Veggie Mac and Cheese
Creamy, cheesy and loaded with nutritious veggies, this fast single burner dinner will fill tummies in no time.
- Prep Time
- 10 mins
- Cook Time
- 15 mins
- Total Time
- 25 mins
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 50g butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 350g elbow macaroni (uncooked)
- 2 cups diced veggies (e.g. carrot, peas, corn, pumpkin, zucchini, broccoli)
- 2 cups grated pizza cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Step 1
- Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat on your single burner. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute to get rid of that raw flour taste.
- Step 2
- Slowly whisk in the milk, making sure the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the water, garlic powder, onion powder and Dijon mustard. Give it a good stir.
- Step 3
- Throw in the uncooked macaroni and all those delicious diced veggies. Stir occasionally as it comes to a near boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Step 4
- Keep stirring as it cooks for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the macaroni is perfectly tender.
- Step 5
- Turn off the heat, then stir in your grated cheese until it’s all melty and gooey. If it’s looking a little thick, just add a splash (1/4 cup or so) of milk and stir it through until smooth.
Everybody loves mac and cheese
As a mum of four, Steph de Sousa knows all too well that you have to be a bit sneaky sometimes to get your kids to eat their veggies – even when you’re off adventuring in the caravan or camper trailer. Cue Steph’s healthy spin on everyone’s favourite comfort food dish: mac and cheese.
“I am the queen of hidden veggies and while this dish doesn’t exactly hide them, it does distract from them beautifully with all that gooey yumminess,” says the former MasterChef contestant and popular social-media cook. “I have never met a kid or adult who doesn’t love mac and cheese, and my lot don’t even care that it’s loaded with veggies because it’s so cheesy and delicious.”
“I recommend using frozen diced vegetables for this recipe,” says Steph. “They’re great for camping and save a heap of room when packing.
“Grating and freezing your cheese in a flat zip lock bag before you leave home will also help it last longer and keep other things in your Esky or cooler cold.”
Thanks to Good & Fugly for providing fresh produce. They’re a supplier that champions local farmers, embraces perfectly imperfect but delicious food for significantly less ... and it lasts ... ideal for your camping trip!
FAQs
Steph’s got the answers to your mac and cheese questions.
Place the macaroni and cheese in a pot on your single burner stove, but avoid intense heat as the cheese could burn. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated all the way through.
If It's been left out of your cooler for any longer than two hours, macaroni and cheese should be thrown away to avoid the risk of eating harmful bacteria.
Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points, such as cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss and gruyere are great for melting. Generally speaking, milder cheeses, such as mild cheddar, melt more smoothly than aged cheeses.
Yes, your mac and cheese is fine in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge when you want to eat it.
You can thicken runny mac and cheese several ways: try adding more grated cheese; stir in a couple of teaspoons of cornflour that have been dissolved in cold water; or mix in an egg yolk.
