Indulge in a healthier version of the classic comfort food with our collection of reduced-fat mac and cheese recipes. These delightful dishes offer a satisfying and guilt-free twist on the traditional macaroni and cheese, featuring reduced-fat ingredients that maintain the creamy, cheesy goodness you love. From lightened-up versions made with low-fat milk and cheeses to innovative recipes using alternative ingredients like cauliflower and butternut squash, our recipes cater to various dietary preferences and tastes. Discover a healthier way to enjoy this iconic dish while still savoring its rich, comforting flavors.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
SKINNY MACARONI AND CHEESE
59% less fat • 54% less sat fat • 24% fewer calories than the original recipe. Make it "my mac and cheese" with simple changes.
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 45m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In 3-quart saucepan, cook and drain macaroni as directed on package. Return to saucepan; cover to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, stir milk, flour, mustard, salt, black pepper and red pepper with wire whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted.
- Add cheese sauce to cooked macaroni; mix well. Spoon into baking dish.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are bubbly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 340, Carbohydrate 44 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 19 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 640 mg, Sugar 5 g, TransFat 0 g
REDUCED FAT MAC AND CHEESE
Provided by Food Network
Time 1h20m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain well.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Place flour in a large saucepan over medium heat, gradually whisking in milk. Add mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, red pepper and Worcestershire. Continue cooking until sauce thickens, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream cheese until well blended; add 2/3 of shredded cheese and stir until melted. Add macaroni, stirring until well coated. Pour into prepared baking dish.
- Toss remaining shredded cheese with breadcrumbs and sprinkle over top of macaroni; spray with cooking spray.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden on top and bubbling throughout.
YUMMY LOW-FAT MAC & CHEESE
Make and share this Yummy Low-Fat Mac & Cheese recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Absolutely Bananas
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 35m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Coat 2 quart casserole with nonstick spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Melt butter in medium saucepan. stir in flour, mustard, paprika, and salt. slowly pour in milk, whisking continuously until there are no lumps in the flour. continue to stir with whisk, raise the heat, and cook until milk bubbles and thickens. Remove from stovetop and stir in sour cream, egg, and cheese.
- Toss macaroni and the cheese mixture together in a bowl and then pour it into the casserole. Top with the cornflake crumbs. Set in the oven and bake for 20 min, or until bubbling around edges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 253.8, Fat 4.4, SaturatedFat 2, Cholesterol 41.1, Sodium 271.9, Carbohydrate 41.9, Fiber 1.9, Sugar 6.9, Protein 11.1
HEALTHIER HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE
To make this rich mac and cheese recipe healthier we use whole wheat bread crumbs, low-fat milk and cheese, whole wheat noodles, and reduced the amount of butter. Serve with a salad for a healthy meatless dinner.
Provided by MakeItHealthy
Categories Pasta and Noodles Noodle Recipes
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a roux. Slowly add milk to roux, stirring constantly. Stir in Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and sauce is thick, about 3 minutes. Place macaroni in large baking dish and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and stir until butter is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Spread over macaroni to cover. Sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake in preheated oven until cheese sauce is hot and breadcrumbs are browned, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 770.4 calories, Carbohydrate 106.6 g, Cholesterol 60.3 mg, Fat 22.4 g, Fiber 10.6 g, Protein 42.5 g, SaturatedFat 13.1 g, Sodium 750.2 mg, Sugar 9.6 g
MIKA'S LOW FAT MACARONI AND CHEESE
This may be low fat but it doesn't taste like it! You have to try this recipe! This is one of my best....
Provided by Mika G.
Categories Cheese
Time 1h
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- While noodles are cooking, mix together next 9 ingredients.
- Mix in cooked pasta, and pour into a 2 quart casserole dish sprayed with Pam.
- Mix bread crumbs, paprika and 1 TBSP melted margarine and sprinkle over top of casserole.
- Cover and bake for 45 minutes @ 350 degrees.
- Remove tin foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 428.4, Fat 6, SaturatedFat 2.9, Cholesterol 49.5, Sodium 661.5, Carbohydrate 64.1, Fiber 2.5, Sugar 4.4, Protein 27.5
LOW FAT MAC AND CHEESE
That actually does NOT taste low fat, true! Not the way I USED to do! No butter or oil too! Hope you will agree and do a review!
Provided by mickeydownunder
Categories Cheese
Time 20m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- COOK pasta and DRAIN; keep warm.
- In same saucepan, ADD milk and flour and WHISK until smooth; heat to BOIL stirring all the time to make sure does not stick.
- ADD mustard and black pepper.
- Once at a boil, allow to simmer about 3 minutes til thickened slightly.
- ADD cheese stirring until total melted.
- ADD pasta back into saucepan; stir until well coated.
- ENJOY!
- NOTE: Was inspired by the internet to post this; I HOPE you don't give it a miss!
- NOTE: Can top with tsp of parsley or 1 tsp chilli flakes when adding mustard and pepper; is all up to YOU! :).
LOWER FAT BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
This is the result of me playing with my MIL's baked mac and cheese recipe. IMHO it captures the flavor and texture of the original recipe without leaving a greasy feeling in the mouth. Hope you enjoy it!
Provided by smellyvegetarian
Categories Cheese
Time 40m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 and coat an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.
- Cook pasta according to box directions until just done. Drain briefly, then return pasta to the cooking pot (it should still be warm).
- Add Smart Balance, Velveeta, milk, and 1/2 c cheddar cheese and stir until the cheeses melt. You may need to put the pan back on a burner for this.
- Pour pasta mixture into greased pan and bake for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle remaining 1/4 c cheese on top and bake another 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the top is as crunchy as you like it :).
REDUCED FAT MACARONI AND CHEESE (COOK'S COUNTRY)
Most recipes for reduced-fat macaroni and cheese fall short on taste and texture. This recipe tastes delicious, but isn't nearly as rich. Instead of using whole milk and heavy cream in this recipe, it uses skim milk thickened with a roux. Low-fat cheddar cheese and Parmesan add a complex flavor to the macaroni and cheese without the added fat. Part-skim ricotta cheese adds a creamy texture to this reduced-fat version. By making these substitutions, the calories and fat are cut by more than half. Serves 4 as a main dish, or 6-8 as a side dish. From Cook's Country. http://bit.ly/13oaie8
Provided by DrGaellon
Categories Macaroni And Cheese
Time 50m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Toss bread crumbs with butter in small bowl until combined. Set aside.
- In food processor or blender, process cheddar, Parmesan, and ricotta until no large pieces of cheese remain, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water and 1 tbsp table salt (not in ingredient list) to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and cook until tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain macaroni and leave in colander.
- In now-empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour and mustard and cook, whisking to combine ingredients, until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly add milk and Tabasco, if using, and bring to full boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking frequently, until mixture becomes slightly thicker than heavy cream, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in cheese mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt until cheese is melted. Add pasta and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat, until mixture is steaming, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to broiler-safe 8-inch-square baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool 2 minutes. Serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 494.4, Fat 14.7, SaturatedFat 8.5, Cholesterol 41.8, Sodium 767.5, Carbohydrate 62.2, Fiber 2.4, Sugar 2.4, Protein 26.9
Tips:
- Use a blend of cheeses: Combining different types of cheeses, such as cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan, creates a more complex and flavorful mac and cheese.
- Cook the pasta al dente: Slightly undercooked pasta will continue to cook in the cheese sauce, preventing it from becoming mushy.
- Make a roux: A roux, made from butter and flour, helps to thicken the cheese sauce and prevent it from curdling.
- Add milk or cream gradually: Whisking in the milk or cream slowly helps to prevent the sauce from becoming lumpy.
- Season to taste: Add salt, pepper, and other seasonings to taste, adjusting the amounts to your preference.
- Top with breadcrumbs or crushed crackers: A crispy topping adds texture and flavor to the mac and cheese.
- Serve immediately: Mac and cheese is best enjoyed when served hot and fresh.
Conclusion:
Whether you're looking for a classic comfort food dish or a healthier alternative, there's a reduced-fat mac and cheese recipe in this article that's perfect for you. With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, you can create a delicious and satisfying meal that the whole family will love. So next time you're craving mac and cheese, give one of these recipes a try - you won't be disappointed!
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