Healthy Mac and Cheese Cups

Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups

These Healthy Mac and Cheese Cups are just 66 calories! Plus they are great for meal prepping, potlucks, lunch boxes and even snacks!

I like to make these as simple as possible, that’s why you won’t find any strange ingredients in the shopping list. Just tips and tricks to boost flavor while lowering calories. And one “secret ingredient” that helps cup lots of calories without sacrificing flavor or serving size!

Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups

Best of all, they are so low in calories that you can have 3-4 of them without breaking your calorie “budget.”

Healthy Mac and Cheese Cups

Ingredients in Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups

No weird ingredients go into these mac and cheese muffin cups! Just a few calorie cutting tricks to lower the amount of some items (like using sharp cheddar instead of mild) and flavor boosting tips (like adding garlic cloves to the sauce to soak and infuse it).

Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups

I owe this low calorie recipe for mac and cheese to Fiber Gourmet Light Elbow Pasta (no this post is not sponsored, I just love it a lot!) At just 29 calories per serving it helps cut calories in a big way!

You can use any pasta you like, even chickpea protein pasta. It will change the nutrition a bit, but will still be super yummy!

Optional Add-Ins:

  • Shredded Chicken
  • Crumbled Turkey Bacon
  • Green Onions
  • Diced Broccoli
  • Sliced Bell Peppers

How to Make Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups

This muffin cup mac and cheese recipe is easy and delicious! You only need a few items to make them, and if you don’t have muffin liners, you can just spray the tins with olive oil.

You can also make this entire recipe, and add it to a baking dish for a low calorie casserole. The bake time will only need to increase by 10 minutes if you choose two make it all in one tray.

Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups

How to Make Skinny Mac and Cheese Cups:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 16 muffin tins with paper liners, or spray with olive oil.
  2. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and set aside.
  3. 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.
  4. Add in 1 cup of milk and whisk well to remove any lumps. Mix the remaining milk and whole garlic cloves.
  5. Increase the heat to medium-high. Mix often, scraping the bottom of the pan often, until the sauce has thickened and coats the spoon. 
  6. Turn off the heat, remove the garlic cloves and discard.
  7. Stir in the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well, until all the pasta is coated and the cheese is melted.
  8. Scoop 1/4 cup of Mac and cheese into each muffin cup, sprinkle over remaining cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and parsley. 
  9. Spray lightly with olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

Meal Prep/Storage:

  1. Make the recipe as directed, and cool completely.
  2. Add the mac and cheese muffins to a gallon freezer bag or container and seal well.
  3. Add to the refrigerator (will last 5 days) or the freezer (will last a month).
  4. To reheat – microwave for 1 minute for defrosted or 2-3 minutes for frozen. You can also pop into a toaster oven to reheat.

Healthy Mac and Cheese Cups Recipe

These mac and cheese muffin cups are just 66 calories each, and make a great meal prep recipe! Here are some more low calorie recipes I think you’ll love.

Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups

Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups

Lose Weight By Eating
These Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups are just 66 calories and perfect for meal prep sides, or potluck dishes.
At just 66 calories, you could have just one as a side dish, or have 3-4 as a main dish.
Special Tip: The secret "weapon" in this low calorie recipe is the Fiber Gourmet Light Elbow Pasta. I have included a link below so you can get a visual pop it before heading to the store, or just purchase on line.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 16 servings
Calories 66 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 (8-ounce) box Fiber Gourmet Light Elbow Pasta
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups unsweetened almond milk or 1% dairy milk
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 teaspoon chopped parsley optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 16 muffin tins with paper liners, or spray with olive oil.
  • 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 cup of cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well, until all the pasta is coated and the cheese is melted.
  • Scoop 1/4 cup of Mac and cheese into each muffin cup, sprinkle over remaining cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and parsley.
  • Spray lightly with olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 66kcalCarbohydrates: 11.1gProtein: 3.3gFat: 2.8gSaturated Fat: 1.5gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 162mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 4.2gSugar: 0.6gCalcium: 51mgIron: 0mg
Keyword Healthy Mac and Cheese Cups, low calorie mac and cheese, mac and cheese cups
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition and Calories in Mac and Cheese Cups

The nutrition and calories are based off 1 muffin cup (1/4 cup) using Fiber Gourmet Light Elbow Pasta. If you use a different pasta, it will affect the calories and nutrition.

LOWER SODIUM: The cheese has a decent amount of “bite” so you can eliminate the salt all together if your diet requires it.

INCREASE PROTEIN: If low carb is more important to you than low calorie, try using protein pasta in place of the pasta recommended.

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Low Calorie Mac and Cheese Cups

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