I’m a sucker for mac & cheese. When I was pregnant with my first baby I swore to find the best mac & cheese recipe so that my kids would always turn their nose up at boxed mac and swear that their mommy had the best mac & cheese in the world; silly but true. And now that I have a toddler, I realized quickly how important it was to find ways to incorporate veggies in her meals. So, I started making this hidden veggie kale mac & cheese, and we are both obsessed with it!
It uses my basic mac & cheese recipe that I love, while adding in blended kale. You can’t even taste that it’s there! Plus this hidden veggie kale mac & cheese is full of whole milk for your growing toddler!!
We make hidden veggie mac & cheese all the time and use different veggies, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Spinach or steamed broccoli both work great, as well as steamed carrots or cauliflower! Blend them up then throw them in at the end.
Oh, and did I mention there’s no baking required (personally not a big fan of dry baked mac & cheese). The whole recipe takes less than 30 minutes, so it’s easy to whip up for a weeknight dinner or even lunch!
Your toddler will be begging for more. And if they have a problem with the color, call it “Monster Mac” instead!! Rawr!!!
Ingredients Needed for Hidden Veggie Kale Mac & Cheese
Whole Milk: Whole milk is especially important for younger toddlers to help their brain development. Whole milk is typically recommended from 12 months until they turn 2. If you wish to use a lower fat milk or milk alternative, you certainly can!
Butter: A little butter to help the creaminess of the hidden veggie kale mac & cheese
Garlic Powder: For flavor, a little garlic powder is used.
Water: A little water is added to the milk to cook the pasta.
Pasta: I prefer Rotini, Gemelli, Penne or even Bow Ties when cooking for my toddler as these shapes are easier for their little fingers to hold.
Kale: Fresh or frozen kale can be used. If using frozen, you might not need the extra ½ cup of milk when blending, or might not need as much.
Cream Cheese: A great cheesy addition to this mac and cheese recipe!
Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded makes a huge difference here, but if you only have pre-shredded cheese then that’s totally fine. I typically use freshly shredded, but this time I used pre-shredded because I forgot to buy a new block of cheddar!
Baby Led Weaning for Hidden Veggie Kale Mac & Cheese
This hidden veggie kale mac & cheese is great for babies just starting out on solids; just be sure to use a pasta that is easy for them to grasp like rotini, and be sure it’s cooked soft for them. The common allergens included are gluten and dairy, so be sure to test those out first before serving them this hidden veggie kale mac & cheese.
Storage for Hidden Veggie Kale Mac & Cheese
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. I love to make a big batch for the week then we have lunch ready to go at a moment’s notice!
Tools Needed to make this Hidden Veggie Kale Mac & Cheese
Hidden Veggie Kale Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 cups Whole Milk (separated)
- 1 Tbsp Butter
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ cup Water
- 2 cups Pasta (I prefer Rotini, Gemelli, Penne or even Bow Ties)
- 1 ½ cups Kale
- ¼ cup Cream Cheese
- 1 ½ cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (Preferably freshly shredded)
Instructions
- Add 2 ½ cups milk, butter, garlic powder and water to a medium-sized pot.
- Just barely bring to a boil, add the pasta and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Make sure the milk doesn’t burn, turn the heat down if needed.
- Meanwhile, in a blender add the kale and remaining ½ cup of milk and blend until smooth. If using frozen kale, you likely won’t need the milk. Feel free to add the milk a few splashes at a time to ensure you only use as much as you need to blend the kale into a puree. You don’t want this mixture to be too runny.
- Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and add the cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Put the lid on the pot and let sit a few minutes until the cheese has completely melted.
- Stir in the kale puree. If the sauce is thin, you can let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
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