Halloween Mac and Cheese
Servings 8 side servings
This Halloween mac and cheese is ultra creamy, made with natural ingredients and has a secret ingredient that makes it green (but you can’t taste it at all!). With a gluten-free option.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (3 cups or 340 grams) elbow macaroni (GF macaroni if you're GF)
- 4 cups (100 grams) baby spinach fresh
- 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
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 2/3 cups (10.5 oz or 300 grams) white cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 2/3 cup (2.3 oz or 66 grams) Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, freshly grated
- 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 (ignore the quantity below - it's a technical issue I can't change). 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) baby spinach, 2 cups (473 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. Again, ignore the quantity below - it's a technical issue I can't fix.2 cups (473 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) white cheddar cheese, 2/3 cup (2.3 oz or 66 grams) Pecorino Romano, 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 gluten-free, whole wheat or regular macaroni. Just follow the directions on the package.
- 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.
- I've used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Flour and King Arthur Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour with the same results as regular all-purpose flour.
- 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.
- I much prefer Pecorino Romano over Parmesan. Give it a try if you haven't!
- 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
Calories: 446kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 20gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 385mgPotassium: 315mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2095IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 456mgIron: 1mgNet Carbs: 37
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