This Low Calorie Baked Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Pumpkin is just 89 calories per 1/2 cup, making it a great healthy side dish! It also means you can have 4 servings (2 cups) of this creamy Mac and cheese recipe for just 356 calories. Making it a great “take to work” lunch or vegetarian pasta dinner!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 1 cup cubed pumpkin (see above for swaps)
- 1 cup broccoli (see above for swaps)
- Olive Oil Spray
- 13-ounce box of small shell pasta (or gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten-free)
- 3 cups unsweetened almond milk (or 1% dairy milk)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Low Calorie Baked Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Pumpkin
Healthy Baked Mac and Cheese Meal Prep and Storage
Meal Prep: I love to meal prep this healthy recipe! I make it ahead of time (often for dinner- then store the leftovers as meal prep dinners) and move to either individual meal prep containers, or family sized containers.
Storage: Will hold for 5 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Low Calorie Baked Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Pumpkin
More Low Calorie Pasta Recipes:
Low Calorie Baked Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 1 cup cubed pumpkin (see above for swaps)
- 1 cup broccoli (see above for swaps)
- Olive Oil Spray
- 13-ounce box of small shell pasta (or gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten-free)
- 3 cups unsweetened almond milk (or 1% dairy milk)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the pumpkin and broccoli to a 9×13 casserole dish, and lightly spray with olive oil.
- Bake the pumpkin and broccoli for 30 minutes.
- While the pumpkin and broccoli cooks, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon, continuously, until you have a light brown paste.
- Add in 1 cup of milk and whisk well to remove any lumps. Mix the remaining milk and whole garlic cloves. Increase the heat to medium-high. Mix often, scraping the bottom of the pan often, until the sauce has thickened and coats the spoon. Turn off the heat, remove the garlic cloves and discard.
- Stir in the cooked pasta, 1/2 the cheddar cheese, salt and pepper, and cooked pumpkin and broccoli. Mix well, until all the pasta is coated and the cheese is melted.
- Move to the casserole dish you cooked the pumpkin and broccoli in (you don't, even need to clean it!). Top with remaining cheese, and spray lightly with olive oil and bake for 25 minutes until the topping is golden brown.
- Serve hot.
Video
Nutrition
About the Author
Hi, my name is Audrey Johns and I am a 4 time best selling cookbook author! All 4 of my low calorie cookbooks are published by HarperCollins (the oldest publishing house in the US!) and have been featured on prominent TV shows like The Today Show, Rachael Ray and The Doctors. I am a low calorie and healthy recipe authority and my delicious recipes are tried and loved by thousands of readers.
After a one year 150 pound weight loss (and I’ve kept it off for 13 years!) I started sharing all of my low calorie recipes with the world. They are always all-natural and geared around weight loss and weight management. I have even made some of these recipes with my Biggest Loser pal Bob Harper! Check out my weight loss story, my best selling cookbooks, and my numerous TV appearances by clicking here.
Nutrition and Calories in Baked Mac and Cheese
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Article History:
- Originally written and published October 21, 2021 by Audrey Johns
- Updated on September 11, 2023 by Audrey Johns