This Vegetable Mac & Cheese recipe is a delicious, easy, weeknight dinner or side dish made in 25 minutes on the stovetop. It's a great way to add veggies to your kids' favorite meal!
Cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions. Be sure to add ¼ tsp salt to the water used to boil the noodles.
Drain, do not rinse, and set aside.
Sauté Vegetables
While macaroni is cooking, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and diced/shredded veggies to a medium sauté pan and sprinkle with salt.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until the veggies are soft but slightly firm.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Make the Cheese Sauce
Mix flour, sea salt, and garlic powder together in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
When butter is melted, add flour mixture and whisk to combine.
Cook for 1 minute until mixture is slightly brown.
Add 1 cup milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Add sour cream (or Greek yogurand whisk until smooth.
Cook on medium-high heat until the mixture is thickened (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally. Do not let it boil.
Once mixture is thick (sticks to the back of the spatula), reduce heat to low and add cheese. Whisk until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Taste and add more salt/seasoning if desired.
Assemble & Serve
Add cooked elbow macaroni to the pot of cheese sauce and stir until the sauce is evenly distributed.
Add sautéed veggies and stir. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
Elbow macaroni. Use your favorite pasta. I prefer using shapes like wheels, bowties, rotini, etc. because the cheese settles in to every nook and cranny. You can also use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
Olive oil. avocado oil or butter are good substitutes.
Vegetables. Use 2 cups of your favorite veggies. In this particular batch of vegetable macaroni and cheese I used 1 cup broccoli (cut small) and 1 cup shredded zucchini.
Other ideas: yellow squash, carrots, bell peppers, onions, peas, tomatoes, cauliflower, butternut squash, etc.
Salted Butter. unsalted butter is a good substitute.
Flour. use gluten-free all purpose flour to make the recipe gluten-free.
Garlic Powder. 1 teaspoon minced garlic sautéed with the veggies is a good substitute. Or you can omit the garlic if your kids don't prefer it.
Whole Milk. heavy cream, half and half or 2% milk are good substitutes.
Sour cream. Greek yogurt works well too.
Cheese. I prefer to use sharp cheddar or a mix of cheddar and gouda (yum). You can use your favorite cheese.
Store/FreezeStore leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 monthsReheatPlace the mac and cheese in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and warm for 30-60 seconds, or until it's heated through. You may need to add a splash of milk to restore the original creaminess, because the cheese sauce will continue to soak into the macaroni as it cools! If reheating from frozen, let thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before reheating.