Easy Cheesy Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese for Children (20-minutes)
Looking out for a simple weeknight meal that the whole family will love, which may be made in decrease than 20 minutes, in a single pot, is full of style, and has an added veggie? Then, I’ve obtained you! This Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese will most likely be your new go-to meal of choice! Good for infants, toddlers, kids, and adults!
Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
If there’s one issue my kids can agree on, it is that they every LOVE mac and cheese. I suggest, who can blame them? It’s delicious! And I’ve utterly no mom shame admitting that.
And whereas we do go for the boxed mannequin pretty typically (presumably barely too often), this mannequin takes merely as so much time to make, nevertheless it’s leaps and bounds additional creamy, cheesy, and delicious than its boxed counterpart. Plus, we get in order so as to add in a single or two veggies to the mix! Which suggests you presumably can study the I’m an excellent mum or dad subject for the day.
We start by boiling the pasta ( the drill) after which together with in some frozen peas all through the last few minutes of cooking to heat these up. Your little one doesn’t like peas? No downside, you presumably can skip them or add in:
🥦 broccoli – a conventional choice
🤍 cauliflower – my kids prefer it, so there’s that
🫛 edamame – one in all my personal faves
Within the meantime, you may steam a sweet potato or frozen sweet potato chunks until tender. As quickly as warmth, you add them to a blender, along with a few straightforward spices, and blend until clear. As quickly because the pasta is completed cooking, add some butter to the similar pot you cooked the pasta in, and add throughout the sweet potato mixture and some cheese. Whisk that until clear. Add throughout the pasta. And also you could be carried out!
It’s a simple weeknight meal that comes collectively in decrease than 20 minutes, outlets properly for leftovers, and is even freezer-friendly! You’ll marvel how on earth you made it through your childhood with out this twist on a conventional comfort meals.
Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese Video
Parts
Make sure to study the recipe card below for full components and instructions!
- Pasta: typical mac and cheese varieties that are smaller in measurement work properly proper right here, akin to rotini, elbow, penne or farfalle. Be at liberty to sub chickpea, lentil, or your favorite gluten-free choice!
- Sweet Potatoes: it is best to use latest, canned or frozen
- Cheddar Cheese: shredding your private works biggest, nevertheless in case you’re crunched for time you possibly can even use pre-shredded.
- Milk: full milk is sweet for added creaminess, nevertheless 2% or any plain/widespread flavored plant-based milk works properly too.
- Butter: gives to the creamy texture, may even use any plant-based butter.
- Spices: garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
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Variations
You could make this sweet potato mac and cheese as is or try together with just a few of those satisfying variations…
- Peas
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Cooked rooster
- Bacon
- Shelled Edamame
- A handful of mozzarella, parmesan, gruyère, fontina, smoked gouda, or pepper jack cheese
- Just a few tablespoons of cream cheese
- Prime with inexperienced onions or crispy panko breadcrumbs
Recipe Concepts
- Shredding your private cheese is most popular, as a result of it melts increased than pre-shredded.
- Be at liberty to utilize sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese for a stronger cheese style additional very like typical mac and cheese or associate with a mild cheddar for a softer style.
- To make meal prep even quicker, you presumably can associate with canned sweet potato puree. Mix it correct into the cooked pasta, along with the spices and milk.
- For older toddlers and kids, set out a few completely totally different topping alternatives that they’re going to sprinkle over their bowl, akin to bacon crumbles, each little factor bagel seasoning, panko breadcrumbs, or grated parmesan cheese.
- To serve to infants beneath one, you presumably can spoon a portion of the cooked pasta into your little one’s bowl after which excessive it with a small amount of the sweet potato cheese sauce or the sweet potato sauce sooner than you add throughout the cheese.
- 16 oz pasta
- 1 cup sweet potato (roughly 2 small sweet potatoes), see notes below
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 oz or 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
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Convey a giant pot of water to a boil, add pasta, and cook dinner dinner in accordance with the directions on the sector. If together with peas (elective), when you possibly can have 2 minutes left in your timer, add throughout the peas. Drain pasta and peas.
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Within the meantime, poke a sweet potato with a fork and microwave for 5-7 minutes. Let cool barely after which take away the sweet potato pores and pores and skin, together with the sweet potato to a blender. Add throughout the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and milk and puree for 1-2 minutes or until clear.
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Within the similar pot, over medium-low heat, add the butter and let soften. Add in sweet potato puree and stir.
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Add throughout the cheese and stir until melted.
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Add throughout the pasta and stir until well-coated. If the sauce is simply too thick, add in some extra milk a few tablespoons at a time.
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Serve and luxuriate in!
Notes on Sweet Potato: you possibly can even use frozen sweet potato that is steamed in it’s bag or over boiling water, cubed latest sweet potato that you just boil throughout the pasta water for 8-10 minutes sooner than together with throughout the pasta, roasted sweet potatoes, canned sweet potato puree (with out one other components), or a plain sweet potato little one puree.
Storage: retailer in an air-tight container throughout the fridge for as a lot as 4 days. May be frozen for as a lot as 2 months. When reheating add in extra milk and stir until the cheese is clear.
Serving: 1g, Power: 287kcal, Carbohydrates: 38.6g, Protein: 11.6g, Fat: 9.6g, Saturated Fat: 5.4g, Ldl ldl cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 148mg, Potassium: 269mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3.3g, Calcium: 149mg, Iron: 3mg
Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
