This recipe truly doesn’t take much more time than it would to make the highly processed macaroni out of a blue box. Don’t expect the same flavor as the factory made stuff though because it actually tastes SOOO much better. And of course this recipe is also much better for you with only a few simple ingredients including whole-grain noodles. So go ahead and do the right thing by making the switch for your family…it’s better late than never!
Whole-Wheat Macaroni and Cheese
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- 1 – 1 ½ cups of dried whole-wheat macaroni noodles, boiled according to package directions
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup grated cheese (you can use any type of cheese…we usually use sharp white cheddar or a mix of different cheeses works well too)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional topping: grated parmesan cheese or whole-wheat breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Directions
- Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and keep whisking for about 1 – 2 minutes until the roux (which is equal parts flour and butter or oil) starts to darken, but does not burn.
- Turn the heat down to low and quickly whisk in the milk. Turn the heat back up to medium and keep whisking until the mixture starts to thicken and all lumps of flour are dissolved.
- Stir in the grated cheese and once it melts mix in the cooked noodles. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but 100 Days of Real Food will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us spread our message!
Hi Michelle. Absolutely! Defrost in fridge overnight for easier reheating. ~Amy
My family loved this! I will be making for years to come.
I’m making this to take to a family that has a 3 year old and 3 week old twins. I want to make it into a casserole, do I need to add more cheese sauce?
Hello. It is pretty “sauce-y” as is. I guess it would depend on if you plan to add anything else to the recipe. You could always toast some cheese that you sprinkle on top toward the end of your baking time. ~Amy
I didn’t make it into a casserole, but I did make it and put it into the crockpot – I have a newborn + toddler and needed to make it in the afternoon during naps. I doubled the recipe and used 3 cups of pasta (12 oz) and it could’ve used more sauce. I ended up pouring more milk into it before serving. I think if you were to make it a casserole you’d want to increase the sauce, too. Not sure how much though. If you double the pasta but triple the sauce, it may be too saucey…?
[…] nights ago, I made this version of whole wheat macaroni & cheese (inspired by 100 Days of Real Food) for dinner and I was really happy with the results. I have two other macaroni and cheese recipes […]
Boiling noodles to make this RIGHT NOW!! I usually do a baked mac n cheese with alot more steps and it’s getting annoying.. lol. This looks super simple.
Oh and my other one calls for temping in an egg, which is not easy and is very tiring. After doing all that I don’t even want to eat it anymore.. lol. This one is going well
[…] Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: PB & Banana Tuesday: Macaroni & Cheese Friday: Quesadillas Saturday: Homemade chicken nuggets (I wish I could find the blog where I got […]
Have made this twice now. Of course the kids are having a hard time giving up the ‘other’ stuff, but they have taken to this much better than I expected. My husband and I really like it as well. As a family we are moving over to real foods/lower carbs (son recently diagnosed pre-diabetic) and are trying several of your recipes. Thanks for all that you do!
Gave it 4 stars as “kid’s rating.” Mom would give it 5.
[…] Whole-wheat macaroni and cheesewith frozen peas mixed in and a side of fresh fruit […]
I was looking for something super quick and easy for dinner. Made this tonight. It was perfect! Added steamed veggies on the side and it was awesome. Thank you!
This mac-n-cheese is awesome!!! Tonight was our first try. The whole family loved it! I added ground bison, broccoli and garlic powder. I used 1 lb of macaroni and it turned out the right consistency for us. We are now all plotting the variations we will make in the future, with peas, tuna, chili powder, and so on! I read through the previous comments – make sure you are following the steps exactly and use a good whisk when making your roux.
Made this for dinner tonight with monterey cheese, peas, and bacon. It came out so good! I’m sure it will be even better with sharp cheddar next time!
I have made this recipe many times and every time it comes out grainy or chalky. II’ve tried longer roux cooking, warmer milk, cooler cream sauce before adding the cheese but to no avail its always grainy and it makes it not ao great. Does anyone else experience this and if so how do I correct it? Any tips would be great! Thanks!
Hi there, Quianna. Were you using full fat cheese and milk?
I just made this for my 1 year old for lunch and she ate an entire bowl! I used mozzarella and Gouda cheeses because that’s what I had on hand. Also, I chopped up some broccoli and cauliflower just to see if I could sneak in some extra veggies. We both loved it! Thanks for the great recipe.
Amy – I did use whole milk and full fat cheese. I know it happens before the cheese goes in because I have tasted the sauce before adding the cheese. I also tried warming the milk and cheese before adding it. I actually found a recipe for homemade velveeta which I used to use regularly for mac n cheese (gross I know!) If I cant figure out this one I’ll use my new homemade velveeta. Thanks!
Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I have been using the first part (butter,flour,milk,cheese) to make a cheese sauce for when we have our taco/nacho night! Delicious! The kids love it! Thanks!
[…] Whole wheat mac and cheese. The husband made this for dinner on Wednesday. It was very good, but next time we’re going with an extra sharp cheddar. […]
Endless praising from all sides of the table every time I make this dish.