Skip to content
Kale mac and cheese recipe

Kale mac and cheese recipe

148 ratings

Few things are as comforting as a delicious pasta bake, oozing with melted cheese. Try this veggie version that's packed with all of your favourite flavours of classic mac and cheese, but with an extra kick of cayenne-spiced kale and punchy English mustard. Throw together in under 1 hour for an easy midweek dinner, or prep ahead and freeze until ready to bake. See method

  • Serves 4
  • 5 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook
  • 429 calories / serving
  • Freezable
  • Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 180g pack curly kale, shredded, tough stems removed
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 225g wholewheat penne
  • 250ml milk
  • 1 vegetable stock cube, made up to 250ml
  • 20g cornflour, mixed with 3 tbsp cold water
  • 150g 30% reduced-fat extra mature cheese, grated
  • ½ tsp English mustard powder
  • 150g 0% fat Greek-style yogurt
If you haven't got penne, try using fusilli or another short pasta

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    1830kj
    429kcal
    21%
  • Fat

    15g 21%
  • Saturates

    7g 35%
  • Sugars

    8g 9%
  • Salt

    2.1g 35%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 49.7g Protein 24.4g Fibre 6g

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and kale for 8 mins, adding a splash of water to stop the kale from sticking. Stir through the garlic and cayenne for the last min. Set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 2 mins less than the pack instructions. Drain well.
  3. Pour the milk into a large saucepan, bring just to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and stir through the stock and cornflour paste. Heat for 1-2 mins until thickened, then remove from the heat.
  4. Toss 125g cheese with the mustard powder, then stir into the milk mixture until melted and smooth. Stir in the yogurt and season lightly. Add the pasta and veg and carefully stir to coat.
  5. Transfer to an ovenproof dish, scatter with the remaining cheese and bake for 20 mins until golden and bubbling.

Get ahead: Make up to the end of step 4, then freeze. To reheat, defrost overnight in the fridge, then continue from step 5.

See more Budget recipes

You may also like

Be the first to comment

Before you comment please read our community guidelines.