Creamy Carrot Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese in blue baking dish - Mom's Kitchen Handbook

I’m often asked what my routine is for getting dinner on the table. It’s sort of a shoot-from-the-hip style that’s based on what’s in the fridge, what looks good at the market, and most importantly, what I’m in the mood for (the major upside of being at the helm of the stove). I’m not nearly as ordered as many of you. There is little advanced planning — no “sandwich night” or “crock pot Wednesday” or “meatless Monday.” All that being said, I do have a number of dishes that rotate in on a regular basis. Included is this Creamy Carrot Mac and Cheese, which is usually made at the request of my youngest, Virginia, who is a big fan.

How to Make Carrot Mac and Cheese

I’d argue that this pasta is a little less fussy than traditional mac and cheese that’s made with a French-style roux. Here, you simmer thinly sliced carrots in a bit of water until tender, then puree with milk. From there, it’s a matter of mixing the puree with hot, cooked pasta, shredded cheese, and minced chives. Bake for about 20 minutes and you’re done.

carrot mac and cheese

A Full Pound of Carrots in this Pasta

You might be surprised to see that this recipe actually has more carrots by weight than pasta. That adds a pretty serious dose of nutrients in every bite. The good news is that the carrots blend seamlessly into the mac and cheese. By scaling back the cheese and adding carrots, the pasta is markedly lower in saturated fat. Make it with whole grain pasta, and you’ll add fiber as well.

Suggestions and Substitutions for Carrot Mac and Cheese

If you don’t count the salt and pepper, this recipe has just five ingredients, so it’s hard to mess up. That said, here are a few suggestions:

  • Be sure to slice the carrots quite thin (they’ll cook more quickly and evenly) and cook them until truly tender. You’ll get the best texture that way.
  • Don’t leave out the chives. I know it can be tempting to skip the herbs, but that two tablespoons makes a difference. If you really don’t like the flavor of chives (or can’t get to the market) add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and a dash or two of cayenne.
  • If you’re not sure your kids will go for the flavor, use a half pound of carrots instead (you can scale up over time). Then, add 2/3 cup of cottage cheese to the food processor when you blend the carrots.
  • Use sharp Cheddar. It packs more flavor with less volume.
  • Put the mac and cheese under the broiler at the tail end of cooking to give it a burnished finish.

If you like this creamy mac and cheese, you might like:

Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta with Bacon and Kale

Mini Mac and Cheese with Broccoli

Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese (from Liz’s Healthy Table)

Mac and Cheese in blue baking dish - Mom's Kitchen Handbook
5 from 2 votes
Print

Creamy Carrot Mac and Cheese

Unlike classic mac and cheese, which starts with a white sauce into which you melt loads of cheese, this version is built on a base of cooked carrots that you whirl with low-fat milk into a creamy puree. Add pasta, sharp Cheddar and chopped chives and bake until the flavors meld.
Course Dinner
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 525 kcal
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

  • 1 pound carrots, peeled (4 to 5 large carrots)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 12 ounces penne or rotini pasta (about 4 cups dried)
  • 1 1/4 cup milk (if using plant-based, I recommend something creamy, like oat milk)
  • 2 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp Cheddar cheese, (about 5 1/2 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Slice the carrots very thin, put them in a medium pot and add the water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, drop the heat so the water boils gently, and cover with a lid. Cook until the carrots are tender enough to mash with a fork, about 25 minutes.

  3. While the carrots cook, bring a big pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the pasta. Reserve about a quarter cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta. Put the cooked pasta back into the pot and keep it warm near the stove.

  4. When the carrots are tender, put them along with any remaining carrot cooking liquid into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the milk and puree until silky smooth. You can also do this with a blender.

  5. Stir the carrot puree into the pasta. Set aside 3/4 cup of the cheese and add the remainder to the pasta along with the chives, remaining salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a tablespoon or two of the pasta water.

  6. Transfer pasta to a baking dish that’s about 8 x 11 inches. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes. If you want the cheese brown and crispy on top, set under the broiler just before serving.

Adapted from a recipe by chef Jeremy Fox in Food and Wine magazine

Comments

11.21.2011 at10:59 AM #

Christine

Yumm, I’ll have to try this! I also wanted to let you know that the last two times I have logged onto your website, my antivirus has popped up to tell me a virus is trying to download onto my computer 🙁

11.21.2011 at10:59 AM #

Katie Morford

Thanks for letting me know….I will look into it.

11.21.2011 at12:11 PM #

Jennifer

I can’t wait to try this one out. Mac ‘n Cheese is the all-time-favorite dish for one of my kids and I look forward to mixing it up a bit (and to feel good about the infused veggies to boot). I welcome any and all variations on the Mac ‘n Cheese theme!!

11.26.2011 at2:43 AM #

kellie@foodtoglow

This sounds just the thing to pass along to my friend with vegetable-phobic children. Thanks for sharing this simple and healthy take on an American staple.

11.26.2011 at2:43 AM #

Katie Morford

Your welcome…hope it goes over well with the veggie-phobic crowd!

01.12.2013 at8:47 PM #

Liz

This looks like a great recipe, thanks for sharing. How freezable is it?

01.12.2013 at8:47 PM #

Katie Morford

I find Mac cheese freezes well if properly wrapped.

02.04.2013 at6:31 PM #

Ceci

Thanks for this recipe! The family really liked the taste and I loved that it cut out so much of the fat found in traditional mac and cheese recipes.

10.10.2013 at9:19 PM #

Amy Brown

I find this works well with any number of veggie purees – squash of all kind and cauliflower to name just a couple, but any of the more bland vegetables will do.

10.10.2013 at9:19 PM #

Katie Morford

Great suggestion Amy. I often do this with butternut squash as well.

10.14.2013 at11:15 AM #

felicia beanum

I made this last night and the kids loved it. Kept the vegetable ingredients a secret for the first bite. I didn’t have enough carrots so i added cauliflower & small amount of yams. Delish!!! Thanks Katie!

10.14.2013 at11:15 AM #

Katie Morford

That made my day!

10.24.2013 at11:53 AM #

Sarah

I made this last night and it was a very big hit! I made the puree about a week ago and froze it, which worked very well and made it a quicker dinner to prepare.

10.24.2013 at11:53 AM #

Katie Morford

Hi Sarah

Glad your crew liked it. Good idea making the carrot puree ahead of time.

10.27.2013 at4:50 PM #

cooking daughter

Such a delicious recipe! Thanks for helping me cut calories and fat, yet still stay happy. I was skeptical at first but the end result was great.

10.27.2013 at4:50 PM #

Katie Morford

Ahhh…that’s so nice to hear. Cutting calories and fat AND boosting your veggies. All plus, plus.

Katie

04.24.2015 at8:33 AM #

Robin @Robinsbite

Whaaaa? This is so brilliant! The color is gorgeous! I’m making this next week!

04.24.2015 at8:33 AM #

Katie Morford

with Dreamfield pasta…!!!

04.24.2015 at8:33 AM #

Katie Morford

Thanks Robin. The carrot just makes it look super, bright-orange cheesy. My kids are all fans.

04.24.2015 at11:45 AM #

Jessica @ Nutritioulicious

WOW!!! This looks amazing! Mac and cheese is one of my faves and I’ve made it lots of different ways but never thought to add carrots! Definitely going to have to try this out!

04.24.2015 at11:45 AM #

Katie Morford

One of the favorites in our house. Hope you like it too! Thansk for the comment.

10.29.2018 at1:14 AM #

Karina

Hi! I saw your pictures on another site:|
https://mothers.pk/blog/carrots-macaroni-and-cheese

10.29.2018 at1:14 AM #

Katie Morford

Thank you for letting me know! Most appreciated.

02.26.2019 at3:15 AM #

Nina

This looks great for my picky ones especially! Is it ok to assemble it ahead of time and then wait until later in the day to take it out of the fridge and pop it into the oven for 20 mins? Could be a good one for making before and after work or an outing.

02.26.2019 at3:15 AM #

Katie Morford

I think that would work. Be sure to cover it really well so it doesn’t dry out. Let me know how it goes!
Katie

04.05.2022 at10:58 AM #

Cheryl

Excellent! Made this with white old cheddar cheese and substituted chopped parsley for the chives. It looked and tasted great!

04.05.2022 at10:58 AM #

Katie Morford

Sounds terrific!

10.12.2023 at10:54 AM #

Anne

Did you use 2% milk?

10.12.2023 at10:54 AM #

Katie Morford

I usually have 1% in the fridge, but any milk will work. Obviously 2% or whole will make it even creamier.

Post Your Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating