Reduced-Fat Mac & Cheese

Campion · ‎10-21-2011

This is really good. I'm fussy about mac & cheese. And this tasted so good but has a lot less of the fat than classic mac & cheese. It works well for barbecues and you can eat a serving of it without feeling like, heck, I might as well have eaten a stick of butter.

Recipe

One box elbow mac (I use Barilla, and if you can find the high fiber, even better.)

1 cup part skim ricotta

1/2 cup shredded low fat sharp cheddar (I use Cabot)

1/2 cup shredded parmesan (I use 4C parm/romano mix in the glass jar.)

2 cups skim milk

3 tbs butter (I use Land o Lakes butter/olive oil blend)

3 tbs flour

Hot sauce or tabasco to taste (you can also use 1/4 tsp dry mustard)

Crumbs and butter for topping if desired.

Method:

Boil pasta according to directions. I don't salt it because cheese has a lot of salt. Drain it. Set aside.

Meanwhile: blend the cheddar, parmesan in a food processor to make it very fine and then blend in the ricotta. You can do this by hand if the cheese is shredded well.

In a sauce pan, melt butter and add in flour, cook into a roux. Add warmed skim milk and make a white sauce. Season with some hot sauce. Add in cheese and melt it down to a creamy mix. It will be rather white--so if you want yellower mac & cheese, add a few drops of yellow food coloring.

Blend into the pasta in a big bowl, dump into a baking dish. If you want crumb topping, spread top with buttered crumbs and put under a broiler until the crumbs are browned.

CinNC · ‎10-05-2012

Thanks - sounds wonderful!

ripka junkie · ‎03-11-2010

Thank you for this recipe, we love Mac & Cheese and always trying to find a way to reduce fat, calories .

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

Reduced fat, words to my heart!! Copied and ready to roll when needed.

kitty4me · ‎03-21-2010

Campion thanks for sharing this great Recipe. I do have a couple of question s about the Reipe. What size is the box of noodles? The Recipe says 1/2 cup of Parm snd you use a a blend of 4cups? Thanks!