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    Home » Recipes » Dinner » Pasta

    Skillet Baked Macaroni And Cheese

    Published: May 25, 2017 · Updated: Dec 13, 2020 by Neil 10 Comments

    209 shares
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    Easier and healthier skillet baked macaroni and cheese served with a salad.

    Skillet baked macaroni and cheese. The delicious classic comfort food easily made into a quick healthy baked meal for 4. With less washing up!

    Birds eye view of a plate with skilled baked macaroni and cheese on with a side salad at the bottom. Skillet with serving spoon in at the top.

    Folks I think you’re going to love my healthier version skillet baked macaroni and cheese.

    I mean everybody has their own favourite version of macaroni and cheese haven’t they?

    There is nothing wrong with this good old fashioned mealtime staple except sometimes that creamy cheese sauce can be just a little heavy on the butter and flour side, can’t it?

    However, don’t get yourself all worried here because I’m certainly not going to remove that classic cheesy cream sauce as that would be sacrilege and then I might as well rename the recipe as well!

    Nope all I’m going to do here is show you just how I make my favourite version and how you too can make it a little healthier using no butter, no oil, a lower fat cheese and skimmed milk.

    Skillet baked macaroni and cheese with a serving spoon in. Salt and pepper cellars and a bowl of salad in the background.

    Not only is this a healthier version but you can cut back on the number of dishes you have to wash up.

    Instead of one pan for the macaroni, one pan for the cheese sauce and a casserole dish for baking the recipe, you’ll just need one pan.

    Only one pan to boil your macaroni and your skillet for making the cheese sauce in and then baking the actual cheese and macaroni mixture in the oven!

    Folks, I think you’ll agree with me that having less dishes to wash up is a bonus.

    I mean a quick healthy meal wouldn’t be any good if it then meant spending loads of time standing at the sink cleaning dishes after would it?

    Birds eye view of a skillet baked macaroni and cheese with a serving spoon in.

    And it’s me doing all the dishes here anyway because my other half and I have an agreement where I do all the cooking and dishes and she cleans the house.

    So, as you can imagine any recipes that cut down on time as well as dish washing get my vote!

    I used to use a casserole dish but with my new skillet I decided to try out a skillet baked macaroni and cheese version and it worked!

    In fact I like doing it this way better, and that's not just because of the less dishes situation!

    Close up of a plate of skillet baked macaroni and cheese with a fork and side salad.

    How I Make My Skillet Baked Macaroni And Cheese Healthier

    In this recipe I’m using my lower fat cheese sauce version that you can find in lots of my other popular recipes like green lentil lasagne and tuna macaroni bake.

    This is a delicious creamy cheese sauce that I’ve been using for a number of years now instead of the full fat buttery cheese sauce I used to use.

    It honestly doesn’t really taste any different from the original and it certainly hasn’t stopped my other half and I enjoying this, one of our all time favourite recipes!

    But what it has stopped and also helped us reduce was our expanding waistlines! 🙂

    For This Skillet Baked Macaroni And Cheese You May Need….

    The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.

    This means that if you click on it and then buy that product, I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).

    If you do click through, then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!

    This is the skillet pan I use for cooking with.

    The pan is of a classic design and made out of cast iron.

    It's suitable for all types of cookers except microwaves.

    As it's made of cast iron it can last a lifetime!

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    Other Skillet Recipes You Might Also Like

    • Potato mushroom and onion skillet is a perfect go-to recipe for when you’re short of time and looking for a quick budget meal all in one pan.
    • Red pepper and spinach frittata is a delicious and easy quick healthy meal. Serve this vegetarian dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The choice is yours!
    • Cheesy chicken and broccoli skillet is a delicious one pan easy recipe. Ready in just 30 minutes then add some rice to make it a perfect quick healthy meal!

    Skillet baked macaroni and cheese. The delicious classic comfort food easily made into a quick healthy baked meal for 4. With less washing up! Click to Tweet

    Skillet Baked Macaroni And Cheese Recipe

    I've served my baked mac and cheese with a healthy green salad of rocket, cucumber and chopped red pepper.

    You could also serve this with some veggies like steamed broccoli or peas and sweetcorn.

    I’d love to hear what you think of my recipe in the comments below and please do rate my recipe 5* if you like it! 🙂

    Skillet baked macaroni and cheese. The delicious classic comfort food easily made into a quick healthy meal for 4 in just one pan
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
    5 from 1 vote

    Skillet Baked Macaroni And Cheese Recipe

    Skillet baked macaroni and cheese. The delicious classic comfort food easily made into a quick healthy meal for 4 with less washing up!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 334kcal
    Author: Neil

    The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.

    This means that if you click on it and then buy that product I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).

    If you do click through then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!

    Equipment

    • Skillet
    • Saucepans
    • Kitchen scale
    • Measuring jug
    • Measuring spoons
    • Wooden spoon

    Ingredients

    • 200 g macaroni
    • 350 ml skimmed milk
    • 15 g corn flour mixed with 2 tablespoon cold water
    • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder (optional)
    • Freshly ground salt and pepper
    • 100 g reduced fat grated cheddar cheese + a little extra for topping
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 180C Fan
    • Place macaroni in boiling salted water and cook according to packet instructions then drain.
    • While the macaroni is cooking place skimmed milk and corn flour mixture into skillet and heat gently stirring constantly until white sauce thickens then season to taste.
    • Gradually stir cheese into white sauce until completely combined and no longer lumpy. Then add the chilli powder (tasting to preferred level of heat).
    • Add drained macaroni to the cheese sauce, give it a stir until well combined then bake in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes.
    • Serve with a fresh green salad.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Nutrition

    Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 45.1g | Protein: 16.1g | Fat: 9.5g | Saturated Fat: 5.1g | Cholesterol: 27.3mg | Sodium: 221.3mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Sugar: 5.9g | Vitamin A: 1100IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 370mg | Iron: 1.8mg

    Nutrition Facts
    Skillet Baked Macaroni And Cheese
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 334 Calories from Fat 86
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9.5g15%
    Saturated Fat 5.1g32%
    Cholesterol 27.3mg9%
    Sodium 221.3mg10%
    Carbohydrates 45.1g15%
    Fiber 1.8g8%
    Sugar 5.9g7%
    Protein 16.1g32%
    Vitamin A 1100IU22%
    Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
    Calcium 370mg37%
    Iron 1.8mg10%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine

      May 25, 2017 at 11:47 am

      In the cast iron?! You made this just for me I presume 😉

      Reply
      • neil@neilshealthymeals.com

        May 25, 2017 at 8:24 pm

        Actually Rebecca, you and Shashi @ Savory Spin were both instrumental in making me want to get a cast iron skillet and now I can't do without it! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Susie @ Suzlyfe

      May 25, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      Reason 87245024875024587 I need a skillet. Also to make cornbread and giant cookies.

      Reply
      • neil@neilshealthymeals.com

        May 25, 2017 at 8:26 pm

        You do Susie. I can't do without mine now. I don't know how I survived without it!

        I'd forgotten about cornbread and giant cookies in it. Thanks for reminding me. Have a great weekend my friend, I look forward to reading all about it next week! 🙂

        Reply
    3. David @ Spiced

      May 25, 2017 at 1:28 pm

      Corn flour (aka cornstarch here in the States) is a genius way to make a lightened up version of mac and cheese! So I happen to love mac and cheese. I mean it's one of my all-time favorites! I typically make it more in the winter months, but I love the idea of a lightened up version served alongside a salad. Oh, and I love the way you used a skillet for this one. Laura and I have the same agreement when it comes to dishes, and some days I feel like I'll never get the kitchen clean again! Thanks for sharing, and congrats on the site update. I know how long that type of stuff takes. I hope you and Lynne have a great weekend, my friend!

      Reply
      • neil@neilshealthymeals.com

        May 25, 2017 at 8:32 pm

        Dishes. I know we cook David and we really enjoy it otherwise we wouldn't be here chatting, but sometimes it does feel like they are never ending doesn't it?

        I mean I do all my recipe photography at the weekend, when I've time to do that and I do all my recipe trials during the week. So there's ALWAYS dishes! LOL

        Yeah I'm glad that part of the site update is over. It was a real pain when I just wanted to create and share recipes!

        You guys take care and all have an amazing fun weekend too! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Ashika | Gardening Foodie

      May 26, 2017 at 7:14 am

      5 stars
      Oh, I am all for less dishes and washing up, so this looks like a great recipe to do just that. We love mac and cheese in my home and this is such a simple quick recipe. You know, I have a cast iron skillet but have never thought to cook and bake the mac and cheese in it... thanks for the great idea.
      Have a lovely weekend?

      Reply
      • neil@neilshealthymeals.com

        May 26, 2017 at 10:36 am

        You can't beat a good mac and cheese dinner can you Ashika? 🙂

        I hope you have a great weekend too! 😀

        Reply
    5. GiGi Eats

      May 26, 2017 at 6:02 pm

      THIS DISH was MY JAM! It was what I subsisted on when I was a kid. Mac & Cheese brings back so many memories, omg - I do have to say I miss it for sure!

      Reply
      • neil@neilshealthymeals.com

        May 26, 2017 at 9:34 pm

        We need to get together one day and reproduce this as something that can get past all your food intolerance's, and that doesn't include making it with salmon. 😉

        Reply

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