Trying to find a way to sneak some veggies into your child’s diet? This vegetable macaroni cheese is packed with juicy tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and more. With a creamy sauce and tender macaroni pieces, the kids will be too busy enjoying the taste to realise that they’re also eating veg. At only 440 calories per serving and 20 mins in the making, this delicious easy dinner recipe is healthy and super quick to make too – perfect for those mid-week after-school rushes. This veggie macaroni cheese is also 63% less fat than your average macaroni cheese and keeps you fuller for longer too.
Ingredients
- 250g macaroni
- 1 large leek, trimmed and cut into chunks
- 300g mixed broccoli and cauliflower florets
- 350ml semi-skimmed milk
- 30g plain flour
- 1tsp English mustard
- 125g extra-mature Cheddar cheese, grated
- Salt and black pepper
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1tbsp Parmesan, freshly grated
Method
Add the pasta to a large pan of boiling salted water. Bring back to the boil for 5 mins, then add the veg and cook for another 5-8 mins, until pasta and broccoli are almost tender. Drain, keeping about 150ml of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, put the milk in a large jug, whisk in the flour, and microwave for a few minutes, whisking occasionally, to make a thick sauce. Or make in a pan. Whisk in some of the cooking water to slacken sauce. Stir in the mustard and about a third of the cheese, and season.
Pre-heat the grill. Warm a flameproof dish under it for a few minutes. Mix the pasta and vegetables into the sauce. Spoon the mixture into the hot dish and sprinkle with the rest of the Cheddar. Arrange the tomatoes on top and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Brown the macaroni cheese under the grill.
Top tip for making Vegetable macaroni cheese
It’s better to use a smallamount of extra-matureCheddar, rather than lowfat Cheddar, which has less flavour, so you’ll use more.
