Healthy Spinach Dip Mac and Cheese – creamy and delicious mac made healthier with a cauliflower sauce! It tastes like spinach dip with the addition of pasta!
HEALTHY SPINACH DIP MAC AND CHEESE
They say, once you make one healthy choice when it comes to food – another one will follow. And it’s true! This year I have been on a mission to load up our weekly menu on healthy dinners and lunches.
I still get my daily veggie smoothie (my beets and berries smoothie and my new favorite, refreshing green), I am obsessed with my Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Sauce and my kiddos have been munching on greens and fruit salad with honey lime dressing all summer long.
WHY SHOULD I TRY THIS RECIPE?
One of our favorite dinners is my Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta. It’s absolutely amazing! I’ve made it’s mac and cheese version before and the kids love it for lunch. Having a jar of my cauliflower sauce in the fridge and a whole bag of fresh spinach AND knowing that the sauce is perfect for casseroles and bakes – I threw it all together and created our new favorite mac and cheese!
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE HEALTHY MAC AND CHEESE?
- elbow pasta
- my Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
- spinach
- dry Ranch seasoning mix
- mozzarella cheese
WHAT PASTA CAN I USE TO MAKE THIS MAC?
You can even use gluten free pasta if your diet requires it. There are so many options these days in the store.
Since the sauce has no cream or butter, which saves a lot in the fat department on this recipe (check out the sauce recipe for more nutritional info! the cheese seems like a real indulgent addition. And rightly so! I love topping pasta bakes with mozzarella and let it melt into a gooey topping!
If you like this recipe and give it a try, snap a photo and share it on Instagram! Tag me #crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out!
MORE DELICIOUS HEALTHY RECIPES:
One-Pot Creamy Mushroom Spinach Pasta
Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Sauce
How to make Cauliflower Rice (2 ways)
HEALTHY SPINACH DIP MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE:
- 2 cups dry macaroni pasta
- 1 recipe of my Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Sauce
- 1.5 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 pkg dry Ranch mix
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Lightly butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain and return to the pot. Add spinach, sauce and seasoning. Stir until combined.
- Pour the mixture into prepared casserole dish. Top with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 12 minutes. If desired, broil the top for 2 minutes.
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Check out our video to see how you can easily make the sauce for this recipe!
Cerys says
Hi! This recipe sounds delicious, but I’m in the UK so can’t get a hold of ranch mix, any suggestions for a substitute?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Cerys! I did a little bit of research and I think Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix should work. Hope it helps! Let me know if you make it! Thanks so much!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says
Spinach dip plus pasta??? And it’s healthy?? I’m all over this. DANG.
Stephanie @ Long Distance Baking says
I could live on mac and cheese, it’s my guilty pleasure. But this looks like a guilt free version! I can’t wait to try it!
Jenny B @ Honey and Birch says
Ok, you have prompted me to get on the cauliflower sauce boat. This recipe sounds so good and I love the healthy twist. Pinning!
Kelly says
Spinach dip AND mac & cheese together?! What an awesome idea!