Mac and Cheese is a hit with kids and adults alike, and over the years, a lot of busy moms must have relied upon Kraft’s mac and cheese to fill up lunch-boxes or serve dinners to their children. However, i am a firm believer of feeding as much fresh and home-made food to them as you can, and something like mac and Cheese, which is so easy to make, should never really be substituted with a ready-made box.
When I first saw Susan’s Orange Cauliflower mac and cheese, I was skeptical. But then I saw that she pureed it with milk, and I thought – ya, that’s good. That way you don’t get chunks of veggies in your mouth, and it adds a nice creamy texture to the pasta [photo by Susan Russo]. This should work, and yes, it worked great! Until now, my Baked Macaroni in Cream Sauce was my favorite, but I have to say this healthier option is giving it a tough fight. I have now tried several variations of this recipe, and they all seem to work well. These are even better than Rachel Ray’s mac and cheese recipes🙂 Depending on your mood, you can customize it to add what you like – from veggies to meat, loaded with cheese or substituted with pureed veggies – no matter how you try it, I promise this would soon become a family favorite!
Here’s a basic recipe for Mac and Cheese that you can perfect and customize with family-favorite add-ins every time!
Orange Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 head orange cauliflower (or you can use white)
1/2 pound small pasta such as macaroni, elbows, or shells
2 tablespoons Smart Balance butter substitute
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk, plus 1/2 cup for pureeing cauliflower
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese, plus 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top
salt and freshly ground black pepper – add to your taste
1 tablespoon Fajita or Mexican spices (optional)
Toppings:
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Smart Balance butter substitute
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Trim cauliflower and break into small florets. Boil until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain. Place in a blender or processor with 1/2 cup milk and puree until thick and smooth. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to directions until al dente.
For the sauce, melt 2 tablespoons Smart Balance in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk briskly. Gradually add 2 cups milk, whisking continuously, until it reaches a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes, or until thick and bubbly. Add the pureed cauliflower, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Add cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and toss until well coated. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar evenly over the top.
For the buttered breadcrumbs, melt 1 tablespoon Smart Balance butter substitute in a small skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and toss until coated with butter. Sprinkle even over the top of the cheddar. Or, if you prefer, set crumbs aside, and use as a garnish just before serving.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown on top and the cheese sauce is bubbling around the edges.
I have tried this recipe several times, and it has never failed to impress me! but when monotonous gets boring, I make it with a couple twists.
Mac and Cheese with Garam Masala
Instead of cauliflower, use thinly sliced onions and some chopped yellow peppers. Saute them a bit with 1 tbsp butter, then throw them into the baking dish along with the pasta, and proceed with the recipe. Skip the fajita seasoning, and add 3 tbsp of your favorite marinara sauce. Also add a dash of parsley and a pinch of garam masala powder. The ingredients may sound bizarre, but trust me, it all works well together.
Vegetable Medley Mac and Cheese
This is a healthier and more nutritious version of mac and Cheese than what you’d be used to. Add some chopped broccoli, bell peppers, onions, some chopped asparagus and shredded zucchini, if you like, and also add a half cup of cheddar cheese to balance out the extra veggies. Boil the veggies lightly until tender, then chop them coarsely in the blender (without adding the milk) so they become tiny bite-sized. Add them to the casserole and bake the pasta as directed.
These Mac and Cheese recipes are my family’s absolute favorites. They are super tasty, very well-balanced, and do not need much prep time. These recipes change the image of the cheese-loaded traditional mac and cheese, and are a good way to get your kids to eat healthy, nutritious food. Use whole-wheat pasta instead of enriched ones for a more health-friendly meal:)
FAQs
8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
- Add extra cheese to your dish.
- Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
- Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
- Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
- Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
Its origins trace back to cheese and pasta casseroles dating to the 14th century in Italy and medieval England. The traditional macaroni and cheese is a casserole baked in the oven; however, it may be prepared in a sauce pan on top of the stove or using a packaged mix.
How to make an easy mac better? ›
Add Cream Cheese
Most boxes will instruct you to boil the pasta, then drain and add butter, milk, and cheese powder to the pot, mixing well to form a sauce. To make your mac extra creamy and rich, stir in a tablespoon or two of cream cheese into your cheese sauce. You'll thank us later.
What does adding more milk to mac and cheese do? ›
Sauce too thick? Stir in a splash of milk and mix until the sauce has loosened up. (This is also a great trick for reheating mac and cheese - if you're microwaving leftovers and the sauce seems to have dried up, stir a splash of milk or half-and-half into the pasta to bring the sauce back to life!)
What is the most perfect cheese to use on mac & cheese? ›
What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.
How do you make mac and cheese creamy again? ›
The #1 secret to creamy reheated mac and cheese
"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.
What kind of pasta is used in mac and cheese? ›
By definition, classic macaroni and cheese should be made with, well, macaroni, a style broadly defined as any short, cylindrical extruded pasta. This includes tubes like ziti, penne, rigatoni and, yes, elbows, as well as corkscrew shapes like fusilli.
What is a fancy name for mac and cheese? ›
“Macaroni au gratin is, of course, a fancy name for mac and cheese. In this case though, it really is so much more than your run-of-the-mill mac.
What does s mac stand for? ›
S'MAC (short for Sarita's Macaroni & Cheese) is an exciting eatery located in the heart of Manhattan's East Village.
What can I put in Kraft mac and cheese? ›
Here are a few of my favorite ways to upgrade boxed mac and cheese in three ingredients or fewer:
- Broccoli + Shredded Chicken. ...
- Bacon + Peas + Egg. ...
- Garlic + Pickled Jalapeños. ...
- Mushrooms + Thyme + Grated Gruyère. ...
- Pesto + Sun-Dried Tomatoes. ...
- Kimchi + Bacon + Chopped Scallions. ...
- Cherry Tomatoes + Basil + Mozzarella.
Stove Top Instructions:
- Boil 6 cups water.
- Stir in macaroni. Boil 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- DRAIN: Do not rinse. Return to pot.
- ADD ¼ cup margarine, ¼ cup milk and Cheese Sauce Mix.
- Mix well.
Heavy cream is, in my opinion, the best milk substitute for kraft mac and cheese. It's thicker and more luxurious than milk, so I actually think this makes a better end result! just add the heavy whipping cream in the same way you would add the milk.
Why is evaporated milk better for mac and cheese? ›
Key #2: Use Evaporated Milk
The second big key was to use evaporated milk as the base liquid. Evaporated milk is a highly concentrated source of milk protein micelles—bundles of proteins that can act as powerful emulsifying agents—which help to keep the sauce creamy and smooth.
What happens if you add more butter to mac and cheese? ›
You could start by adding double the butter called for on the box and adjusting as needed -- it may require some trial and error the first time around, but it will be worth it. The result will be a bowl of mac and cheese that is so rich and creamy that you may even forget that it came from a box.
What can I add to bland mac and cheese? ›
Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce.
How do you make mac and cheese not boring? ›
You can add extra cheese and breadcrumbs and finish the thing in the oven for something you might actually bring to a potluck, but even a quick saute or spin in the toaster oven, of panko bread crumbs and olive oil tips boxed mac and cheese into a meal worth actually setting the table for.
What adds Flavour to mac and cheese? ›
Cayenne, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, and Dry Mustard
Simply add ½ teaspoons of cayenne, black pepper, and dry mustard with a dash of nutmeg to a mixture of 1 egg and 1 cup (0.24 l) of heavy cream. Pour this spice mixture on top of your traditional mac and cheese recipe before baking.
How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›
Preparation
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
- Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
- Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
- Enjoy!
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