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Home » Recipes

Whole Wheat Macaroni and Cheese

Whole wheat mac and cheese roux recipe with breadcrumbs in a small bowl

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Whole Wheat Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

This recipe uses whole wheat macaroni and flour for a better-for-you alternative to processed boxed mac and cheese. Enjoy the classic comfort food without having to worry about the laundry list of ingredients in store bought mac. And, it’s totally freezer friendly! 

How to Make Mac and Cheese With Roux

The thing is, you barely take as much time to cook this homemade whole wheat mac and cheese as the box stuff! Using butter and whole-wheat flour, you whisk together the flour once the butter has completely melted. Once it’s darkened but not burnt, lower the heat and add the milk! 

It’s as easy as that, and you end up with a more flavorful and nutritious meal. The recipe below details these steps as well as all of the ingredients you need to make whole wheat macaroni and cheese!

Toppings for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Want to give this recipe a little more character of your own? There’s a plethora of ingredients you can add, here’s a few you might like to try:

  • More grated cheese! 
  • Whole wheat breadcrumbs 
  • Sliced green onion
  • Parmesan cheese 
  • Butter crackers 
  • A dash of paprika

How to Freeze Homemade Mac and Cheese

First, let the whole wheat macaroni and cheese cool completely. Next, seal it in a freezer container or airtight bag to prevent it from getting freezer burnt. It can stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months, after that give this recipe another go! 

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! Be sure to also try these Mac and Cheese Bites!

Whole Wheat Macaroni and Cheese from 100 Days of Real Food

Whole-Wheat Macaroni and Cheese

This Whole-Wheat Macaroni and Cheese 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.
24 Reviews / 4.8 Average
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 20 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Sides
Cuisine: American
Method: Freezer Friendly
Diet: Egg Free, Peanut/Tree Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 people
Save Recipe Saved!

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cups whole-wheat macaroni ((boiled according to package directions))
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup cheese (grated (you can use any type of cheese…we usually use sharp white cheddar or a mix of different cheeses works well too))
  • salt (to taste)
  • pepper (to taste)
  • parmesan cheese (grated (optional topping))

Instructions
 

  • 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!

Notes

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Whole-Wheat Macaroni and Cheese
Amount Per Serving
Calories 336 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 254mg11%
Potassium 183mg5%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 555IU11%
Calcium 287mg29%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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8.1K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Kim says

    February 14, 2024 at 6:54 pm

    I am a bit confused about the amount of pasta this calls for. Can you clarify with the weight of pasta? Whole wheat elbow macaroni isn’t sold at my store and different shaped pasta will measure differently.

    Reply
  2. Elaine Drumm says

    June 04, 2023 at 7:04 pm

    Can this be frozen ? Thinking healthier alternatives for my Granddaughter who eats Kraft microwaved Mac and Cheese

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      June 05, 2023 at 11:15 am

      Simple answer, yes, you can freeze it after you make it and let it get to room temperature, however, some people mention it separating when they reheat it. - Nicole

      Reply
  3. Stefanie says

    October 06, 2020 at 7:20 pm

    This is the best whole wheat macaroni and cheese recipe I ever made. It's quick, easy, and so delicious! My family loves it and it's the only macaroni and cheese we eat. Thanks for the recipe,

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      October 07, 2020 at 2:35 pm

      So glad to hear everyone loves it. - Nicole

      Reply
  4. Sally Cully says

    October 06, 2017 at 7:07 am

    Why is there no nutritional info on your recipes?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 16, 2017 at 1:26 pm

      Hi. This post will help you understand our philosophy on not providing nutrition details: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/healthy-eating-defined/.

      Reply
  5. Holly says

    July 14, 2017 at 11:21 am

    Is this freezer friendly? With the new report on phthlates in boxed mac and cheese, string and pre-shredded cheese I need a quick, easy, and healthy mac and cheese that won't take 10+ minutes to fix. Hoping I can fix a big recipe of this and freeze some for later?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      July 24, 2017 at 12:15 pm

      Hi. I have frozen this successfully but there was a bit of separation when heating it back up. I mixed it back up pretty easily.

      Reply
  6. Kim says

    February 01, 2017 at 4:55 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for my daughter's lunch today and with the first bite, she declared it delicious. She continued to rave about the food as she ate three bowls. I had been intimidated by homemade mac and cheese but it was super easy to make. I used half and half, as I did not have any unflavored milk, and it worked great. The sauce thickened quickly. Will be making this regularly.

    Reply
  7. Rebecca says

    November 21, 2016 at 11:09 am

    Hi, I want to make this for Thanksgiving but wondering if you can at least do part of it in advance? Would it be best to put it together in morning, refrigerate and then bake later in oven or do the whole recipe and then just reheat later?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      November 27, 2016 at 7:22 pm

      Sorry that I'm late getting to this. How did it go?

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        November 27, 2016 at 8:14 pm

        No problem! I actually got this recipe confused with the macaroni casserole recipe anyway from the cookbook. I put it all together and did end up refrigerating a few hours then added a few splashes of milk and baked. It was great!!

  8. Jamie says

    November 09, 2016 at 5:25 pm

    My whole wheat flour is 2 years old. Is it dangerous to use in anything or just not ideal for a sensitive type of recipe? Would it be safe in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      November 14, 2016 at 10:21 am

      I would buy new flour. It might be okay if it was frozen but otherwise is likely rancid and would not taste great.

      Reply
  9. LeeAnn says

    September 05, 2016 at 5:22 pm

    A couple dashes of tabasco sauce is always nice!

    Reply
  10. Jessica says

    June 05, 2016 at 9:13 am

    Could I substitute the milk for Almond milk in this recipe? We don't normally cook with or drink milk. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      June 08, 2016 at 4:49 pm

      Hi there. Other readers have and I use almond milk in most of the recipes which call for milk.

      Reply
  11. Danielle says

    May 14, 2016 at 5:52 pm

    4 stars
    Very yummy and quick. Made it tonight for a last minute dinner. I sauteed a little onion and green pepper and chopped up a left over bratwurst and added it.

    Reply
  12. Katieliz says

    May 13, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    5 stars
    This is fantastic!! Last night at dinner, my five YO couldn't express enough appreciation for it :) Even tried to convince his little brother to try it. I will definitely be making this again and again. Easy and delicious. Reheated fine today, just a little oil separation, but still creamy. Thanks, Lisa!

    Reply
  13. Joshua M says

    December 15, 2015 at 12:04 am

    Definitely going to have to attempt this. Though I did have a recipe I'd tried before which said to boil the noodles in the milk(and it works somehow I'm still a little confused on that matter ha ha), and then you add the cheese and such afterwards(and a tablespoon of flour might help it because it does end up a little runny sometimes). But I ended up with it using half cheddar and half parm, it's a amazing combo!

    Reply
  14. Katie says

    November 21, 2015 at 3:39 pm

    5 stars
    This was delish!!! Thanks! No more boxes for us!

    Reply
  15. Sarah says

    October 28, 2015 at 6:57 pm

    Would this be freezable to make for the week

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      November 02, 2015 at 10:06 am

      Hi Sarah. Sure, you can freeze it!

      Reply
  16. Kaleigh says

    October 18, 2015 at 2:43 pm

    5 stars
    So good! It really is quick and easy to make and I'll never use the processed stuff out of the box again! My husband loves it and can't contain his excitement when I tell him that we'll be having it for dinner. I actually asked him if he would rather have this macaroni and cheese recipe for dinner or steak (his favorite), and he couldn't choose, which speaks volumes about how good this recipe is.

    Reply
  17. Kristi says

    September 17, 2015 at 8:05 pm

    I am not sure what I did wrong here. I followed the directions to a T but mine came out so runny and the cheese/milk mixture never quite incorporated. I was extremely careful not to cook over the specified temp as I know the cheese can separate and become stringy. The sauce also didn't "grab" onto the noodles as I would prefer. The flavor was fine but the texture was a miss. Any advice for the next time is greatly appreciated!

    Reply
    • shawn says

      September 26, 2015 at 10:45 am

      Hi Kristi, Sorry that it didn't turn out right for you. It is supposed to thicken. You may need to cook the milk more before you add the cheese.

      Reply
      • Dolores says

        November 09, 2015 at 2:47 pm

        Hi Kristi, It sounds like you may have missed the flour or either had too little flour or too much milk. Once you cook the butter and flour and add the milk it will thicken as it cooks. Though the recipe doesn't specify how long it needs to cook it is important to bring the milk and flour mixture to a boil while whisking constantly to prevent burning. It needs to boil lightly because this cooks and thickens the flour. I have had great success by letting it boil lightly for 2 minutes and then lowering the heat and cooking, whisking constantly, for another 5-10 minutes. Once it has cooked you can take it off the heat and stir in the cheese which will melt nicely without cooking it. Hope this helps.

  18. Stacey says

    September 11, 2015 at 11:18 pm

    This was so easy and my 2 year old devoured it. I don't know why we haven't tried it sooner. Thanks, Lisa!

    Reply
  19. Amanda says

    May 01, 2015 at 11:08 am

    3 stars
    Another one to add to the rotation. Super quick and easy to make. Follow the directions exactly - first time I made this I didn't and it was a gooey mess. Not as good as Mom's but definitely a repeat for it's speed and quality as a side or main.

    Reply
  20. Becky says

    January 31, 2015 at 12:19 pm

    we have only had the blue box a few times with the kids mainly during lent and when I was pregnant with morning sickness and it was the only thing I could keep down...so when my daughter asked for Mac and cheese it surprised me but I thought I will check out your recipe...I was delicious! and the kids loved! I used Colby Jack and and Parmesan for the cheese and it turned out great thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  21. Morgan says

    January 25, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    Can you make this in ahead of time and then put in oven later on that evening?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      January 27, 2015 at 12:16 pm

      Hi Morgan. You can. I've done it with some extra bread crumbs and graded cheese on top. ;) Enjoy.

      Reply
  22. Amanda says

    January 20, 2015 at 11:29 am

    I'm curious about the consistency of this. I tried a recipe last week for an old fashioned mac and cheese and it came out very grainy. My kids liked it but I didn't. My boyfriend has introduced me to unprocessed eating as that is how he and his family eat (and I'll be expected to cook that way when I move in). I am trying to find recipes that I can start using now before I make the move so that I am already in the habit of cooking/shopping without all of the highly processed crap that is so easy to grab.

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      January 22, 2015 at 7:18 am

      Hi Amanda. Over heating the cheese added to the roux can make the proteins clump. That can lead to a grainy texture. Also, whole wheat noodles are also going to have a different texture than the white stuff you are likely used to. You could also try using a creamery type of cheese.

      Reply
    • Jacque says

      May 26, 2015 at 3:18 pm

      I have tried tons of recipes for mac and cheese and my husband and I have never enjoyed the grainy texture that adding the whole wheat flour has given. I found a recipe recently that you cook the noodles in the whole milk and then once tender (longer than the box says) take off and stir in your butter and cheese= amazing consistency. (No flour needed) I won't ever make it another way now. I do recommend adding salt and pepper as you boil the noodles.

      Reply
  23. Tabby says

    January 18, 2015 at 7:09 pm

    My sensory little one ate it up!

    Reply
  24. Marlana says

    January 06, 2015 at 2:46 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! I followed the recipe just as written and we all loved the results. This is a keeper. Thanks!

    Reply
  25. Shelley says

    December 04, 2014 at 11:06 am

    Looking for high protein recipes...i would assume this would be high in protien???

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      December 19, 2014 at 10:39 pm

      Hi Shelley. You can plug the ingredients into an online tool like My Fitness Pal and it will give you the nutrition breakdown.

      Reply
  26. Jen says

    November 11, 2014 at 12:48 pm

    5 stars
    I have a 15 month old who will eat practically anything. There are only a handful of things that she has expressed a distaste for, surprisingly, one of those things is boxed macaroni and cheese. I made this last night and she devoured it! I have learned so much about healthy cooking from your website! I love making guilt free wholesome meals for my family!

    Reply
  27. Melissa says

    November 03, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    Can you use coconut or almond milk?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      November 05, 2014 at 10:02 am

      Hi Melissa. You can. :)

      Reply
  28. Jillian Keller says

    August 28, 2014 at 8:32 pm

    One way to make this SUPER easy and avoid more than one pot is too cook the noodles on low in Organic Whole Millk until noodles are soft. Then you skip making the base for the sauce, just add your cheese when it's done and stir. :)

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      April 01, 2015 at 4:21 pm

      Really?

      Reply
  29. Brooke M says

    June 28, 2014 at 12:34 pm

    I've been making this for awhile and really like it- but it was SO thick that it didn't quite satisfy my low-brow mac and cheese cravings, since the box brands often have a smooth, kind of runny, sauce. On a whim the other day, I made a doubled this recipe and cooked a full pound of noodles. I reserved about a cup and a half of pasta water before draining. I made the sauce as directed, then slowly stirred in the pasta water until the sauce reached a creamier, runnier consistency. Perfect!

    Reply
  30. Jen says

    June 16, 2014 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    Started 10 day challenge today and the kids were asking for Mac & cheese so I made this. Wow! What a hit. We all loved it!! This will absolutely be a go-to meal for us!

    Reply
  31. Jennifer Sacco says

    June 13, 2014 at 1:02 pm

    5 stars
    I actually made this recipe before I found your website and I will vouch for how absolutely delicious and satisfying it is... and I'm a die hard box mac and cheese fan... this is truly the first homemade mac and cheese I've ever liked! And I liked it as much if not more than my usual fav Kraft mac and cheese!!

    I love reading about your journey and how obtainable it really is!

    Reply
  32. David says

    June 07, 2014 at 6:06 am

    I tried this recipe last night and my kids loved it!

    Reply
  33. Ashley Haugh says

    May 02, 2014 at 8:45 pm

    This was so good, and so quick to make. I shredded the cheese while waiting for the water to boil, and started the sauce when I put in the noodles. They were done at the same time. I did add garlic and onion powder too. Delicious. Oh, I doubled the sauce, and used a 1lb box of pasta, and it was the perfect consistency.

    Reply
  34. Surrae says

    April 24, 2014 at 8:35 am

    5 stars
    I made this last night. We are making the effort to switch over to a real food diet. This recipe was perfect and kept my Kraft Mac obsessed husband happy. I will be making more to freeze for his lunches!

    Reply
  35. Clarissa says

    March 24, 2014 at 7:56 pm

    5 stars
    Endless praising from all sides of the table every time I make this dish.

    Reply
  36. Kris says

    March 05, 2014 at 4:56 pm

    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!

    Reply
  37. Quianna says

    February 27, 2014 at 10:22 pm

    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!

    Reply
  38. Danielle says

    February 26, 2014 at 7:13 am

    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.

    Reply
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Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

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