Halloween Mac and Cheese
Servings 8 side servings
This Halloween mac and cheese is ultra creamy, bright green and naturally colored with spinach - but you can't taste it! It's ready in 30 minutes and includes a gluten-free option.
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
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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