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Creamy Mac & Cheese

Featured Recipe: Updated Mac & Cheese

Make it healthier with 4 quick fixes.

By Jessie Price, Food Editor, EatingWell

 Stealth veggies: Make mac-and-cheese healthier with an extra layer of fiber- and folate-rich spinach

We took this yummy shot of Updated Mac & Cheese for the cover of our newest book, Comfort Foods Made Healthy (in stores in October). Mac-and-cheese didn’t end up on the cover (twice-baked stuffed potatoes won that spot) but it doesn’t change the fact that mac-and-cheese is an all-time crowd-pleaser. It’s the epitome of comfort food.

This version, which EatingWell contributor Patsy Jamieson developed, is one of my favorite recipes in the whole book. It’s healthier than traditional versions of mac-and-cheese, thanks to a lighter sauce, spinach in the middle and a golden breadcrumb topping. Here’s how it stacks up nutritionally:

Updated Mac & Cheese

• Cut calories by 43%
• Cut total fat by 66%
• Cut saturated fat by 68%
• Added folate and fiber

How We Did It

• Add spinach to increase nutrients.
• Low-fat milk replaces whole milk to cut down on fat and calories.
• Use whole-wheat pasta instead of refined white pasta to boost fiber.
• Replace some of the regular (full-fat) cheese with low-fat cottage cheese, which has great creamy texture.

Can’t get enough mac-and-cheese? A few more versions we have created over the years:

No-Bake Macaroni & Cheese This stovetop version is ultra-creamy and it includes broccoli.
Macaroni & Cheese This one is a baked version, without spinach in the middle.

For more healthy, family-friendly recipes, check out our:

Healthy Comfort Foods Recipes Collection
Quick and Healthy Pasta Recipes Collection

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