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Photo of Super creamy mac and cheese by WW

Super creamy mac and cheese

7
Points® value
Total Time
1 hr 30 min
Prep
45 min
Cook
45 min
Serves
8
Difficulty
Easy
Pureed cauliflower and carrots add wonderful creaminess to the sauce in this lightened up version of mac and cheese.

Ingredients

Salted butter

1 tsp(s)

Panko breadcrumbs

⅓ cup(s)

Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 tbsp(s)

Uncooked cauliflower

1 head(s), large

Carrots

4 medium, thinly sliced

Fat free reduced sodium vegetable broth

1 cup(s)

Whipped cream cheese

¼ cup(s)

Dijon mustard

1½ tsp(s)

Shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese

½ cup(s)

Gruyère cheese

1½ oz, shredded

Table salt

1 tsp(s)

Hot pepper sauce

¼ tsp(s)

Uncooked macaroni

8 oz

Olive oil cooking spray

2 spray(s)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large saucepot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat; add panko and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, 4 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and let cool; stir in Pecorino and set aside.
  3. Cut 3 cups small florets from cauliflower; set aside. Cut remaining cauliflower (including stem) into 2-inch pieces. Add cauliflower pieces and carrots to boiling water; cook until very tender, 10–12 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, combine broth, cream cheese, mustard, 1/4 c Cheddar, Gruye`re, salt and pepper sauce in a large blender. With a large slotted spoon, transfer cooked vegetables to blender; puree into a creamy sauce.
  5. Add pasta to same pot of boiling water; cook half the time of package directions, adding reserved cauliflower florets during last minute of cooking. Drain pasta and cauliflower; return to pot and stir in pureed sauce.
  6. Coat a 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish with cooking spray; spoon pasta mixture into prepared pan in an even layer. Sprinkle dish with remaining 1/4 c Cheddar and reserved crumb mixture; bake until golden on top, 25–30 minutes.
  7. Serving size: 1 c

Notes

Add extra cooked cauliflower florets to the pasta mixture if you desire.

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