Mac and Cheese with Kale

Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Mac and Cheese with Kale

I’ll admit, I am always the one to go for maximizing the crispy topping on a baked mac and cheese. But today I set out to make this healthy mac and cheese on the stovetop because I wanted it to be ready in no time at all for busy nights and busy families.

I also wanted to make sure it was extra good for you, so I grabbed a few handfuls of kale from the garden to give it some nutritious veggies. And guess what? It was so creamy and dreamy and comforting, no one even noticed it was good for them too.  

Key Ingredients For This Kale Mac and Cheese

• Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper
• Whole-Wheat Pasta: Use any whole wheat pasta such as fusilli, rotini or macaroni.
• Kale: Regular curly Kale is perfect for this recipe. Lacinato kale also works.
• Unsalted Butter: You’ll need this for frying shallots and to make the roux for the cheese sauce.
• Shallot: I used shallot in the cheese sauce. It really boosted up the savory sauce and made it so much more flavorful.
• Flour: The flour helps to stabilize the sauce so that the cheese has something to grab onto and becomes creamy as it melts into the sauce.
• Milk: I didn’t want the sauce to be too watery, so I only used a cup of non-fat milk and thickened it with flour. You can use regular fat milk as well.
• Sharp Cheddar: For the cheese, I added the cheesiest and sharpest cheddar I could find. Any cheddar will do though.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Salt and boil pasta water

First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil since bringing that to temp takes a long time. While it comes up to a boil, you’ll have enough time to prepare the remaining ingredients. Don’t underestimate the importance of salting the pasta water. This adds some much-needed flavor to the macaroni and takes the entire meal to the next level.

Step 2: Cook pasta and kale together

When the water boils, prepare the pasta according to the package instructions. To save an extra pot, you can cook the pasta and kale together. But since the pasta takes longer to cook than the kale, you’ll have to add the kale after the pasta has been cooking for a few minutes. Four minutes before the timer goes off, stir in the kale. That will give both the pasta and the kale the perfect amount of time in the boiling water. Drain the pasta and kale well.

Also, since this is a stovetop mac and cheese recipe, you’ll want to cook the pasta completely (unlike in a baked macaroni and cheese where you intentionally undercook the pasta because it will continue cooking in the oven).

Step 3: Make cheese sauce

Meanwhile, cook the shallots in butter. I only use two tablespoons of butter to keep the calories in check. I add in the shallot to boost the flavor of the cheese sauce. It works well with the kale. Then add in the flour and make a paste. You’ll just want to make sure the flour is dissolved into the butter so that it will mix with the milk more easily. 

Next whisk in the milk, salt and pepper and bring it up to a simmer, while whisking. Take care to get any roux out of the corners of the saucepan! Simmer until the sauce is thick and the shallots have had a couple minutes to soften completely. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the cheese.

Step 4: Stir pasta and kale into cheese sauce

Once the sauce is cooked and the cheese is added you can add it to the pot with the kale and pasta. Stir until it is coated and creamy. Serve the Mac and Cheese with Kale hot.

More Healthy Macaroni and Cheese Recipes To Try

• This Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese is ultra creamy and perfect for folks who don’t tolerate gluten.
• This Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese is an old favorite here. 
• This Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, is a great fall variation. 
• This everything but the kitchen sink version of macaroni and cheese has Edamame, Cauliflower and Peas in it!