HELLO MAC AND CHEESE. WITH ZUCCHINI. So creamy. So luxurious. So tantalizing.
Over the years I’ve gotten many requests for a healthy mac and cheese recipe and you know how I LOVE to lighten up comfort foods with irresistible creative flavors and twists. I perfected this zucchini mac and cheese about 6 years ago and it’s no different! It’s a lightened-up version of traditional mac and cheese that includes a TON of shredded zucchini.
Now I know what you may be thinking: zucchini in mac and cheese, realllllllyyyy? AND I SAY YES, REALLY. I promise with my whole Robert Pattinson-loving-heart that you can’t even taste the zucchini. It’s just pure golden creamy cheesy goodness up in that skillet.
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What’s in this zucchini mac and cheese?
This zucchini mac and cheese is made with super simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and refrigerator. The entire recipe takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, making it perfect for delicious weeknight meals that you, your partner and kiddos will literally INHALE. Here are the 7 key ingredients you’ll need:
- Pasta: I LOVE using shells because the cheese coats the inside of each shell and gives it unbelievable cheesy flavor. Feel free to use gluten free pasta too!
- Butter: you only need two tablespoons for the entire mac and cheese recipe.
- Flour: you can use whole wheat, all purpose flour, or gluten free all purpose flour to thicken up that delicious cheese sauce.
- Spices: we’re adding garlic powder and onion powder to flavor that delicious cheese sauce.
- Milk of choice: I typically make this with unsweetened almond or cashew milk because we don’t buy regular milk. However, you can use whatever milk you’d like. If you want a richer mac and cheese, use 2% or whole.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: I recommend shredding your own cheese from a block of cheese. It melts much better because it doesn’t have the stabilizers found in pre-shredded cheese.
- Zucchini: our secret star veggie that adds the perfect boost of veggies to this cheesy skillet.
Customize this healthier zucchini mac and cheese
- Choose a fun cheese. It’s fun to pick a different cheese to top the mac and cheese. I tried a spicy cheddar and it was incredible, but pepper jack, parmesan, sharp cheddar or gouda would also be delicious. It’s up to you!
- Add more veggies. Feel free to add even more veggies like peas or broccoli.
- Add a boost of protein. This dish would be delicious with chicken or chickpeas!
Jazz it up with a breadcrumb topping
This zucchini mac and cheese would be delicious with a crispy breadcrumb topping! To add one:
- Mix 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of melted butter
- Sprinkle it on top of your mac and cheese
- Bake it for about 20 minutes and enjoy!
Tips for making zucchini mac and cheese
This spectacular mac and cheese is easier to make than you think! You’ll only need one pot to boil the pasta and a skillet or another large pot to make the mac and cheese. Besides watching the video to guide you, here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when you make this recipe:
- Squeeze out the zucchini. Make sure to squeeze the zucchini of all excess moisture. I demonstrate how to do this in the video below.
- Use a block of cheese. I recommend shredding a block of cheese instead of using a package. It generally melts better when shredded from the block!
- Timing is key for the slurry. When you make your slurry sauce, it’s important to have all your ingredients already measured out and ready to go because it’s a quick process! Once the butter is melted, you’ll whisk in a little bit of the flour and then slowly add in milk, a little bit at a time, alternating with the flour and vigorously whisking away any lumps. You should end up with a smooth paste every time without too many lumps.
- Cheese it up. At the end, you can either put the mac and cheese under the broiler for a few minutes to really get the top melted and golden, OR you can feel free to simply stir in the cheddar cheese you put on top.
How to store & reheat mac and cheese
- To store: store this healthier zucchini mac and cheese in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days (if it lasts that long!)
- To reheat: you can reheat it in the microwave to save time, but I would recommend adding it to a lightly oiled baking dish and heating it in the oven for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees F. This will help the mac and cheese get that bubbly cheese factor back without drying out.
Watch me make the zucchini mac and cheese
More zucchini recipes you’ll love
- One Pan Enchilada Zucchini Turkey Meatballs and Rice
- Zucchini & Sausage Baked Orzo with Hot Honey & Feta
- Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Summer Garden Crustless Zucchini Pie
- Cheesy BBQ Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Get all of my zucchini recipes here!
I hope you love this easy zucchini mac and cheese recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Zucchini Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dry pasta shells (gluten-free if desired)
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or sub regular flour or GF all purpose flour)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ¾ cups milk (use whole, 2% or unsweetened mcashew or almond)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- LOTS of freshly ground black pepper
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese)
- 1 ½ heaping cups shredded zucchini that’s been squeezed of excess moisture with a paper towel
- For topping:
- 2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and reserved for the topping (or about ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese)
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: First boil the noodles until al dente, according to the directions on the package. Once done cooking, drain and set aside.
- While the noodles are boiling, make a slurry: In a large oven safe skillet or pot, add butter and place over medium heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in a little bit of the flour and then slowly add in milk, a little bit at a time, alternating with the flour and vigorously whisking away any lumps. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes stirring every so often, until the sauce thickens up similar to a gravy. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, salt and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper.
- Add in the cheese, pasta and zucchini: Next add in 6 ounces (or about 1 ½ cups) of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir until completely melted. Finally fold in cooked noodles and shredded zucchini. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
- OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED: Top mac and cheese with 2 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese. At this point you can either serve the mac and cheese as is and just fold in the extra cheddar you just added, or remove from heat and place under the broiler for 2 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden. Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side dish.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on August 6th, 2019, republished on August 2nd, 2023, and republished on August 17th, 2025.
You would never know there’s a zucchini & a half in there – so cheesy & delicious!!
Right?! So good!
A nice version of mac n chz. Used gf shells, goat cheddar chz and almond milk and tasted great. Thanks for the recipe!
YUM!! i added canned tuna and peas and breadcrumbs to the top 🙂
Sounds amazing!!
Making this tonight. But I don’t get why the recipe asks for 10 oz of pasta (in all pasta recipes!) when pasta comes in 16 oz per box.
That’s the amount I found works best for the ratios here!
In the recipe description and in your video you mention using 2 Tbsp of butter … but in the list of ingredients it shows 3 Tbsp — not a major difference but would like to know which you used please.
Can’t wait to make this recipe and use up an abundance of zucchini.
Looks amazing 🙂
Hi! Please follow the written recipe as I’ve updated it 🙂 Enjoy!
This was a great comfort food on a stormy day. I didn’t have any type of flour. So I made oat flour out of thick rolled oats. It worked really well. The oat flour is such a good natural thickener that you can either use less or add more milk. I also used my homemade cashew-walnut-oat milk and none of these modifications seemed to negatively affect the flavor. Will definitely make again.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Looks yummy! Cant wait to try it! Any advice on turning this into a crockpot dish?
I haven’t tested a pasta dish in a crockpot so I’m not 100% sure! I’m afraid the noodles will get too mushy.
Made no alterations to the recipe. It was sooo delicious. Had to stop myself from getting more because I planned on having this for dinner another night this week. My picky two year old who almost exclusively eats “noodles” even ate his serving!
So happy to hear that! One of our fav dinners using zucchini (that kiddos actually like!)
Could I use American cheese? That’s my fave melted cheese
Hi! I’m not sure how the flavor would be in here (I think cheddar’s the best option) but you could certainly try it!
My toddler LOVES this recipe! I don’t do the baking portion, just make it in a normal pan on the stove, but it’s delicious!! She enjoys helping me make it too by shredding the cheese and zucchini. A winning meal for sure!
Woo! This is the best, I am so glad you’re little one is loving this recipe and it is a hit 🙂
I have been dying to make this recipe for a few weeks now. I finally had the time to do it and I’m so glad I did!!! What a delicious and relatively easy meal to make. Adding the shredded zucchini adds a really nice texture without overtly blasting ‘YOURE EATING VEGGIES’. I added some extra garlic and onion powder but otherwise stuck to the recipe to a T. Another great one, Monique! Thanks for sharing!!!!
YUM! Glad you’re loving this recipe as much as we do! The perfect combo of savory Mac & Cheese with that addition of veggies, can’t go wrong with this recipe!
Zucchini Mac and Cheese is where comfort meets nutrition, a must try for anyone looking to satisfy their cheesy cravings with a healthier twist. Its creamy, cheesy, and a touch of green, a delicious and creative spin to mac and cheese.
Ah I am so glad you’re loving this recipe!
So easy and so yummy! Definitely saving this as my new go-to mac and cheese recipe.
YUMM! Love it with those sneaky veggies, glad it is a hit, Megan 🙂
Absolutely delicious!!! Made with chickpea pasta and almond milk, can’t believe how creamy and cheesy this was for being a healthier option! My 14mo devoured it!
Ahh delish, great idea! So glad this recipe is a hit ❤️
I gobbled this up real fast. The black pepper really is a MUST. Lots of it! I used 2% milk and Trader Joe’s red lentil penne pasta. I baked it in the oven at 350F for 15 minutes and then broiled on low for 5. Came out perfect! Loved the lusciousness the zucchini gave the sauce! Will make again for sure.
Perfection! Glad you’re loving this review and it turned out great for you! 😍
Soo good and easy. I used Banza pasta and 2% milk
Yay! I am so glad this recipe turned out great for you – thanks for sharing your feedback!
Great way to incorporate veggies into comfort food! You taste the zucchini but the sauce is so rich I’m too busy enjoying that.
Quick, easy, and so delicious! Toddler & husband approved 👍
Ahh this is amazing! Happy everyone enjoyed this recipe ❤️
This turned out really nice! I had issues in the past where my mac and cheese would turn out grainy but this one is perfectly smooth.
Just made this for the first time and I absolutely love it! Super quick and easy and so deliciously cheesy 🙂 I added some Buffalo sauce to mine and it really hit the spot. Perfect use of my leftover zucchini!
Yay!! So glad you loved it. And the buffalo sauce is such a good idea!
I made this plane based and it was delicious!!! Def will be a go to week night option.
*plant based/vegan lol
Nice!! So glad you loved it 🙂
Delicious and easy to make. I used a combination of cheeses (what I had), but had I FOLLOWED THE RECIPE and used ONLY sharp cheddar, it would have tasted even better. If you use “mac and cheese” pre-shredded packaged cheese, consider adding a 1/2 tsp or so of dry mustard. Warming the milk before you add it to the butter/flour slurry will help it incorporate much more quickly and smoothly. Use whole wheat flour as recommended, if you can, if only for nutrients and fiber. It still tastes like a good mac & cheese. Because the zucchini isn’t cooked ahead of time, it maintains a slight crunch, which adds an additional (nice) texture. So do the breadcrumbs on top – elevates a simple meal. Makes a goodly amount for a family or to share with other singles, as I did.
Five stars all the way around!
Thanks so much for sharing all of this, Wendy! I’m so happy you loved it. Can’t wait for you to make it again 🙂
This was a hit with my very picky 5-yr-old which officially means it’s a win! I used veggie rotini and cut down the amount of zucchini slightly in hopes of increasing the chance of success 😆 I also chopped up the zucchini super fine which helped to hide it. Love that I can serve mac n cheese for dinner and feel less guilty about it! It comes together quickly as well so it’s sure to be a regular go-to! Thank you!!
Thank you
This was so good. My 13 year old son devoured his plate in seconds and my 3 year old daughter (once we got over the “yuck mom, there’s green stuff in it” comments and she actually tried it) kept saying “yum, this is sooo good.” So I guess I would say mom, teenager, and toddler approved. Thanks 🙂
Hahaha omg LOVE THAT. Happy you guys all enjoyed it! 🙂
Amazing!!! Grilled some shrimp for on top!
Really easy to make and enjoyed by my toddler and husband who doesn’t usually like pasta. I used onion salt as I couldn’t find onion powder and normal milk!
Oh yay, so happy you all enjoyed it! Onion salt is a great idea, too!
This was great! Had some leftover rotisserie chicken that I threw in at the end! Will definitely be making again!
I asked my husband how many stars he would give this recipe m, and he said 5! Very delicious! I love sneaking veggies into ordinary meals Thank you for the recipe!
*Chef’s kiss*
So delicious!! Will definitely make this again!! Added a bit of panko breadcrumbs to the top as well. So creamy and the flavor was outstanding!
Delicious! I added just a little more milk because my sauce ended up being extra thick but otherwise, perfect! Great use of extra zucchini.
So delicious!! Loved this dish! Will definitely be making again.
Was very easy and yummy. I added an onion and peas and used pepperjack, cheddar and gruyere cheese. Also save some pasta water to thin and make creamier!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sunny! Those cheeses are all so yummy 😍
My entire family raved that this was the BEST Mac and cheese they had ever had. I agree!
That’s incredible!! So happy to hear that 🙂
An absolute fave! And was a HUGE hit with my 14 month old.
So happy to hear that!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Absolutely! Glad you love it 🙂