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    Home » Food Fun Friday » Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese - Food Fun Friday

    Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese - Food Fun Friday

    Published: Apr 10, 2015 · Modified: Aug 10, 2021 by Vicky

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    Kids love mac and cheese. It has been a staple with my kids and they are picky with a capital P. They are not fans of veggies, so I have to be creative with the way I present them. In the past I have sneaked them into Carrot Muffins and Spinach Muffins. Today, I am sharing a recipe for some deliciously cheesy Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese. It is so good that you won't believe there are veggies in there. If you are still craving mac and cheese try this exciting variation - One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese. Be sure to also try our Chili Macaroni Casserole.
    Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese - for the picky eaters at your house. They will never know this yummy mac and cheese contains veggies!
    Most of this hidden veggie baked mac and cheese recipe is made on the stove top. You just throw it in the oven for the last bit to bake.
    baked mac and cheese recipes
    You can certainly up the level of cheesiness in this recipe. I thought 2 ½ cups were plenty, but you could go for 3 cups and have the ultimate cheesy meal. We used a cheddar/jack mix but you can use all cheddar if you want.
    how to make mac and cheese
    The secret veggie in the baked mac and cheese? Carrots! I pureed them ahead of time and froze them in an ice cube tray. They I just popped them out as needed.
    pureed carrots
    I used one cup of thawed pureed carrot, but as with the cheese, you can up the amount of carrot. If you choose to do this, taste it as you go along to make sure you are not adding so much that it changes the taste of the dish.
    carrot mac and cheese
    After adding the milk and mixing all the ingredients, I poured it into a 2 ½ quart CorningWare baking dish and popped it in the oven.
    baked macaroni and cheese
    Thirty minutes later, my kids were chowing down on some scrumptious mac and cheese never knowing that they were getting some nutritious carrots as well. Mission accomplished!
    How to make Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese - kids will love this!
    This is a great recipe to bring to a potluck. This would also be delicious to make with some chicken, ham or other kind of meat mixed in. Yum! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
    Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese - for the picky eaters at your house. They will never know this yummy mac and cheese contains veggies!

    Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese

    Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese - Food Fun Friday

    Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese - for the picky eaters at your house. They will never know this yummy mac and cheese contains veggies!
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: hidden veggie baked mac and cheese
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 453kcal
    Author: Vicky

    Equipment

    • 9X13 Casserole Dish

    Ingredients

    • 16 oz package of elbow macaroni
    • 6 tablespoons of butter
    • 2 ½ cups of a mixture of shredded cheddar and jack cheeses
    • 1 cup of milk
    • 1 cup pureed carrot
    • ¼ teaspoon of salt
    • pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Boil pasta according to package directions.
    • Drain and return to pot.
    • Stir in butter over low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat.
    • Stir in cheese.
    • Add in defrosted carrot puree and stir to combine.
    • Add milk, salt and pepper.
    • Transfer to a 2 ½ quart greased baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3340IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 309mg | Iron: 1mg
    If you liked these Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese check out:
    Mac and Cheese Muffins
    Bacon Mac and Cheese

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jessica mink

      April 14, 2015 at 1:14 pm

      I must try this! My kids are so stinking picky. I doubt they will even eat this mac n cheese but heck it's worth a try. They notice when I try different hot dogs and even different boxed mac n cheese...anything different they notice but i am going to try this out! thanks for sharing:)

    2. Aubrey

      April 11, 2016 at 2:47 am

      Have you tried using different veggies with this too? I have some textural issues and if I can work veggies into a meal anywhere without having to choke them down that's a major plus!

    3. Vicky

      April 13, 2016 at 2:28 pm

      I haven't, but wonder if cauliflower would work well too.

    4. Kelly

      January 30, 2017 at 8:50 am

      How do you disguise the bright orange color of the carrots? I can definitely tell there's something else in there besides cheese, so my kids and husband will as well.

    5. Vicky

      January 31, 2017 at 9:38 am

      Hi Kelly, I actually didn't notice the color was that different from mac and cheese we have gotten at restaurants or the boxed stuff. My family didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. You can try sprinkling some Parmesan cheese on top and hope that distracts. 🙂

    6. Maria

      April 19, 2017 at 10:54 am

      Did you boil the carrots before you pureed them?

    7. Vicky

      April 19, 2017 at 11:27 am

      Hi Maria, Yes they were boiled before being pureed.

    8. Annemarie

      May 02, 2018 at 12:25 pm

      5 stars
      I love the carrot in there! It's not only healthier than the traditional version, but prettier, too!

    9. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

      May 02, 2018 at 12:40 pm

      5 stars
      Ah what a great way to hide some veggies. This would definitely go down a treat with my kids!

    10. Veena Azmanov

      May 02, 2018 at 1:23 pm

      5 stars
      yessss! This is the perfect recipe for me. Looks VERY tasty! Now, this recipe will be one of my favorites. Great recipe. I like all the ingredients in it. thank you.

    11. Adriana Lopez Martin

      May 02, 2018 at 1:37 pm

      Very clever hiding veggies for the kiddos to eat their food. At home we love veggies but our grandson does not like any green so it is challenging at times. Thanks for the tip!

    12. Rebecca | Let's Eat Cake

      May 02, 2018 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      Great way to sneak some veggies in a comfort food dish! I also love trying butternut squash in my mac and cheese - makes it super creamy!

    Trackbacks

    1. Hidden Vegetable Recipes for Picky Eaters (Kids and Husbands) says:
      August 2, 2020 at 10:57 am

      […] Carrots anyone? They are found in this hidden veggie baked mac and cheese. | Mess for Less […]

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    Hi, I'm Vicky, founder and content creator at Mess For Less. If you are looking for family friendly recipes, recipes that kids can make, and play and learning activities for kids, you will find it at Mess For Less. I invite you to learn more about me. Thanks for stopping by!

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