Description
A creamy, comforting stovetop mac and cheese made with real ingredients — and a secret veggie twist.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 8 oz elbow macaroni (see Notes)
- 4 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 8 oz cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (see Notes)
- 1 cup whole milk (see Notes)
- 1 cup chicken stock (see Notes)
- 1/4 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 cup pureed carrots (optional, see Notes)
- Kosher Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Boil pasta until 2 minutes less than al dente. Reserve at least ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add cream cheese and whisk until melted into a thick paste.
- Slowly whisk in chicken stock.
- Add mustard powder and carrot purée.
- Stir in reserved pasta water until smooth.
- Add pasta back to the pot and stir to coat.
- Add milk and ¾ of the cheddar cheese. Fold gently and turn off heat.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Top with remaining cheese and serve immediately.
Equipment
All-Clad D3 3-Ply Stainless Steel 3 Quart Sauce Pan
Buy Now →
Buy Now → 
Rachael Ray Stainless Steel Box Grater (Teal Blue)
Buy Now →Notes
- Pasta: Cavatappi or casarecce work well; gluten-free pasta is fine.
- Butter substitute: Use olive, avocado, or sunflower oil (1:1).
- Milk substitutions listed above.
- Stock: Vegetable stock can be substituted 1:1.
- Carrot purée: Baby food or homemade both work.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 people
- Calories: 1165
- Sodium: 1010mg
- Fat: 59.2g
- Saturated Fat: 36.6g
- Carbohydrates: 103.9g
- Fiber: 4.6g
- Protein: 52.8g
- Cholesterol: 178mg
