RECIPE: SUPER Creamy Mac & Cheese

Check out our latest cooking video for a quick tutorial from a NEW location! We're in the WW studio cooking up one of our favourite WW recipes - Super Creamy Mac & Cheese. We love that this dish is a lighter version of the traditional mac & cheese, and the fact that the kids will never know it's made with puréed cauliflower and carrots is a bonus 😏 Follow the WW recipe below and give it a try with your family!

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp salted butter

  • ½ cup WW reduced-fat shredded Mexican style blend cheese

  • ⅓ cup(s) panko breadcrumbs

  • 2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese

  • 1 large head (2 lbs) uncooked cauliflower

  • 4 medium uncooked carrots - thinly sliced

  • 1 cup fat free reduced sodium vegetable broth

  • ¼ cup(s) WW reduced-fat whipped cream cheese spread

  • 1½ tsp Dijon mustard

  • 1½ oz (1/4 cup) Gruyère cheese - shredded

  • 1 tsp table salt

  • ¼ tsp hot pepper sauce

  • 8 oz uncooked macaroni

  • 2 sprays cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large saucepot of salted water to a boil.

  2. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat; add panko and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, 4 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and let cool; stir in Pecorino and set aside.

  3. Cut 3 cups small florets from cauliflower; set aside. Cut remaining cauliflower (including stem) into 2-inch pieces. Add cauliflower pieces and carrots to boiling water; cook until very tender, 10–12 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, combine broth, cream cheese, mustard, 1/4 c Cheddar, Gruyère, salt and pepper sauce in a large blender. With a large slotted spoon, transfer cooked vegetables to blender; puree into a creamy sauce.

  5. Add pasta to same pot of boiling water; cook half the time of package directions, adding reserved cauliflower florets during last minute of cooking. Drain pasta and cauliflower; return to pot and stir in pureed sauce.

  6. Coat a 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish with cooking spray; spoon pasta mixture into prepared pan in an even layer. Sprinkle dish with remaining 1/4 c Cheddar and reserved crumb mixture; bake until golden on top, 25–30 minutes.

  7. Serving size: 1 cup

Notes

Add extra cooked cauliflower florets to the pasta mixture if you desire.

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