I have never eaten more Kraft Dinner than I did in my first trimester of…
Broccoli Cheddar Mac n Cheese
Have you had dreams of making lovely homemade mac n cheese sauces only to find they turn out in a clumpy lumpy mess? Yeah, I’ve been there. Done that.
Then I discovered the blender recipe. Now it’s smooth sailing every time!
Cheddar and broccoli are made for each other. Just like peanut butter needs chocolate and brussel sprouts need hazelnuts. Oh you haven’t heard of that one? Oh you said you don’t like brussel sprouts? That just means you haven’t tried this recipe…. once you do then we’ll talk 🙂
why it’s a smart choice
Before I created my white cheddar mac n cheese recipe I hadn’t looked closely at the nutrition label of a box of Kraft Dinner. The amount of sugar was news to me. One serving has the equivalent of nearly 2 tsp of sugar! And a serving is only 1/4 of a regular sized box. Who only eats 1/4 of a box? I’m going to wager that most kids probably eat 1/2 a box at a meal. That’s 4 tsp of sugar!
That’s more than a fun size pack of Skittles!
As a comparison, this recipe only has 1.5 tsp of sugar… and that’s ALL from the naturally occurring sugars in the milk. Plus you get all the nutrition from the broccoli, eggs, milk, real cheese, etc.
AND… it doesn’t take any longer to make than KD! While the pasta is cooking you can whip up this sauce so quickly in your blender! Note: I haven’t tried this in a standard blender. I have a high-powered Vitamix that was BORN to make awesome healthy recipes like this. Making healthy mac n cheese is just another reason why a high-powered blender is totally worth the investment! (hint: not only can you make healthier recipes you will probably end up saving money too!).
batch cooking
As a little PS, I thought I’d let you know that this recipe is also featured in THIS batch cooking plan! Here’s how the batch cooking plans work: you set aside a couple of hours one day a week and prepare enough food to heat and serve all week long! Perfect for those busy weeknights!
If you give this recipe a go, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or snap a photo and tag it with #smartnutritionrecipes on Instagram! I’d love to see your creations!
Broccoli Cheddar Mac n Cheese
A silky smooth cheddar sauce blankets macaroni studded with broccoli. A match made in heaven!
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340g) dry macaroni noodles
- 1 lb (454g) broccoli, chopped
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups cups milk
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 200 g (7 oz) cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Fill a large pot halfway with water. Place it on the stove over high heat. Boil for pasta.
- In a high powered blender place the milk, butter, cornstarch and salt. Run a “soup” cycle. (If you don’t have a high powered blender, whisk these together in a small pot over medium heat. Cook until thickened. Stir constantly.)
- Add in the diced cheddar cheese and eggs. Run a “smoothie” cycle. (For the pot method, grate the cheese and add in along with the eggs. Whisk until smooth)
- Once the water has boiled add in the pasta. Once the pasta is almost cooked, toss in the broccoli. Drain and return to pot. Pour sauce on top and mix thoroughly.
Nutrition
Serving: 4 | Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 515mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 961IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 379mg | Iron: 2mg
Servings: 6
Calories: 447kcal
No vitamix here. Ninja does a fine job blending, then I just put it in with the noodles and Into the oven til it’s hot and thicker.
Yum! Glad that worked out!
I harvest some broccoli and this is a great recipe to use it. Thank you.
That’s great! Glad you enjoy the recipe!
Great Mac & cheese , grandchildren just love it
Glad your family enjoys the recipe!
AHHHHHHH This is so good, OMG !!!!!!! This is the first time I tried making this it is so easy, thank you for that, my son hates broccoli but he ate this like there was no tomorrow there was no leftovers in fact they wanted more.
Oh awesome! That’s so good to hear! Comments like this totally make my day 🙂
We had our 25 yo nephew over for a big steak dinner complete with chocolate zucchini cake and tons of ice cream. A few hours later he was hungry again, so I made this at 9:30 pm or so. He said, “Great. Now I have to spend $700 on a blender just so I can make Mac n Cheese!” He has a Ninja and isn’t confident it would do the job.
Each time I’ve made this, the sauce has been on the thin side. Usually when I add cornstarch to thicken something, I first mix it in cold water, then add it near the end to the already hot stuff. Would that help? Do I need more cheese? I admit—I have no clue how much to add unless the amount is given in a volume measurement.
Gotta love those big appetites!
One question… if you have any leftovers when you make this, does the sauce thicken up in the fridge?
I tried this recipe today but I don’t know what I did wrong except add too much cheese. I omitted the eggs and it was way too thick.
Hmm, yes the cheese would thicken it up more! And the eggs create an airier sauce.
Just wondering…. I take it the sauce heats up enough in the blender to cook the eggs? (I have a Blendtec)
Yes, with a Blendtec the sauce will heat up and thicken. Then when you add the eggs it will cook during the “smoothie” cycle!
Yes! The sauce gets heated up in a high powered blender like the Blendtec or Vitamix.