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Super easy, hidden veggie mac and cheese for toddlers, kids, and picky eaters. Made with a creamy, cheesy sauce that’s packed with sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and sharp cheddar cheese. You can’t taste the veggies at all, and it turns out so creamy and wonderful!
Why You’ll Love This Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese
I’m always trying to find ways to sneak in more veggies for my toddler (like these chicken nuggets). She has her days when she can be quite the picky eater, so I try to find ways to get more nutrients in her any way I can. Mac and cheese has been her favorite thing to eat lately, so I had this great idea to make it for her with blended vegetables.
After experimenting a few times, I finally created the perfect creamy cheese sauce that she loves, AND you can’t taste the veggies at all! This kid-friendly recipe is a great way to sneak in veggies for the little ones, but delicious enough for the whole family to enjoy! The ultimate comfort food made healthy!
In this Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese, both cauliflower and sweet potatoes are steamed until fork tender before being blended together into a mixture with a smooth, creamy texture. This is then combined with the traditional cheese sauce, and it mixes in so well that you really can’t detect that there are any healthy vegetables in it. I used gluten-free chickpea pasta so I could pack in more protein, and it turned out so creamy and comforting and full of cheesy goodness!
Watch a Short Video of This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients for this dish are simple and can be interchanged easily depending on what you have on hand. Also – if you have an egg allergy at home, this recipe is made without eggs.
- short pasta: I recommend short pasta like classic macaroni elbows or shells. I use this chickpea gluten-free pasta to pack in more protein and to share with her since I’m mostly gluten-free. Choose your favorite pasta.
- cauliflower florets & sweet potatoes: I chose these as my hidden veggies, but see the tips below for incorporating the fresh produce you have on hand.
- milk: Either dairy or dairy-free milk will work, but I recommend using full-fat milk. I used coconut milk.
- ghee or butter: I personally use ghee regularly because I love the strong buttery flavor. However, regular butter will work just fine!
- arrowroot starch: You can substitute with regular all-purpose flour if desired.
- extra sharp cheddar cheese: Because the sauce is mixed with blended veggies, I recommend using extra sharp cheddar. The more robust flavor of the cheese helps mask the taste of the veggies better.
- garlic powder
- dijon mustard
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
- red pepper flakes: Optional, for the adults to add a spicy kick!
How To Make Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese
- In a large pot of salted water, cook your pasta noodles according to package directions, but slightly al dente. Drain and set aside without rinsing.
- Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and add 1½ cups water. Add cauliflower and sweet potato cubes. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until fork tender.
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender with milk. Blend until smooth.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Add ghee and arrowroot starch, and whisk until a roux is formed. Add 3/4 cup of milk and whisk continuously until boiling.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and stir in cheese, veggie puree, and spices. Stir until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from heat. Add cooked pasta and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve, or you can transfer to a casserole dish and broil for 5 minutes to get it browned on top.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Cheese: Cheddar is the classic cheese used in mac and cheese. I like to use extra sharp cheddar for this kid-friendly mac and cheese to hide the flavor of veggies better. However, regular cheese will work just fine. You can also experiment with other types that melt well, like cream cheese, gouda, goat, or even parmesan cheese, for a variety of flavors.
- Vegetables: You can experiment with different types of favorite vegetables. I do recommend sticking with veggies that blend well when steamed, like carrots, broccoli, onions, rutabaga, butternut squash, or even zucchini.
- Serving: Serve this as a side dish or a main course. I like to use protein pasta when serving as a main course to make it a complete meal.
Storage Tips
Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, leftovers will last for 4-5 days. I just heat it back up in the microwave, but you can do it on the stovetop too. You can also freeze it for up to 2-3 months!
Recipe FAQs
This simple dish is made with cooked pasta, and a cheesy sauce blended with steamed veggies, sharp cheddar cheese, milk, butter, a bit of flour, and spices.
Other Hidden Veggie Kid-Friendly Recipes
Hidden Veggie Chicken Nuggets (Baked, Air Fried, or Pan Fried)
Healthy Homemade Popsicles for Toddlers
Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Paleo, Dairy Free)
Raw Zucchini Hummus with Avocado
The BEST Gluten Free Cornbread (No Flour)
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Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese Recipe (Kid-Friendly)
Video
Ingredients
- 8 oz short pasta, elbow, macaroni, shell – I used these for gluten free
- 2 cups cauliflower florets, about ½ head cauliflower
- 1 cup cubed sweet potatoes, about ½ inches, peeled
- 1¼ cups full-fat milk, dairy or dairy free, divided – I used coconut milk
- 2 tbsp ghee, or butter
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch, or flour
- 1½ cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sea salt, or more to taste
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions, but slightly al dente. Drain and set aside without rinsing.
- Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and add 1½ cups water. Add cauliflower florets and sweet potato cubes to the basket. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer then cook for 8-10 minutes until fork tender.
- Transfer the steamed cauliflower and sweet potatoes to a blender with 1/2 cup milk. Blend until smooth.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Add ghee and arrowroot starch, and whisk until a roux is formed. Add 3/4 cup of milk and whisk continuously until it starts to boil.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and stir in cheese, veggie puree, garlic powder, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from heat, and add cooked pasta and stir to combine. Taste to add more salt, if needed.
- Serve, or you can transfer to a baking dish and broil for 5 minutes to get it browned on top.
Notes
Expert Tips & Variations
- Cheese: Cheddar is the classic cheese used in mac and cheese. I like to use extra sharp cheddar for this kid-friendly mac and cheese to hide the flavor of veggies better. However, regular cheese will work just fine. You can also experiment with other types that melt well, like cream cheese, gouda, goat, or even parmesan cheese, for a variety of flavors.
- Vegetables: You can experiment with different types of favorite vegetables. I do recommend sticking with veggies that blend well when steamed, like carrots, broccoli, onions, rutabaga, butternut squash, or even zucchini.
- Serving: Serve this as a side dish or a main course. I like to use protein pasta when serving as a main course to make it a complete meal.
Storage Tips
Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, leftovers will last for 4-5 days. I just heat it back up in the microwave, but you can do it on the stovetop too. You can also freeze it for up to 2-3 months!Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe is a game changer! I love that I can sneak in veggies without my kids noticing. The cheesy flavor is so comforting, and my picky eaters gobbled it up! Can’t wait to try it again with different veggies. Thank you for sharing!
This hidden veggie mac and cheese recipe is a total game changer! My kids had no idea they were munching on cauliflower, and they devoured the whole dish! Thank you for making mealtimes so much easier!
Great recipe! I love that the hidden veggies make the mac and cheese come out so ORANGE! Great for kids because it really makes it look like a Kraft easy mac type of mac and cheese.