Sneaky Mac and Cheese
Packed full of hidden veggies, this dish is a healthy take on a naughty treat! Perfect if you're counting calories or following a plan like Weight Watchers.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories238
- Carbs31g
- Protein14g
- Fat6.1g
- Saturates3.4g
- Sugars5.9g
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For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know in the blurb!
This Sneaky Mac and Cheese gets its name from all of the hidden veggies that we’ve packed into it!
Peeled and cubed courgette replaces some of the pasta and cooked cauliflower helps to make the sauce thick and creamy, so that you still get a big, cheesy portion without all of the extra calories and Points.
Our Sneaky Mac and Cheese is a fantastic way to help get your 5 a day and is perfect for kids that aren’t big fans of vegetables – they’ll never notice all the veggie goodness hiding in their dinner! If you don’t need to be quite so sneaky with your veggies, then why not add some extras like peas and spinach? You could also add some lean ham or chicken to give this dish a meaty twist!
What diets is this Sneaky Mac and Cheese suitable for?
This Sneaky Mac and Cheese is suitable for vegetarian diets (but please double check that your cheese is veggie!).
It can be made suitable for gluten free diets by swapping the following ingredients out for gluten free alternatives;
- Dried macaroni
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients to make this Sneaky Mac and Cheese?
You should be able to find all of the ingredients for this dish in your local supermarket. If you can’t get your hands on dried macaroni, you can use any other dried pasta instead.
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We recommend using a fine grater like this onefrom Deiss, as it makes your grated cheese feel like it’s going further!
You’ll also need a food processor or hand blender to blitz your sauce. We prefer using a hand blender like this one from Amazon.
How many calories are in this Sneaky Mac and Cheese?
There are 293 calories per portion in this Sneaky Mac and Cheese which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
This Sneaky Mac and Cheese is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
For the sauce
Step 1
Add the cauliflower to a pan of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes until soft.
Step 2
Once the cauliflower is cooked, drain the water and add to a blender with the spreadable cheese, onion granules, garlic and mustard (you could also place in a separate bowl and use a hand blender). Blend until smooth and set aside.
For the pasta
Step 1
While the cauliflower is cooking, add the pasta to another pan of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender.
Step 2
Add the courgette to the empty pan that the cauliflower cooked in and spritz with low calorie cooking spray. Gently sauté over a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and cooked through. It should be as soft as the cooked pasta.
Step 3
Pour the sauce into the pan with the courgette along with the drained pasta and a few tablespoons of the pasta water. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
You can serve the dish like this, or make it extra cheesy by adding to an ovenproof dish and topping with the grated cheddar. Place under the grill for 5 minutes until the top is bubbling and golden and serve with an optional sprinkle of spring onion.
What could I serve with this Sneaky Mac and Cheese?
This Sneaky Mac and Cheese works really well when served alongside some steamed, green veg or any of the following accompaniments:
How do you know when this Sneaky Mac and Cheese is cooked?
Cook your pasta according to the instructions on the packet until it is tender. You’ll need to cook your courgette and cauliflower until soft.
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Sneaky Mac and Cheese in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Sneaky Mac and Cheese in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze Sneaky Mac and Cheese?
Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat Sneaky Mac and Cheese?
From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Sneaky Mac and Cheese
Packed full of hidden veggies, this dish is a healthy take on a naughty treat! Perfect if you're counting calories or following a plan like Weight Watchers.
-
Prep Time
10 MINS
-
Cook Time
20 MINS
- KCals 238
- Carbs 31G
Instructions
For the sauce
- Add the cauliflower to a pan of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes until soft.
- Once the cauliflower is cooked, drain the water and add to a blender with the spreadable cheese, onion granules, garlic and mustard (you could also place in a separate bowl and use a hand blender). Blend until smooth and set aside.
For the pasta
- While the cauliflower is cooking, add the pasta to another pan of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes or until tender.
- Add the courgette to the empty pan that the cauliflower was cooked in and spritz with low calorie cooking spray. Gently sauté over a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and cooked through. It should be as soft as the cooked pasta.
- Pour the sauce into the pan with the courgette, along with the drained pasta and a few tablespoons of the pasta water. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- You can serve the dish like this, or make it extra cheesy by adding to an ovenproof dish and topping with the grated cheddar. Place under the grill for 5 minutes until the top is bubbling and golden and serve with an optional sprinkle of spring onion.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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18 comments
See what others have to say
TetleyWednesday 11th October 2023
I added some wilted spinach and blitzed it with the cauliflower, was lovely!
SharonFriday 13th October 2023
Hi Tetley, thanks for sharing your idea, it sound great!
RachelFriday 5th March 2021
Could you use frozen cauliflower instead? (I have a load in the freezer)
SharonFriday 5th March 2021
H Rachel, yes, you could use frozen cauliflower, just follow the cooking instructions on the packet, taking care not to over cook it.Thanks for getting in touch with your question.
JuneSaturday 13th February 2021
Hi.
Which of your books is this recipe in, Love to buy it.
Thanks
HollyMonday 15th February 2021
Hey June, this recipe is exclusive to our website so doesn’t appear in any of our books, hope that helps!
Fiona PinderSunday 24th January 2021
How many portions go I get from the Mac n cheese recipe please?
HollyMonday 25th January 2021
Hi Fiona, This recipe serves 6 but if you scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page on the website there is a little arrow by servings and you can alter up or down to serve more or less people. Hope that helps!
JustineMonday 30th November 2020
OMG, that was delicious. I didn’t need the cheddar cheese and used laughing cow light instead of primula. I also added 2 bacon medallions. Thank you!
HollyWednesday 2nd December 2020
Hey Justine, so glad you enjoyed the Sneaky Mac and Cheese!
Karen SmithSunday 4th October 2020
Can cream cheese be used in this recipe! This sounds delicious!
HollyFriday 16th October 2020
Hi Karen, it’s best to use a light spreadable cheese like Primula Light or GoGo but it will still work with light cream cheese!
audreySunday 30th August 2020
Eeekk I don’t have onion and garlic granules or mustard powder can I use an actual onion and Clove of garlic and mustard? Or a veg stock cube?
LisaMonday 31st August 2020
Hi Audrey
We use granules and powder for convenience, as they are cupboard staples that have a long shelf life. You can, of course, swap them for fresh cloves and mustard if you wish. If you want to use an onion, I’d suggest adding it at step 2 along with the courgette. Hope this helps.
Karagh ByeMonday 13th July 2020
do you have to use courgette for this? I don’t like it can I sub it or just leave it out?
HollyTuesday 14th July 2020
Hey Karagh, you could leave the courgette out or substitute with another vegetable such as mixed peppers, hope that helps!
Dawn BarrettThursday 11th June 2020
How many portions does this recipe make please?
SharonThursday 11th June 2020
Hi Dawn, thanks for getting in touch. The Sneaky Mac and Cheese serves 6.
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