Best 5 Macaroni And Cheese With Kale Recipes

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Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. However, the traditional recipe can be high in calories and fat. If you are looking for a healthier version of this dish, try adding kale. Kale is a leafy green vegetable that is packed with nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and K. It is also a good source of fiber and antioxidants. Adding kale to your macaroni and cheese will not only make it healthier, but it will also add a delicious pop of flavor.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE WITH KALE



Homemade Mac and Cheese with Kale image

A skillet macaroni and cheese made heartier and healthier with homemade kale!

Provided by Tracy

Categories     Kid Friendly     Main Course

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 bunch kale (trimmed from stems, approx 4 cups packed)
1 cup white onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 lb elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons salted butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup half and half (or use all milk)
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
2 1/2 -3 cups sharp cheddar cheese (grated)

Steps:

  • Clean your kale by rinsing it in cold water and then removing the leaves from the stems. Chop into small pieces.
  • Heat olive oil on medium in a cast iron skillet or another large skillet (with a lid). Add onion and garlic and cook for approximately 90 seconds.
  • Add kale and coat with oil and mix with garlic and onion. Let saute for another minute, add 1 teaspoon of salt, mix, and then add the stock. Cover and let braise in stock for about 10 minutes, or until most of the stock has cooked off.
  • Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add noodles and boil until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water to prevent sticking.
  • When your kale is done, remove from skillet and set aside.
  • WIth skillet on medium, add butter and as it melts, add the flour and whisk to create a roux.
  • Slowly add the milk, 1 cup at a time, and whisk it to incorporate it all before adding more milk and half and half.
  • Let the sauce cook, whisking constantly to prevent from burning, until it begins to thicken. Add cheese, 1 cup at a time, and whisk to combine. Reduce to medium-low.
  • Let the sauce thicken and then start adding the cheese, a handful at a time, whisking until it is all fully melted before adding more cheese. Repeat for 2 cups of cheese.
  • Once cheese sauce is thickened, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and mustard and mix. Add kale and mix well. This will ensure that the kale is more evenly distributed in the dish.
  • Once the kale is well mixed in, then add the cooked pasta and mix well.
  • This is where you can stop and set aside if preparing in advance. Or you can serve it now, as is. Otherwise, pre-heat oven to broil and set rack to top third.
  • Add last 1/2 to 1 cup of cheese to the top of skillet and add to oven to melt and crisp up cheese for 3-5 minutes.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 322 kcal, Carbohydrate 42 g, Protein 8 g, Fat 14 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Sodium 679 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 6 g, UnsaturatedFat 8 g, ServingSize 1 serving

CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH KALE AND MUSHROOMS



Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Kale and Mushrooms image

Don't be alarmed by how much kale you start with for this recipe. It will cook down quite a bit and pairs deliciously with the creamy pasta and shiitake mushrooms.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h5m

Yield 8 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large bunch of kale, stems discarded, roughly chopped (about 8 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded (about 3 cups)
3 ounces Gruyere, shredded (about 1 cup)
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Steps:

  • Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until it is al dente, about 6 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 3/4 cups of the pasta water. Set aside.
  • Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms are lightly browned in spots and softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add the kale, garlic and 1/2 cup of water, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan with the back of a wooden spoon. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Cook until the kale is wilted but still crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
  • Carefully wipe out the saucepan (or give it a quick rinse if it is really dirty). Add the half-and-half and cayenne and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar and Gruyere until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
  • Add the macaroni and reserved pasta water to the saucepan and stir to combine. (The mixture will look very loose, but the pasta will suck up a lot of the sauce as it bakes.) Gently fold in the reserved vegetables. Season to taste with additional salt if needed. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Toss the bread crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and a large pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are lightly browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.

SIMPLE MACARONI AND CHEESE



Simple Macaroni and Cheese image

A very quick and easy fix to a tasty side-dish. Fancy, designer mac and cheese often costs forty or fifty dollars to prepare when you have so many exotic and expensive cheeses, but they aren't always the best tasting. This recipe is cheap and tasty.

Provided by g0dluvsugly

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Pasta     Macaroni and Cheese Recipes     Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Time 30m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 (8 ounce) box elbow macaroni
¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour milk into butter-flour mixture while continuously stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Add Cheddar cheese to milk mixture and stir until cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes.
  • Fold macaroni into cheese sauce until coated.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 630.2 calories, Carbohydrate 55 g, Cholesterol 99.6 mg, Fat 33.6 g, Fiber 2.1 g, Protein 26.5 g, SaturatedFat 20.9 g, Sodium 777 mg, Sugar 7.6 g

3 CHEESE AND KALE MACARONI



3 Cheese and Kale Macaroni image

After trying several versions of parmesan/asiago mac & cheese around Houston, I decided to try to create my own version. Enjoy!

Provided by Lana Christine

Categories     Greens

Time 30m

Yield 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

5 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
5 ounces shredded romano cheese
5 ounces shredded asiago cheese
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
3 cups chopped kale
1 (10 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped tomato
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil

Steps:

  • PASTA:.
  • start water to boil, add salt and oil to prevent sticking.
  • SAUCE:
  • mix shredded cheese, cream cheese, and half & half in a bowl- set aside.
  • sautee garlic and onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until slightly browned.
  • add kale, tomatoes and mushrooms.
  • cover and cook for 6 minutes.
  • add another tablespoon of oil.
  • add cheese/half & half mixture.
  • continually stir until well-melted.
  • drain pasta, pour into glass baking dish.
  • add sauce, stir until well-mixed.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 353.4, Fat 27, SaturatedFat 13.1, Cholesterol 67.1, Sodium 713, Carbohydrate 8.7, Fiber 1.3, Sugar 2.1, Protein 20.7

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH KALE AND GREAT NORTHERN BEANS



Baked Macaroni and Cheese With Kale and Great Northern Beans image

From food blog Al Dente. (http://www.aldenteblog.com/flauers_martini.html) I added a package of organic chicken hot dogs as well.

Provided by yogiclarebear

Categories     Macaroni And Cheese

Time 45m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

salt
2 1/2 cups milk (low-fat is fine)
2 bay leaves
1 bunch kale (any kale or chard will do)
1 lb pasta, elbow, shell, ziti
1 (15 ounce) can of northern white beans, drained
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
  • Cook the milk with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand.
  • In the salted water, cook the pasta al dente. Drain it, rinse it quickly to stop the cooking, and put it in a large bowl.
  • Trim the stems from the kale. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add kale. Boil kale for one minute, remove, and set aside to cool. Squeeze excess water from kale and chop into edible pieces.
  • In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter; when it is foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture browns, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring with a wire whisk all the while. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheddar and stir.
  • Pour the sauce over the noodles, toss in the Parmesan and kale, mix in the white beans, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Use the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9 x 13-inch or similar-size baking pan and turn the pasta mixture into it. Top liberally with bread crumbs and bake until bubbling and the crumbs turn brown, about 15 minutes. Serve piping hot.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 675.9, Fat 24.8, SaturatedFat 14.9, Cholesterol 71.6, Sodium 442.9, Carbohydrate 83.4, Fiber 6.6, Sugar 2.5, Protein 30.2

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients. The better the ingredients, the better the macaroni and cheese will taste. Use fresh kale, sharp cheddar cheese, and creamy milk.
  • Don't overcook the macaroni. Al dente macaroni is the best for macaroni and cheese. Overcooked macaroni will be mushy and unpleasant.
  • Make a roux. A roux is a mixture of butter and flour that helps to thicken the macaroni and cheese sauce. A roux will make the sauce smooth and creamy.
  • Use a variety of cheeses. Don't just use cheddar cheese. Try using a combination of cheeses, such as cheddar, Parmesan, Gouda, or Gruyère. This will add more flavor and depth to the sauce.
  • Add some vegetables. Vegetables, such as kale, broccoli, or cauliflower, can add nutrients and flavor to macaroni and cheese. Kale is a great way to sneak some extra greens into your meal.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment. There are many ways to make macaroni and cheese. Feel free to experiment with different ingredients and flavors until you find a recipe that you love.

Conclusion:

Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It's a versatile dish that can be easily customized to suit your own taste preferences. Whether you like your macaroni and cheese simple or loaded with toppings, there's a recipe out there for you. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give macaroni and cheese a try. You won't be disappointed.

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