Tear-Free Kids Menu
Kids' Mac and Cheese
Kids' favorite bow-tie pasta wrapped in a delicate, stretchy cheesy-milk sauce. Instead of heavy cream and processed cheese with chemicals, we make a light homemade base with milk and real cheese, and for a beautiful sunny color and extra nutrition, we hide a little sweet pumpkin puree in the sauce.
Dishday
Recipe overview
- Total time
- 20 min
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cooking
- 15 min
- Servings
- 3
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- Tear-Free Kids Menu
Nutrition
per serving
- Calories
- 428 kcal
- Protein
- 17.7 g
- Fat
- 14.5 g
- Carbs
- 56.9 g
- Fiber
- 2.4 g
Step by step
Method
- 01
In a pot, bring water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and coo…
In a pot, bring water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and cook the bow-tie pasta according to package instructions until tender (usually 9–10 minutes).
- 02
If using pumpkin, cut it into small cubes, drop them into the…
If using pumpkin, cut it into small cubes, drop them into the pot with the pasta 7 minutes before the end of cooking, then fish them out with a slotted spoon and mash with a fork into a smooth puree.
- 03
Grate the cheese on a fine grater so it melts quickly and eve…
Grate the cheese on a fine grater so it melts quickly and evenly into the sauce.
- 04
In a deep skillet or saucepan, melt butter over low heat
In a deep skillet or saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk quickly for 1 minute (without letting it brown).
- 05
Pour in warm milk in a thin stream, working continuously with…
Pour in warm milk in a thin stream, working continuously with a whisk to prevent lumps. Simmer over low heat for 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- 06
Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the pumpkin puree…
Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the pumpkin puree and grated cheese. Stir until the cheese completely melts and turns into a smooth, glossy sauce.
- 07
Drain the finished bow-ties in a colander, immediately transf…
Drain the finished bow-ties in a colander, immediately transfer them into the warm cheese sauce, and gently stir so each piece of pasta is coated in the creamy glaze.
Dishday
Useful advice
Cooking tip
There are no eggs in this recipe. For a gluten-free option, use corn or rice pasta, and replace the wheat flour in the sauce with 1 teaspoon of corn starch. For a cow's milk protein allergy, make the sauce with unsweetened oat milk and olive oil, increase the pumpkin puree amount to 120 g, and add vegan cheese.
How to serve
Serve immediately after cooking while the cheese sauce remains warm, liquid, and stretchy.
How to store
Store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When reheating in a skillet, be sure to add 2–3 tablespoons of milk to restore the creamy texture of the sauce.
Note
Instead of fresh pumpkin, it's very convenient to add 2 tablespoons of ready-made baby jarred pumpkin or carrot puree to the sauce.
