store-bought packages are!
This is an easy and healthy, guilt free mac and cheese recipe you can feed your kids knowing they are still getting nutrition.
Why Make Your Own Mac and Cheese?
So many reasons to make your own!
- Homemade is so much healthier than storebought! Have you looked at the ingredients list on the back of a mac and cheese box? That alone should inspire to make your own!
- You can sneak in healthy ingredients without your kids knowing! There are a lot of different varieties out there, but this mac and cheese recipe has homemade bone broth and an egg for extra protein!
- It’s cheap and quick to make. If you need to quickly make something for lunch or dinner, you can quickly whip up homemade mac and cheese.
Tips For Making Mac and Cheese
- Shred your own cheese: Do not buy already pre shredded cheese. It has anti caking agents which doesn’t allow it to melt as nicely and who wants the extra additives. Shred your own cheese.
- You can even pre shred cheese at home and stick them into ziploc bags and place them in the freezer. Then you always have shredded cheese on hand.
- Salt the pasta water: Salting the pasta water adds flavour to your pasta. Don’t worry it doesn’t make your pasta super salty, the water gets dumped, and pasta gets rinsed, but it does still add just a little extra flavour.
- Mix until the sauce thickens on medium heat: Make sure to continuously mix your sauce so that it doesn’t burn on the bottom, and it will thicken in no time!
- Don’t over cook the pasta: No one wants mushy pasta. Make sure to cook it until it’s just cooked and then give it a good rinse. The pasta will cook a bit more when mixed with the hot cheesy sauce.
What You Need to Make Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
Cooked Pasta: You will need pasta of course to make macaroni cheese. For a healthier option use sourdough pasta, egg pasta or bean pasta! There are so many great options out there!
Bone Broth: I use homemade bone broth. You can always make a big batch and freeze portion to always have some on hand. Or you can use storebought bone broth, but my homemade bone broth recipe is so flavourful!
Cream: Cream will thicken the pasta sauce nicely and of course make it creamy.
Butter: Butter gives this mac and cheese sauce a nice flavour and texture as well as a more golden colour.
Egg: All you need is one large egg. This adds protein and also thickens the sauce, so you don’t have to add flour.
Cheese: This wouldn’t be mac and cheese if you didn’t add cheese! You can add whatever cheese you like, but cheddar cheese would be the nicest. It’s hard to buy cheddar here in Australia so I just add mustard to give it that extra flavour I’m after.
Spices: Some of the spices I used for this recipe include sea salt, garlic powder, mustard powder and a little pepper.
Supplies
Pot: You will need a small to medium size pot to make the sauce.
Whisk: You will want a fork or whisk to mix all the ingredients together.
How To Make Mac and Cheese (Step by Step)
- Precook your pasta per directions of your packet.
- In a small pot add bone broth, cream, butter, spices and one egg and whisk together on medium heat.
3. Once the broth is starting to thicken add the cheese into the pot and mix thoroughly until well incorporated.
4. Let it cool slightly as it will thicken more and mix into the pasta.
5. Once it’s cooled enough serve and enjoy! See below for more variation options.
If you try this recipe and love, please come back and leave it a 5 star review!
Homemade Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe
Here is a homemade, easy and healthy mac and cheese recipe your kids will love. A simple, flavourful, cheesy lunch or dinner option.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked pasta (500 gram bag of pasta)
- 1/2 cup chicken bone broth
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp mustard sauce or powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Precook your pasta per directions of your packet.
- In a small pot add bone broth, cream, butter, spices and one egg and whisk together on medium heat.
- Once the broth is starting to thicken add the cheese into the pot and mix thoroughly until well incorporated.
- Let it cool slightly as it will thicken more and mix into the pasta.
- Once it's cooled enough serve and enjoy! See below for more variation options.
Notes
How To Store Mac and Cheese
Store your healthy mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure it is first completely cooled before putting in the fridge.
You can also freeze your mac and cheese in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. While the consistency can change slightly the taste should stay the same. You can reheat in the oven or on the stove top.
Flavour Combinations
- For more protein try adding shredded chicken, cooked mince (ground beef), or tuna!
- If your kids like vegetables add some cooked diced cooked carrots, sweet potato or broccoli into your dish.
How To Store Macaroni and Cheese
Store your healthy mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure it is first completely cooled before putting in the fridge.
You can also freeze your mac and cheese in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. While the consistency can change slightly the taste should stay the same. You can reheat in the oven or on the stove top.
Flavour Variations To Try
- For more protein try adding shredded chicken, cooked mince (ground beef), or tuna!
- If your kids like vegetables add some cooked diced cooked carrots, sweet potato or broccoli into your dish.
