Halloween Mac and Cheese
This Halloween mac and cheese is ultra creamy, bright green and perfect for a spooky Halloween dinner. The color comes entirely from spinach, but you can’t taste it at all! It’s ready in 30 minutes and includes a gluten-free option.
This recipe is based on my Gluten-free Mac and Cheese. If you’re not gluten-free, don’t worry! Today’s recipe offers a gluten-free option and can be made with any type of pasta you prefer.
Ingredients
- Elbow macaroni – use whatever fits your diet! Gluten-free, whole wheat, or grain-free. For grain-free, I love the cassava noodles from Jovial. You can use whatever shape you like.
- Fresh baby spinach – I don’t recommend frozen or regular, fully-mature spinach. More on that below!
- Milk – whole milk was used in the photos, but you can use whatever type you’d like. I think coconut milk would be terrible, but if you like that in mac and cheese, then you can use it here. I normally use cashew milk as I shouldn’t have so much dairy, and it tastes great!
- Flour – you can use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, a gluten-free baking mix that’s meant as a 1:1 sub for all-purpose flour, or cassava flour. I’ve made this recipe with Otto’s Cassava Flour, and it worked great.
- Granulated garlic – this is important! It helps cover up the spinach taste. I added just enough so that the spinach taste is covered up. If you like the taste of spinach, you can reduce it to 1/4 teaspoon. 3/4 teaspoon is quite a bit, so if you don’t like garlic and don’t want to taste the spinach, you probably don’t want to make this recipe (unless you add some other seasoning and spices).
- White cheddar cheese – make sure to use white cheddar! If you use the usual orange stuff, then the mac and cheese won’t have the nice green color we’re looking for. Green from the spinach + bright orange from cheddar mixed together doesn’t seem like it’d be a very appealing color.
- Freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan – I always use Pecorino Romano over Parmesan. I just prefer it. But feel free to use Parmesan or whatever hard cheese you’d like!
- Unsalted butter
Sally said, “This was the perfect recipe for kids before sending them off to trick or treat! Usually they’re too excited to eat dinner, but this changed their minds. I made it last year and am planning my Halloween menu for this year. This is definitely on there again!”
How to make this green mac and cheese
You can use a regular blender for this recipe. That’s what was used for the photos, so you definitely don’t need a high-speed blender to get good results.
If you do use a high-speed blender, you can puree the spinach completely smooth, without any visible specks of spinach.
A small food processor would probably work, too. I recommend a small one because the amount of spinach and milk may not be enough to blend properly in a large food processor bowl.
So you blend up the spinach and part of the milk and then set that aside.
Then on the stove over medium heat, you mix together the butter, flour, granulated garlic and pepper.
Then gradually stir in the remaining milk and the spinach mixture. It’s a lovely bright green color!
When you add the cheese, it makes it less vibrant, but it’s still nice and green.
Then you add your cooked macaroni and can dig in!
No! That was important to me because I wanted this to taste like regular mac and cheese, not spinach mac and cheese.
When I first tested the recipe, I could taste the spinach, so I increased the cheese and granulated garlic until the spinach flavor disappeared. That’s why I don’t recommend reducing either one.
My photographer and her husband couldn’t taste the spinach either, even though he wasn’t exactly enthusiastic when he heard what was making the mac and cheese green. It just tasted like mac and cheese to them.
What kind of spinach should I use?
I recommend fresh baby spinach. It’s milder, sweeter and more tender than mature spinach, which makes it ideal here because the goal is to get that bright green color without making the mac and cheese taste like spinach.
I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen spinach and don’t recommend it. I also haven’t tested mature spinach, although it may work if you remove the tough stems and use a high-speed blender. For the best flavor and texture, I’d stick with fresh baby spinach.
How to reheat it
If you plan to make it in advance, it’s best to keep the macaroni and the cheese sauce separate until it’s time to serve.
Then you can warm up both separately in the microwave, and once they’re really hot, stir them together.
If you mixed everything together and have leftovers, you can just put them in the fridge and then warm them up in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Does it freeze well?
Nope. Cooked pasta rarely does.
I haven’t actually tried it with this recipe, but I have frozen mac and cheese in the past, and it’s a bit mushy and weird when thawing. So I wouldn’t do this unless the option is to freeze the mac and cheese or throw it away.
This green mac and cheese is already pretty Halloween-y on its own, but a few simple touches can make it even more fun for a Halloween dinner or party.
- Call it monster mac and cheese or monster brains – especially fun for kids, and you don’t have to change the recipe at all. Thanks to Lyndsay in the comments for the idea!
- Add some creepy decorations – plastic spiders, skeleton hands or other Halloween decorations around the serving dish make an easy presentation. Just keep anything that’s not food-safe out of the mac and cheese itself.
- Use Halloween-shaped pasta – if you can find pumpkins, bats or other spooky pasta shapes, you can use them instead of elbow macaroni. Just cook according to the package directions.
- Serve it before trick-or-treating – it’s an easy Halloween dinner that feels festive without requiring a complicated themed meal.
You can also simply serve it as spooky green mac and cheese and let the color do all the work. The spinach gives it that vivid green color without making it taste like spinach.
More Halloween recipes
If you’re planning a Halloween party or dinner, here are a few more spooky treats to add to the menu. And should you be looking for something savory, this Zombie Brains Cheese Ball looks great.
- Halloween Dirt Cups – chocolate pudding, cookie crumbs and banana ghosts make these especially fun for kids.
- Mummy Brownies – fudgy brownies decorated with white chocolate bandages and candy eyes.
- Spider Cookies – peanut butter cookies topped with easy chocolate spiders and candy eyes.
- Halloween Cookie Cake – a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie cake topped with colorful buttercream and ghost meringues.
- Black Cupcakes – dramatic chocolate cupcakes that get their black color from black cocoa instead of food coloring.
- Halloween Cake with Eyeballs – a creepy chocolate cake topped with lychee and blueberry eyeballs and strawberry jam “blood.”
I hope your family enjoys this Halloween mac and cheese! If you try it, I’d love to hear how it came out. Thanks!
Halloween Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (3 cups or 340 grams) elbow macaroni GF macaroni if you're GF
- 4 cups (100 grams) fresh baby spinach
- 2 cups (473 ml) milk divided
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons (23 grams) flour see notes
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 2/3 cups (10.5 oz or 300 grams) freshly shredded white cheddar cheese
- 2/3 cup (2.3 oz or 66 grams) freshly grated Pecorino Romano, Parmesan or Grana Padano
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente (don’t forget to salt the water!). It’s important not to overcook it. Do NOT rinse when done cooking – just drain the water.12 ounces (3 cups or 340 grams) elbow macaroni
- While it’s cooking, rinse the spinach and place in a blender. Add 1/2 cup of the milk. Blend until no chunks of spinach remain, but don’t blend longer than needed or the bright green color might be affected. You might need to push the spinach down occasionally, depending on your blender. If ½ cup of milk isn’t enough for your blender to get things moving, then use another ¼ cup (or whatever you need – but remember to subtract this amount of milk from what you add to the pan later).4 cups (100 grams) fresh baby spinach, 0.5 cups (118 ml) milk
- Prepare the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, pepper and granulated garlic until combined.1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons (23 grams) flour, 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- While constantly stirring, gradually add the remaining milk (so, 1 1/2 cups if you used 1/2 cup in the blender) and the spinach mixture.1.5 cups (355 ml) milk
- Once the mixture starts boiling, turn down the heat to low and let simmer for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
- Gradually add the cheese and stir until totally combined. Taste and add salt, if desired.2 2/3 cups (10.5 oz or 300 grams) freshly shredded white cheddar cheese, 2/3 cup (2.3 oz or 66 grams) freshly grated Pecorino Romano, Parmesan or Grana Padano, salt
- Add the pasta and stir until totally coated.
- Serve immediately. Let leftovers cool completely and then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you want to make it in advance, it’s best to keep the macaroni and the cheese sauce separate until rewarming to serve.
Notes
- You can use regular, whole wheat, gluten-free or grain-free macaroni. Just follow the package directions for cooking.
- I recommend whole milk over 2%, but you can use whatever you prefer. I actually usually use unsweetened cashew milk to cut down on the amount of dairy.
- You can use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour or cassava flour. I’ve specifically used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour, King Arthur Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour and Otto’s Cassava Flour with great results.
- The recipe calls for white cheddar so that you get the nice green color! I don’t recommend using yellow or orange cheddar for color reasons.
- For the smoothest cheese sauce, grate the cheddar yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can keep it from melting as smoothly and may make the sauce slightly grainy.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
Nutrition
Categories:
Fall Recipes, Gluten-free, Halloween Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Seasonal Recipes, Special Diets, Whole Grain,
I made this Halloween mac and cheese and it was really delicious! Using the spinach for the green color is such a clever idea I couldn’t even tell by the taste of it! My kids really enjoyed this recipe.
That’s awesome! I’m glad that you couldn’t taste the spinach, either. :) Thanks so much for your comment!
Easiest way to get my kids to eat veggies on Halloween instead of candy!! Making this a yearly tradition from now on.
Ooh, I love to hear that! I’m so glad your kids liked it. Thanks for your comment!
My kids love this recipe! I will be making it again after trick or treating on Halloween.
Woohoo! That’s awesome. I will be, too! :) Thanks for your feedback!
What a spooky fun dish to serve on Halloween that actually tastes good! Love the presentation and the flavor. The kids flipped out over it!
Yay! That’s so nice to hear! Awesome that they enjoyed it so much. :) Thanks for your comment!
This was AWESOME. kids loved it. Adults loved it. Win win!
Yay! I’m thrilled that it was a hit with everyone! Thank you for letting me know. :)
I tested this mac and cheese yesterday and it was awesome! Flavorful and easy to make, I know we are going to have a blast making and eating it on halloween.
I hope you will! And I love that you already did a trial. I do the same. :) Thanks for your feedback!
This is so fun, and you’re right . . you really couldn’t taste the spinach (not that I would mind though). I love how vibrant it is. So clever for Halloween and the kids loved it. I also did something once similar with twice-backed green potatoes and my kids were never the wiser!
Oh, those potatoes sound fun! I’m glad that your kids enjoyed the mac and cheese. :) Thanks for your comment!
This is such a perfect recipe for kids. So healthy and delicious, they loved it right away. I loved how I “cheated” my way with the spinach.
Woohoo! That’s great to hear. Thanks for your feedback! :)
I love this sneaky way of getting in a veggie! The kids thought the color was super cool and the cheesy flavor was delicious.
I’m so happy to hear that! And same here. Love getting in the veggies in a sneaky way. ;) Thanks so much for your comment. :)
This mac and cheese turned out so creamy and delicious! I love the addition of the spinach, which is not only fitting for the occasion, but adds in some extra nutrients!
Yay! I’m glad to hear that. :) Thanks so much for your comment!
This is so fun! I make a green oatmeal for St. Patrick’s Day so I don’t know why I didn’t think of this for Halloween! Kids thought it was a blast and I love that they’re getting veggies in unbeknownst to them!
Oh, yay! I’m happy to hear that they enjoyed it. Green oatmeal sounds fun, too! Thanks for your feedback. :)
This was the perfect recipe for kids before sending them off to trick or treat! Usually they’re too excited to eat dinner, but this changed their minds. I made it last year and am planning my Halloween menu for this year. This is definitely on there again!
Woohoo! That is excellent to hear. Thanks a bunch for your feedback! I appreciate it and love that it’s going on the menu again this year. :)
This was so easy and delicious! My kids have no idea there was spinach in there. ???? Thanks for the great recipe!
That is wonderful to hear! I’m glad that your kids liked it. :) Thanks for your feedback!
This mac and cheese looks just like something a witch would make – and devour gladly! My kids were so excited when I served it for dinner, haha. Thanks for devising this dish.
Haha. I’m so happy to hear that! You’re welcome and thank you for the great feedback. :)
I made this for some mac and cheese loving clients. The kids thought it was so much fun to eat green noodles. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m thrilled that the kids enjoyed it. :D Thanks for your feedback!
As a mac and cheese lover myself I loved how festive this recipe is and also the addition of greens in it. So yummy!
Thanks! I’m glad that it found it yummy. :D
I love the vibrant color of this mac and cheese. The kids were fascinated and they loved it! Perfect for whenever we have leftover spinach.
I’m so sorry for just now seeing your comment! I’m really glad that the kids were fascinated. :D Thanks for your comment!
Yummy and goulishly delicious. My kids loved this for their monster themed party and we will make it again for Halloween.
That’s great to hear! I love that you’ll be making it again. :) Thanks for your feedback and sorry for just now seeing it!
I’m making this mac and cheese again for Halloween, for sure. It was so creamy!
I’m glad to hear that! Thanks for your feedback and my apologies for just now seeing it. It was in the spam folder (I don’t know why!).
Spinach! What a brilliant idea. My son didn’t know. lol. Thanks for finding a way to get in some spinach!
Haha. I’m happy to have helped. :D Thanks for your feedback! I’m glad that he didn’t know it was in there and sorry for just now seeing your comment! A few got stuck in spam for some weird reason.