Creamy mac & cheese bake with snowflake pasta, lighter cheese sauce, and crunchy breadcrumb topping.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10.5 oz snowflake-shaped pasta (or any fun-shaped short pasta)
→ Cheese Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups low-fat milk
05 - 1 cup reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
06 - ½ cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
07 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - ½ tsp garlic powder
10 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
11 - ¼ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
12 - Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
→ Topping
13 - ¼ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
14 - 1 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish approximately 1.5–2 quarts in volume.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the snowflake-shaped pasta according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute to form a roux.
04 - Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan cheeses, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and nutmeg until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir gently until evenly coated.
06 - Transfer the pasta and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish.
07 - In a small bowl, mix whole wheat breadcrumbs, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley if using. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pasta.
08 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
09 - Allow the bake to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
