Healthy mac and cheese with a rich and creamy yogurt and Gruyère cheese sauce! Gluten-free quinoa elbow noodles make this macaroni dish naturally rich in iron and protein. A kid favorite recipe ready in under 30 minutes!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tresomega Nutrition for Celiac Awareness Month. All opinions are entirely my own.
Since May is Celiac Awareness Month I bring to you a favorite traditional kid-favorite pasta dish: macaroni and cheese! Only this kind is made with 4 simple ingredients, ready in less than 30 minutes and is a lighter healthier version! If you love mac and cheese, be sure to also try this cottage cheese mac and cheese version as well, and the skillet mac and cheese when you want a one-pan dinner.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4
- ⚡ Calories: 362kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy, nutty Gruyère with a tangy lift from Greek yogurt
- ✋ Difficulty: Boil the noodles, melt the cheese, stir in the yogurt.
Quick Answer
Cook an 8 ounce box of gluten-free quinoa elbow pasta according to the box directions, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water, then drain, rinse and return the noodles to the pot. Pour 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese and ½ cup milk over the noodles and mix on low heat until the cheese melts, then stir in ⅓ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt and a splash of the reserved water if needed. Salt to taste. Four ingredients, 25 minutes, 362 calories a serving.
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My family must feel deprived because it has taken 6 years for me to realize my kids will eat mac and cheese religiously without a complaint. Who can resist that creamy deliciousness of comfort food at its best! I think I was always a little scared to make it unless it was healthy. Until now!
We started VIP day at home where once a week each of the kids gets to decide on dinner and make it themselves. Big C always requests.... you guessed it! Macaroni and cheese! After numerous times watching him pour the packaged creamy orange cheese from the box I knew we should just start making it at home. After-all we were eating it every Tuesday night! How hard can it be to make it a little healthier? Homemade healthy mac and cheese is simple: quinoa elbow noodles, cheese, milk, and Greek yogurt for extra creaminess!
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Gruyère melts smooth. I have tried making this with regular shredded cheeses like Monterey Jack and it was stringy since the cheese did not melt properly. Gruyère is a hard cheese with creamy nutty notes and melts well.
- Greek yogurt adds the creaminess without a flour-and-butter roux, and brings protein with it.
- Low heat keeps it silky. Turning the heat to low while the cheese melts keeps the sauce from breaking.
- Reserved pasta water loosens the sauce to exactly the consistency you want.
- Quinoa pasta holds up. The noodles cook firm without turning mushy, just the way noodles should be.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 4 ingredients, 25 minutes, one pot.
- Gluten-free with quinoa elbow noodles that add iron and protein.
- Lighter than the box with real cheese and Greek yogurt instead of the packet.
- Kid-approved every Tuesday night at our house, right up there with healthy chicken enchiladas and allergy-friendly kids snacks.
- A comfort-food match for roasted rainbow carrots or oven roasted Brussels sprouts on the side.
Key Ingredients
- 8 ounce box quinoa elbow pasta - Tresomega Nutrition pasta is made from three natural ingredients. It's a unique blend of organic Royal Bolivian Quinoa, organic Amaranth, a grain rich in vitamins and minerals, and organic white rice. Their pasta won the Masters of Taste award that was judged by Chefs from across America! I have to say their pasta noodles cook up fantastic! Out of all the gluten-free noodles I have tried theirs are my favorite.
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded - the sweet and slightly salty flavor of Gruyère gives this dish its rich flavors.
- ½ cup milk - coconut milk optional.
- ⅓ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt - for extra creaminess and protein.
- Pink Himalayan salt to taste.
Full recipe ingredients and measurements are in the recipe card below.
Variations
- Extra cheesy: you can double the cheese sauce ingredients if you want an extra cheesy dish. Change the servings to 8 when doing that; it provides about ¼ cup of cheese per serving.
- Dairy-free milk: coconut milk works in place of regular milk.
- Any gluten-free elbow works if you cannot find quinoa pasta; see my gluten-free alternatives guide.
- Add-ins: steamed broccoli, peas, or leftover shredded chicken from my chicken freezer meals.
- Cottage cheese version: my cottage cheese mac and cheese swaps the Gruyère for a protein-packed cottage cheese sauce.
How to Make Healthy Mac and Cheese
1Cook the noodles according to the box directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the water for use in the sauce if needed. Drain and rinse the cooked noodles then transfer them back to the pot.
2Pour the cheese and milk over the noodles and mix until the cheese is melted. Turn the heat to low to help the cheese melt.
3Add the Greek yogurt and a bit of the reserved water if needed. Add salt to taste and serve warm.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Shred the Gruyère yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to prevent clumping and melts less smoothly.
- Keep the heat low once the cheese goes in so the sauce stays creamy instead of stringy.
- Save that pasta water. A splash brings a thick sauce back to silky.
- Rinse the noodles after draining so the starch does not gum up the sauce; the same trick keeps my creamy potato salad from clumping.
- Serve right away. Cheese sauce tightens as it cools; a little milk loosens leftovers when reheating.
- Round out the plate with air fryer potato wedges or a bowtie pasta salad.
Serving Ideas
Serve it as the main dish on VIP night with a green vegetable, spoon it beside cajun shrimp and scallops or Philly cheesesteak pot pie, or pack it in a thermos for a lunchbox that comes home empty. If you love macaroni and cheese you are going to love this healthy mac and cheese version!
Healthy Mac and Cheese FAQs
Gruyère. It is a hard cheese with creamy nutty notes and melts well. Regular shredded cheeses like Monterey Jack turned out stringy in testing because they did not melt properly.
Yes. It uses an 8 ounce box of quinoa elbow pasta, a blend of organic quinoa, amaranth and white rice, which also makes the dish naturally rich in iron and protein.
For extra creaminess and protein without a flour-and-butter sauce. A ⅓ cup of plain non-fat Greek yogurt goes in after the cheese melts.
The milk can be swapped for coconut milk. The Gruyère and Greek yogurt are the sauce, so for a fully dairy-free version use your favorite melting dairy-free cheese and a plant-based yogurt.
Double the cheese sauce ingredients (cheese, milk and Greek yogurt) and change the servings to 8, which provides about ¼ cup of cheese per serving.
Warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of milk stirred in, since the cheese sauce tightens as it cools.
Healthy Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 8 ounce box Tresomega Nutrition Quinoa Elbows Pasta
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese shredded
- ½ cup milk coconut milk optional
- ⅓ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- pink Himalayan salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the box directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the water for use in the sauce if needed. Drain and rinse the cooked noodles then transfer them back to the pot.
- Pour the cheese and milk over the noodles and mix until the cheese is melted. Turn the heat to low to help the cheese melt. Add the Greek yogurt and a bit of the reserved water if needed. Add salt to taste.
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