Healthier Homemade Mac and Cheese

To make this rich mac and cheese recipe healthier we use whole wheat bread crumbs, low-fat milk and cheese, whole wheat noodles, and reduced the amount of butter. Serve with a salad for a healthy meatless dinner.

Original recipe makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package whole wheat macaroni (such as Smart Taste ®)
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups low-fat (1%) milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 pinch paprika

PREP

20 mins
COOK

30 mins
READY IN

50 mins

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a roux. Slowly add milk to roux, stirring constantly. Stir in Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and sauce is thick, about 3 minutes. Place macaroni in large baking dish and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and stir until butter is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Spread over macaroni to cover. Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake in preheated oven until cheese sauce is hot and breadcrumbs are browned, about 30 minutes.