One Pot Mac and Cheese (With Broccoli, Easy)

caitlinbrae — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 01:31:16 +0000

This one pot mac and cheese is a lighter, yet delicious recipe. It is made healthier with greek yogurt and a few other simple ingredients you probably have on hand!

One pot mac and cheese

Your new favorite pasta dinner recipe awaits.

This creamy, lighted up mac and cheese is just that good. It’s insanely easy as it is made in one pot and it’s just what you need when you’re in a pinch (or if you simply want a delicious easy mac and cheese with minimal cleanup)!

It uses a combination of pepper jack and cheddar cheese. And the noodles are boiled in a combination of water and milk for extra flavor. It also has a bit of plain greek yogurt for added creaminess! Ok I won’t share anymore. You have to keep reading to find out why I LOVE this recipe so much!!

Ingredients needed for one pot mac and cheese

You will need the below ingredients to make these one pot mac and cheese! Just 5 main ingredients plus a handful of seasonings and you’re good to go.

Macaroni noodles
Milk
Plain greek yogurt
Cheddar cheese
Pepper jack cheese
Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and hot sauce.

How to make this easy mac and cheese

Don’t worry, this mac and cheese is so easy to make. And it only requires one pot. Yep, just one pot! One pot recipes are just amazing because it means minimal clean up. And minimal clean up is a win in my book. I mean who really enjoys cleaning up after dinner? Not me!

Follow the few simple steps below to whip up this easy mac and cheese!

Boil the pasta. Bring the water, milk and salt to a boil. Then add in the pasta and boil for 5 minutes.

Add the broccoli. Add the finely chopped broccoli and boil for another 2 minutes. Continue to mix at the water and milk cooks off.

Now add the remaining ingredients. Mix in the extra milk, greek yogurt, cheeses, seasonings and hot sauce. Continue to mix until the cheese has melted.

Enjoy. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tips for making this greek yogurt mac and cheese

While this recipe is very easy to make, here are a few tips for making this greek yogurt mac and cheese even easier.

Use a medium to large pot – this makes stirring super easy!
Macaroni noodles or spiral pasta work best – they hold in the cheesiness!
Very finely chop the broccoli – this will ensure it cooks through and mixes in nicely with the pasta.
Make sure to use a mixture of cheeses – I love cheddar and pepper jack!

Why you’ll love this easy mac and cheese

There are many reasons why I love this easy mac and cheese recipe. So, I’ll just pick a few!

It only requires one pot!

For this recipe you can use regular, protein or gluten free pasta.

It’s loaded with the perfect amount of broccoli for a full dose of veggies!

This recipe is cheesy and creamy.

It can be made in under 15 minutes.

Lighter pasta recipes

This recipe will become your go-to option when you’re craving cheese and pasta but want a lighter option.

So what makes this pasta recipe lighter?

Firstly, it only uses a cup and a half of cheese. This recipe does not go overboard with the cheese but it also does’t lack cheesy flavor.

Instead of using sour cream or cream cheese, this recipe uses plain greek yogurt. Plain greek yogurt is low in calorie and fats and adds protein and creaminess.

Additionally, this recipe can be made with protein pasta. Protein pasta can leave you feeling fueled and satisfied! Protein pasta can be found in the pasta section at your local grocery store.

Recipe substitutes

If you don’t like broccoli, feel free to add in your favorite veggie.

While I love the combination of cheddar and pepper jack, you can use any combination of cheese you prefer. However, please note different cheeses can change the flavor profile of the pasta.

Omit the hot sauce if you don’t like spicy OR add more if your a hot sauce lover like me!

Other healthy pasta recipes you’ll love

If you love this pasta, definitely give some of these other healthy pasta recipes a try!

Hamburger Pasta

One Pot Protein Pasta (with Green Beans and Parmesan)

Healthy Street Corn Pasta Salad

Greek Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Orzo

Did you make this pasta?

If you make this one pot mac and cheese, I would really appreciate a rating and a review. I love hearing from you and seeing what you make.

You can also find and follow me in Instagram and Pinterest for some more recipe inspiration!