Healthy Mac and Cheese for Kids
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A healthier twist on a comforting dish! This Healthy Mac and Cheese for Kids recipe is filled with veggies that are pureed and mixed into the dish. If you are looking to add in more veggies to your kids’ plate and your own, without compromising flavor, this recipe is for you!
Another recipe I love that blends in veggies discreetly is Kid-Friendly Refried Bean and Mushroom Tostadas!
*This post was originally published on January 19, 2022, and updated on January 17, 2023 and September 29, 2023.
Healthy Mac and Cheese With Veggies
This Healthier Mac and Cheese for Kids recipe incorporates pureed butternut squash and carrots creating a creamy texture and slightly sweet flavor. I love being able to include veggies in recipes when you don’t even notice them!
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it is freezer-friendly and it makes a lot! I love freezing half of the recipe for a quick and easy meal for the family on a future busy weeknight. You could also make this Mac and Cheese over the weekend and freeze the whole recipe so you have enough for a future dinner and leftovers for lunch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Baby-led weaning friendly. My 1.5-year-old has been loving this recipe for a while now and he only has a few teeth! I use the Solid Starts app to help me with baby-led weaning.
Quick. This recipe is ready in just about 25 minutes!
One-pot. I love that the actual recipe is cooked in just one pot! However, you will have to use a separate bowl and a blender/food processor to heat and blend the carrots and butternut squash. It’s easy though!
The pot that I used to cook the Mac and Cheese and that is shown in these photos is a Larder & Vine braiser. I use it for so many things! You can get 20% off any Larder & Vine product by using my code: SUPERMOMEATS
Healthy Mac and Cheese Ingredients
- Butternut squash
- Carrots
- Water
- Butter or olive oil
- Garlic
- Vegetable broth
- Almond milk (plain and unsweetened)
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Dijon mustard
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Whole wheat elbow noodles
Ingredient Substitutions
- Butternut squash – you can try replacing the butternut squash with another type of squash or sweet potato
- Butter – you can replace the butter with olive oil or another type of vegetable oil
- Almond milk – you can replace the almond milk with another type of plant-based milk (making sure that it is plain and unsweetened) or with regular milk
- Dijon mustard – you can use regular mustard
- Sharp cheddar cheese – using sharp cheddar really adds to the flavor, but you can use a milder cheddar if that’s all you have. You can also use a plant-based cheese if you want to make this recipe dairy-free/vegan.
- Whole wheat elbow noodles – you can use whichever type of pasta noodle your family likes, including gluten-free noodles!
How to Make Healthy Mac and Cheese for Kids
STEP 1 – Cook the veggies
In a microwave-safe bowl, cover butternut squash and carrots fully with water. Cook in the microwave until soft, about 8 minutes.
Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and strain the water. Pour the butternut squash and carrots into a high-speed blender or food processor, add 1 cup of water to it, and set aside to allow it to cool a little bit before blending.
STEP 2 – Cook the pasta
Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt butter and then add garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds.
Add vegetable broth, almond milk, salt, pepper, and mustard and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add pasta noodles and cook for amount of time the pasta package indicates. Do not strain the pasta once it’s cooked! You want to keep any extra liquid and flavor in the pot.
STEP 3 – Puree the vegetables
While waiting for the pasta to cook, puree the vegetables and water in the blender.
STEP 4 – Mix it together
Once pasta is cooked, stir in cheese and pureed vegetables until well combined. Serve right away. It gets less creamy over time!
How to Store
Fridge: Once cooled, store Mac and Cheese in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Freeze: Let the Mac and Cheese cool completely. Then, place it in an air-tight freezer-safe container for an easy meal later on! I love using Soupercubes trays for easy, portioned freezing.
Reheat from frozen: Ideally, pull Mac and Cheese out of the freezer the night before and defrost in the fridge. But, if you’re like me and you forget to do this…simply defrost the Mac and Cheese (keep it in the Tupperware) in a bowl of water for about 10 minutes. The water doesn’t even need to be hot for this step!
Then, remove Mac and Cheese from the Tupperware and place it in a microwave-safe dish. Pour some almond milk (about ¼ cup) over frozen pasta and microwave for about 3-4 minutes, or until it’s cooked through. Stir to combine. Top with more shredded cheese if desired. Serve warm!
More Kid-Friendly Meals
Baked Black Bean and Cheese Taquitos
Kid-Friendly Refried Bean and Mushroom Tostadas
Vegan One-Pot Tomato Vodka Pasta
Lemon Parmesan Baked Gnocchi With Zucchini and Chickpeas
If you tried this Healthy Mac and Cheese for Kids recipe or any other recipe on the blog, let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for even more deliciousness!
Healthy Mac and Cheese for Kids
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cubed butternut squash, (I use the Trader Joe’s microwavable bag of squash)
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter, (or olive oil)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk, (or another plain, unsweetened plant-based milk or regular milk)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 16 ounces whole wheat elbow noodles, (or pasta of choice)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, cover butternut squash and carrots fully with water. Cook in the microwave until soft, about 8 minutes.
- Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and strain the water. Pour the butternut squash and carrots into a high-speed blender or food processor, add 1 cup of water to it, and set aside to allow it to cool a little bit before blending.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt butter and then add garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Add vegetable broth, almond milk, salt, pepper, and mustard and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add pasta noodles and cook for amount of time the pasta package indicates. Do not strain the pasta once it’s cooked! You want to keep any extra liquid and flavor in the pot.
- While waiting for the pasta to cook, puree the vegetables and water in the blender.
- Once pasta is cooked, stir in cheese and pureed vegetables until well combined. Serve right away. It gets less creamy over time!
Notes
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links in which I make a small commission upon you purchasing a linked item, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping me keep my blog running and for supporting my family!
A Kid-Friendly meal that even adults can enjoy (don’t ask how I know).
Haha! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I’ve made this recipe numerous times and love it! Even my 3 year old will eat it!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that you love it and that even your little one enjoys it! Thank you!
This healthy mac and cheese was so easy to make! It was so filling and sooooo yummy! Definitely going to be making it again!
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂