Description
This Healthy Mac and Cheese features delicious chickpea pasta and sharp cheddar, offering a satisfying meal that’s quick to prepare—ideal for family dinners or a comforting treat!
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz. banza chickpea pasta elbows or brami lupini pasta, regular macaroni, or other small pasta shapes
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend
- 1¼ cups 1% or 2% milk
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese if baking: use 1¾ cups total, divided
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water according to the packaging directions. Drain and set aside.
- Return the saucepan to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt until it just starts to foam. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the mixture smells warm and lightly nutty.
- Pour the milk into the saucepan while whisking continuously. Cook for 2–3 minutes, whisking nonstop, until the sauce thickens and you can see the bottom of the pan when you drag the whisk through it.
- Turn the heat to low. Add 1¼ cups of the shredded cheddar and the salt. Whisk vigorously for 15–30 seconds until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.
- Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and fold together until fully coated. Serve hot.
- Optional Baking Step: Pour the mac and cheese into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar. Bake at 375°F for 21–23 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Serve hot.
Notes
For a creamier texture, use more cheese in the sauce.
You can substitute the pasta with gluten-free options for a healthier choice.
Adding breadcrumbs before baking can give a crispy topping if you choose the baked version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 330
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 30mg