Easy Veggie Mac & Cheese Recipe (Kid-Friendly)
Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try
Kids and mac and cheese go together like peanut butter and jelly. But kids and broccoli? Kids and cauliflower? Usually not so much. This Easy Veggie Mac & Cheese Recipe (Kid-Friendly) is the perfect way to get even the most picky eater gobbling down their vegetables. Creamy, cheesy, homemade mac and cheese is bursting with finely chopped broccoli and cauliflower and some some diced canned tomatoes. The rich cheese sauce is made from simple ingredients you can feel good about feeding your family, instead of a boxed mix full of artificial ingredients. This will absolutely be your go-to recipe when you’re looking for an easy, healthyish comfort food that the whole family will enjoy.
Some of the best features of this recipe:
Easy: Boil some pasta and toss the broccoli and cauliflower in pasta water near the end of the cooking time. Mix up the cheese sauce while the pasta and veggies cook and put everything into a baking dish to heat through.
Healthy…ish: There are six cups of chopped fresh vegetables and a can of diced tomatoes in this recipe, a great source of hidden veggies. As for the creamy cheese sauce…protein?
Versatile: The type of cheese you use is more or less up to you. Sharp cheddar cheese, mild cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, Mexican cheddar blend – mix and match cheese in the cheddar family!
Gluten-free possibilities: I used Barilla gluten-free elbow pasta in this and no one knew the difference. It’s great for people with gluten sensitivity or those looking to avoid traditional pasta for other dietary reasons.
As with all of my recipes, Easy Veggie Mac & Cheese Recipe (Kid-Friendly) is super simple to make with no complex cooking techniques, no expensive equipment, and with basic ingredients you can find in any grocery store.
Recipe Ingredients
12 oz gluten-free elbow macaroni
3 cups chopped fresh broccoli
3 cups chopped fresh cauliflower
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cup milk
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (divided)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Helpful Tools
- Large stock pot
- Liquid measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Large skillet
- Heat resistant spatula
- Small cup
- 9×13 inch baking pan
- Nonstick cooking spray
Ingredient Notes
Pasta: I used Barilla gluten free pasta made from a mix of rice and corn and no one could tell the difference – except the person who would have otherwise had a bad stomachache. You can substitute regular pasta if you’d like. You can also change the pasta style using any tube-shaped pasta that will hold the sauce (ziti, penne, etc.).
Cheese: I used shredded Mexican style cheese which is a blend of a few cheeses including Monterey Jack and cheddar. You can use any similar cheese – just Monterey Jack, cheddar, or cheddar jack. Usually freshly shredded cheese is always a good idea, but pre-shredded (which I used) is an acceptable shortcut.
Tomatoes: I used “petit cut” diced tomatoes to avoid large chunks.
Spices: I think cumin and smoked paprika add great flavor to this recipe and then sprinkle in a bit of crushed red pepper flakes. If you are feeding kids, you can always skip the red pepper.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
3. Prepare the veggies. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower from the stem and chop into bite-sized pieces. Wash and set aside.
4. About three minutes before it is fully cooked, add the chopped broccoli and cauliflower to the pasta. REMEMBER TO RESERVE 1 CUP OF PASTA WATER BEFORE DRAINING.
5. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the sauce in a small cup.
6. Create a roux for your sauce, melting 4 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Add 4 tbsp of flour to the butter and stir continually until completely incorporated.
8. Slowly stream in 2 cups of milk, stirring continually.
9. Lower the heat to medium and allow the sauce to thicken.
10. Pour in 1 cup of shredded cheese, stirring until melted.
11. Add in 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
12. Adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding either some of the reserved pasta water or the reserved juice from the tomatoes. Be sure to add a very small amount at a time, mixing until you reach the desired consistency.
13. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
14. Add the cooked pasta to the baking dish.
15. Add the prepared veggies and the canned tomatoes to the pasta. Stir to combine.
16. Pour the sauce over the pasta and veggies, one half at a time. Stir up from the bottom each time to be sure all of the pasta is coated in sauce.
17. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese evenly over the surface of the pasta.
18. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs evenly over the pasta and cheese.
19. Bake uncovered until golden on top and bubbly, 25-30 minutes.
Check out the step-by-step directions on the printable recipe card, below.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Tips & Tricks
The cheese sauce is very thick, but you can adjust it to your liking. Use some of the reserved pasta water or, as I do, the liquid from the canned tomatoes. Remember to add in small amounts at a time because if it becomes too thin, there’s not going back!
Eating mac and cheese shouldn’t involve cutting anything, so make sure the veggies are cut into bite-sized pieces.
Want to know more about making a roux? You can check out the detailed instructions here.
I always recommend placing a full baking pan on a rimmed baking sheet to avoid spilling into the oven. There’s something about cleaning up an oven mess that I really dislike.
Looking for other easy, family friendly meals? That’s a bit of my specialty!
Easy Creamy Chicken with Bacon & Corn (One Pot Meal)
Easy Dinner: French Onion Chicken with Pasta
Easy Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas and Chicken Fajitas
One Pot Mediterranean Chicken with Orzo (Easy Dinner)
Quick & Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta
30 Minute Dinner: Easy Skillet Taco Gnocchi
Easy Veggie Mac & Cheese Recipe (Kid-Friendly)
Ingredients
- 12 oz gluten-free elbow macaroni
- 3 cups chopped fresh broccoli
- 3 cups chopped fresh cauliflower
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the veggies. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower from the stem and chop into bite-sized pieces. Wash and set aside.
- About three minutes before it is fully cooked, add the chopped broccoli and cauliflower to the pasta. REMEMBER TO RESERVE 1 CUP OF PASTA WATER BEFORE DRAINING.
- Drain the tomatoes, reserving the sauce in a small cup.
- Create a roux for your sauce, melting 4 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 4 tbsp of flour to the butter and stir continually until completely incorporated.
- Slowly stream in 2 cups of milk, stirring continually.
- Lower the heat to medium and allow the sauce to thicken.
- Pour in 1 cup of shredded cheese, stirring until melted.
- Add in 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
- Adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding either some of the reserved pasta water or the reserved juice from the tomatoes. Be sure to add a very small amount at a time, mixing until you reach the desired consistency.
- Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the cooked pasta to the baking dish.
- Add the prepared veggies and the canned tomatoes to the pasta. Stir to combine.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and veggies, one half at a time. Stir up from the bottom each time to be sure all of the pasta is coated in sauce.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese evenly over the surface of the pasta.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs evenly over the pasta and cheese.
- Bake uncovered until golden on top and bubbly, 25-30 minutes.
