Recipe: Tasty Lighter Macaroni & Cheese

Recipe: Tasty Lighter Macaroni & Cheese Delicious, fresh and tasty.

Lighter Macaroni & Cheese. Gina, I've made this many times and my hard to please kiddos and family love it. I love the rich taste with the chicken broth and milk but love that it's a lower fat option. Thanks for posting! it doesn't say light, it says lighter – lighter than the first version of this same recipe that swims in melted cheese and so rich my husband wouldn't even eat it.

Lighter Baked Macaroni and Cheese is so rich and creamy, everyone will be asking for seconds.

I know my family always does!

There's nothing like a forkful of creamy, cheesy sauce with perfectly cooked macaroni noodles to bring on nostalgic memories of childhood.

You can cook Lighter Macaroni & Cheese using 9 ingredients and 10 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Lighter Macaroni & Cheese

1. You need 2 1/2 cup of dry macaroni.

2. It’s 12 oz of spinach.

3. Prepare 2 large of eggs.

4. You need 2 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, divided.

5. It’s 1 1/2 cup of cottage cheese.

6. It’s 3/4 cup of sour cream.

7. You need 1 tsp of salt.

8. Prepare 12 oz of roasted red peppers, drained & diced.

9. Prepare of black pepper.

That simpler time with simply scrumptious flavours can be so enticing.

This "lighter" baked macaroni and cheese casserole relies on a combination of cottage cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheese for its creamy base.

Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.

Lighter Macaroni & Cheese step by step

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 3 quart casserole dish with non-stick spray..

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water generously and add the macaroni. Cook until the pasta until its just barely al dente — a little bit of chew is fine here. Drain and immediately transfer the hot pasta to a large mixing bowl..

3. Add the spinach and toss to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dinner plate and let the spinach wilt in the heat of the pasta for about 10 minutes. Shake the bowl occasionally to mix up the pasta and spinach —some of the spinach may not completely wilt; this is fine..

4. Whisk the eggs until well-combined, then whisk in 2 cups of the cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and wilted spinach. Add the diced red peppers and gently stir until combined and all the ingredients are evenly coated with sauce..

5. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. At this point, the casserole can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking..

6. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake, uncovered, for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and you can hear the casserole bubbling. (If baking straight from the fridge, extend the covered baking time to 45 minutes.).

7. Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving. Leftovers will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to a week..

8. Note: Substitute low-fat (1% or 2%) cottage cheese and sour cream if desired. Non-fat substitutes can also be used, but the casserole will be looser..

9. To freeze: The entire casserole can be frozen, baked or unbaked, but cook the pasta very al dente so it doesnt get mushy. Warm baked casseroles in the microwave or a low oven until warmed through. Cook unbaked casseroles straight from the freezer for an hour, then uncover, top with cheese, and continue baking until bubbly..

10. 1 serving: 458 calories, 21.8g fat, 42.1g carbohydrates, 3.6g fiber, 7g sugar, 24.5g protein, 107.7mg cholesterol, 768.7mg sodium.

My homemade macaroni salad is a remake of the best New York delicatessens with lighter ingredients that will blow your mind with flavor.

Perfect for picnics, tailgating, pot lucks, trust me, you won't ever want a store made mac salad after tasting this treat!

Macaroni and cheese is a family-friendly dish that everyone loves.

Our lighter version will keep your diet on track this new year.

You'll need whole wheat elbow pasta, reduced fat cheddar and reduced fat sour cream for this lightened up meal.