Veggie Mac and Cheese Muffins

4.42 from 24 votes

Veggie mac and cheese muffins have 3 vegetables and 3 kinds of cheese, plus a crunchy topping, and are a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables!

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Yield: 16 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups macaroni or other small pasta
1 heaping cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 heaping cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup pureed vegetables, (see notes)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray two muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.
Cook your pasta according to package directions. (See notes.) Drain most of the liquid from the pasta, reserving about ⅔ of a cup. Return the cooked pasta to the pan.
Stir the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses into the pasta until they are melted. Stir in the pureed vegetables and salt until mixed and warmed through. Add splashes of pasta water, if needed, to get everything to come together.
In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs together until combined.
Put the mac and cheese mixture into a muffin tin, filling each up all the way to the top and pressing the pasta down to help it all stick together in the muffin cups.
Sprinkle the top of each muffin with about a tablespoon of the Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture.
Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, until the mac and cheese is bubbly and the tops are slightly browned. Serve warm and enjoy!

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Notes

Cooking liquid: I cook my macaroni pasta in a half milk-half water mixture when I make these mac and cheese muffins to add extra creamy richness. Just heat up your milk and water on the stove but be sure to watch it VERY carefully - once it boils, it can boil over in a second and that's not fun. You can also just cook the pasta in water the usual way.

Pasta: I love using a whole wheat or whole grain pasta when I can find it, but regular is of course OK too. I've used elbow macaroni but small or medium shells or another small size pasta would work too.

Cheese: I use a combination of cheddar and mozzarella cheese in the muffins, but you could use all cheddar if you want. Or get a little more adventurous and try Monterey Jack or Fontina. You could add a little gouda to some of the mix for the grownups. Play with it!

Veggies: I use a combination of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots for the veggie puree. It’s often found all together in one bag in the freezer section as “California mix.” I cook it in a small amount of water on the stove for about 10 minutes, then puree it using an immersion blender. You can use any kind of veggie combination you want. See post for ideas and details.

Storing: Once cooled, these mac and cheese muffins can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave until hot.

Freezing: They also freeze great! Let cool, then place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Label and date it then freeze for up to 3-4 months. Let thaw overnight or pop one straight in the microwave and reheat until warmed through.

Nutrition

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