Not many kids don’t enjoy mac and cheese, but this one is levelled up for extra plant points, fibre and protein with some easy additions to the cheese sauce and pasta!
Suitable from: 6+ months of age
- Servings
- 2 adults, 2-3 kids
- Prep Time
- 15-30 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20-25 minutes
Ingredients
- 50g butter or dairy-free spread
- 4tbsp wholemeal or buckwheat flour (can sub for plain flour)
- 500ml milk of your choice
- 100g mature cheedar cheese, grated
- One tin butter beans - blended with 2 tbsp milk (use a food processor or hand blender)
- 400g pasta of your choice - for extra fibre, why not try 50/50 white and whole wheat pasta
- One small cauliflower (option of roasting cauliflower first - add 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 heaped teaspoon of garlic granules)
- Toppings: extra grated cheese, blended seeds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180*C.
Put your pasta on a boil, following the packet instructions. If you do not want to roast your cauliflower for this dish, you can also add your cauliflower to the pasta pan to cook alongside.
If you are roasting your cauliflower (this adds a great depth of flavour), break your cauliflower into small florets, drizzle over oil and spices/flavourings, and place either in the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes or into an air fryer at 190*C for 15 minutes.
Prepare your cheese sauce by melting butter in a pan and adding flour to make a roux. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Once smooth, add your grated cheese and butter bean paste.
Once your pasta is cooked, cauliflower is roasted, and cheese sauce is made. Combine these into a baking dish of your choice. Sprinkle over extra cheese, herbs and some milled seeds for extra crunch.
