Healthy Baked Macaroni Cheese Recipes

BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook macaroni according to package directions for al dente; drain., In a Dutch oven, heat 1/3 cup butter over medium heat; saute onion until tender. Stir in flour and seasonings until blended; gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted. Stir in macaroni. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., In a microwave, melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, 30-35 minutes.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• For the macaroni: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the salt and macaroni. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the macaroni until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well.
• For the cheese sauce: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan. Using a wire whisk, stir in the flour and salt, stirring and cooking over medium heat until the roux bubbles and the flour turns pale brown, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk and then whisk in the remaining 1 cup milk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Add the cheese and stir until it melts. Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly.
• For the topping: In a small bowl, stir the breadcrumbs with the butter until the crumbs are moistened.
• Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the prepared baking dish and top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Bake until the dish bubbles around the edges, about 15 minutes.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
• Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
• Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
• Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.

HEALTHIER HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE

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.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• In a large pot of salted water, lightly boil the macaroni for about 5 minutes until half-cooked.
• Whisk the egg and milk together in a large cup. Add butter and cheese to the egg and milk. Stir well.
• Place the lightly cooked macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg and cheese liquid over the macaroni, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir well. Press the mixture evenly around the baking dish.
• Bake uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is brown.

BAKED HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the macaroni, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Turn off heat and stir in Cheddar cheese until the cheese is melted. Add the macaroni and stir to coat. Pour the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mix the 1/4 remaining cup melted butter and crushed crackers together in a bowl; scatter the cracker mixture evenly over the macaroni mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH STEWED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain, rinse and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, over medium heat, heat the 3 cups of milk, butter, salt and pepper until hot but not boiling.
• In a small bowl or cup, combine 1/4 cup of milk with the cornstarch and stir until dissolved.
• Slowly add this to the hot milk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.
• When mixture has thickened, remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of the cheese until melted.
• Pour pasta into a large mixing bowl and add the cheese mixture and the stewed tomatoes.
• Mix well until macaroni is well coated.
• Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish or 3 quart casserole and top with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 35 to 45, or until golden brown.

CREAMY HOMEMADE BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13"). Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.
• While water is coming up to a boil, shred cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of the milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
• Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency. It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.
• Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.
• Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until cheesy is bubbly and lightly golden brown.

HEALTHY BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE

Steps:

• I like to use the healthy choice or smart balance cheeses. Use Tabasco to taste of course--my husband likes it spicy!
• Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 9x13 or 3-quart baking dish with nonstick spray oil.
• Cook macaroni according to package directions.
• In a food processor or blender, mix ricotta cheese, milk, egg substitute, mustard, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper.
• Process until smooth.
• Drain macaroni, return to pot and add shredded cheddar. Stir until cheese melts. Stir in ricotta mixture and scrape into prepared baking dish.
• In a small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and paprika. Sprinkle evenly over macaroni and cheese.
• Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Serve hot.

HEALTHY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray an 8x8" baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
• In a large pot boil the pasta for 5 minutes then drain and set aside.
• In that pot, wipe it dry with a paper towel.
• On medium-high heat melt the butter and whisk in the flour until the flour is completely mixed in.
• Add in the milk slowly whisking as you pour.
• Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
• Add in 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese and the cottage cheese whisking well.
• Add salt, mustard, pepper, and the cooked pasta and stir to combine.
• Pour mixture into baking dish.
• Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

RICHLY BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350.
• Cook macaroni in boiling water according to directions. Drain. Pour into a 3 quart casserole.
• In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour. Gradually stir in milk and sour cream. Add salt and pepper.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly,until bubbly and thicken.
• Reserve 1 cup of cheese for the top of casserole. Toss macaroni with remaining cheese. Pour sauce over macaroni and mix.
• Sprinkle remaining cheese.

VEGAN BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, combine the cashews with enough boiling water to cover in a medium bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, garlic powder, ground mustard and 1 1/2 cups water in a high-powered blender. Blend until very smooth, adding more water if necessary to reach the desired consistency. Stir in the butternut squash and season with salt and pepper.
• Stir together the cooked pasta and sauce in a lightly greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Stir together the panko, Parmesan and olive oil in a bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the pasta. Bake until the pasta is bubbly and the topping is browned, 20 to 25 minutes.