Zucchini Mac and Cheese

Name: Zucchini Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 10 ounces dry pasta shells (gluten free if desired); 2 tablespoons butter; ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or sub regular flour or GF all purpose flour); ½ teaspoon onion powder; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; 1 ½ cups unsweetened cashew milk, almond milk or regular milk (from the carton or homemade if you prefer); ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste; freshly ground black pepper; 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese); 1 ½ heaping cups shredded zucchini that’s been squeezed of excess moisture with a paper towel; For topping:; 2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and reserved for the topping (or about ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese)

User Reviews

5.0

129 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings
4 servings
Calories
514 kcal
Course
Dinner, Others
Cuisine
American, Vegan

Zucchini Mac and Cheese

Stella Guerrero

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Deliciously creamy zucchini mac and cheese is the ultimate, healthy comfort food that adds in extra veggies! Make this healthier, easy zucchini mac and cheese for a weeknight dinner that the whole family will love. Options to add extra protein and even more veggies, too!

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Ingredients

Servings

10 ounces dry pasta shells (gluten free if desired)
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or sub regular flour or GF all purpose flour)
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ cups unsweetened cashew milk, almond milk or regular milk (from the carton or homemade if you prefer)
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
6 oz sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese)
1 ½ heaping cups shredded zucchini that’s been squeezed of excess moisture with a paper towel
For topping:
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and reserved for the topping (or about ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese)

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Instructions

First boil the noodles until al dente, according to the directions on the package. Once done cooking, drain and set aside.
While the noodles are boiling, make a slurry: In a large oven safe skillet or pot add butter and place over medium heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in a little bit of the flour and then slowly add in milk, a little bit at a time, alternating with the flour and vigorously whisking away any lumps. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes stirring every so often, until the sauce thickens up similar to a gravy. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, salt and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper.
Next add in 6 ounces (or about 1 ½ cups) of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir until completely melted. Finally fold in cooked noodles and shredded zucchini. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED: Top mac and cheese with 2 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese. At this point you can either serve the mac and cheese as is and just fold in the extra cheddar you just added, or remove from heat and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden. Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side dish.

Notes

I typically make this with unsweetened almond or cashew milk because we don't buy regular milk. However, you can use whatever milk you'd like. If you want a richer mac and cheese, use 2% or whole.
See the full post for tips, tricks and ways to customize!

Nutrition Information

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Serving 1serving Calories 514cal (26%) Carbohydrates 62.6g (21%) Protein 24.6g (49%) Fat 19.9g (31%) Saturated Fat 10.6g (53%) Fiber 4.9g (20%) Sugar 2.8g (6%)