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I love this Green Mac and Cheese. Made with whole wheat pasta, broccoli, spinach, and peas, this dinner is a powerhouse of nutrients that kids and adults will love.
You may also like my chili mac and cheese or my Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese.
If you love mac and cheese, this Homemade Veggie-Packed Mac and Cheese is the perfect recipe for you! The dish is loaded with cheesy flavor and vibrant green color that makes kids want to eat their veggies. Plus it’s the perfect easy vegetarian dinner recipe to serve the family for St. Patrick’s Day. Made with whole wheat pasta, a bunch of green veggies, fresh herbs, and cheese.
Recipe summary
- Delicious! It’s cheesy, creamy, and so tasty.
- Wholesome: This pasta is made with whole-wheat pasta, dairy-free milk, and plenty of green veggies to give it that pretty color. Packed with nutrition!
- Easy to make: This is a simple mac and cheese recipe that will be on the dinner table in 45 minutes.
Ingredients you’ll need
This is just a list of ingredients you will need to make this creamy baked Healthy Mac and Cheese. Full measurements are listed further down below in the recipe card.
- Whole wheat elbow macaroni
- Broccoli: I used fresh, but frozen will also work. Thaw first.
- Peas
- Spinach: I prefer using fresh.
- Green onions
- Garlic cloves
- Oregano
- Gluten-free flour, or any other flour
- Non-dairy milk of choice: or you may use 2%
- White cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
How to make Green Mac and Cheese
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook pasta: In a large pot of salted water cook the pasta according to package directions; drain 2-3 minutes before al dente. Place drained pasta into an oven dish. Add broccoli florets and peas and stir to combine.
- Blend the sauce: In a high-speed blender add the spinach, green onions, garlic, oregano leaves, and flour. Pour in the milk and blend until smooth, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook sauce: Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking occasionally for about 6-8 minutes, or until it thickens and it coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the cheese and whisk until melted and smooth.
- Bake: Pour the sauce over the pasta and veggies in the baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and broccoli is tender.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- Pasta: I used whole wheat pasta, but you can substitute for a gluten-free or white pasta as desired. Consider the healthier pasta options out there like lentil or chickpea pasta.
- Veggies: Fresh vegetables will give you the best results in this recipe. I don’t suggest using frozen spinach or broccoli, as it may make the sauce watery.
- Milk: Almond milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk would make good options. Any dairy-free milk option will work, but make sure it is unsweetened. If you like, you may use 2% milk.
- Tips for the creamy sauce: Make sure to blend the sauce until very smooth before cooking for a creamy sauce.
- Tips for pasta: Make sure to drain the pasta 2-3 minutes before it is al dente. It will continue to cook while baking.
Frequently asked questions
Adding veggies to mac and cheese will make it a well-rounded meal! Low in fat, loaded with veggies.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until heated through.
A great make ahead recipe. If making ahead, place in a sealed container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake until warmed through.
For more protein, you can serve this recipe alongside steak like this Filet Steak with Mushroom Sauce or baked chicken like this Baked BBQ Chicken Breast. You can also serve it alongside crusty bread, a simple green salad, or fresh fruit.
More pasta recipes
- Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Salmon Pasta
- Mexican Chipotle Chicken Pasta
- Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- Shrimp and Spinach Pasta
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Green Mac and Cheese
Video
Ingredients
- 10 ounces whole wheat elbow macaroni
- 1 medium broccoli Head, cut into small florets
- 1 cup peas
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 2-3 green onions, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 handful oregano, leaves picked
- 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free flour
- 2 cups non-dairy milk of choice
- 2 cups grated white cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large pot of salted water, cook the 10 ounces whole wheat elbow macaroni according to package directions; drain 2-3 minutes before al dente. Place drained pasta into an oven dish. Add 1 medium broccoli Head florets and 1 cup peas and stir to combine.
- In a high-speed blender, add the 1 cup fresh spinach, 2-3 green onions, 2 garlic cloves, 1 handful oregano leaves, and 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free flour. Pour in the 2 cups non-dairy milk of choice and blend until smooth. Taste and season with Kosher salt and ground pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking occasionally for about 6-8 minutes, or until it thickens and it coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the 2 cups grated white cheddar cheese and whisk until melted and smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and veggies in the baking dish.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and broccoli is tender. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Pasta: I use whole wheat pasta, but you can substitute for a gluten-free or white pasta as desired. You may also use lentil or chickpea pasta.
- Veggies: Fresh vegetables will give you the best results in this recipe. I don’t suggest using frozen spinach or broccoli, as it may make the sauce watery.
- Milk: Almond milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk would make good options. Any dairy-free milk option will work, but make sure it is unsweetened.
- Tips for the creamy sauce: Make sure to blend the sauce until very smooth before cooking for a creamy sauce.
- Tips for pasta: Make sure to drain the pasta 2-3 minutes before it is al dente. It will continue to cook while baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was delicious! I only had frozen broccoli on-hand, but I did half a cup less of milk and added maybe a quarter to a little over a quarter of flour to thicken it up (I prefer my cheese sauces super thick!). I was also out of peas somehow, so I just did extra broccoli.
This will be a new staple in my house 🙂
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked it.
I initially rated this 4 stars because of how it tasted on Thanksgiving, but I’m giving it 3 stars now because of how it reheats. The cheese seperated from the macaroni and it took on an unpleasant vegetal taste. I put in more cheese than it called for but it was still not cheesy enough. It was too liquid. I agree with the other commenter about reducing the milk.
What non dairy cheese do you use for this recipe?
They didn’t – check the nutrition facts and look at how high the protein content is. It wouldn’t be that high if it was non-dairy cheese which is made from starch and oil.
How many grams are there in a 1 cup serving ?
I would have to check on this. Not sure
Okay. Maybe you know how many cups there are in the serving bowl in the video ?
The recipe look delicious, but I really have to limit my calorie intake…
DELICIOUS! I will make this recipe again for sure !
Thanks for the feedback.
Excellent & very tasty! I did use frozen spinach..just let it sit out to thaw and than squeeze all the moisture out. Increased flour by 1/2 TBSP & decreased milk by 1/4 cup. Perfect consistency!
Perfect! Thanks for sharing that