Creamy Yogurt Mac and Cheese is the ultimate cheesy pasta dinner. It is made with a creamy tangy cheese sauce made with yogurt and cheddar cheese and elbow pasta.
My family and I are big mac and cheese lovers. Mac and cheese has always been at every Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s dinner and every function in between!
My sister used to make the mac and cheese, but I have since taken over that job! Lol. I usually made the mac and cheese the same way - milk, butter, American cheese, cheddar cheese, elbow pasta, paprika, and lots and lots of ground black pepper!
More recently I have started making it with yogurt instead of milk, not to make it healthier, but to try something different. My mother wanted it to taste like Chick Fil A’s mac and cheese which has a tangy cheese sauce. I made this mac and cheese and it was a winner! My family ate this mac and cheese soo fast!
Key Ingredients in Baked Yogurt Mac and Cheese
Elbow Pasta
Mac and Cheese is usually made with macaroni pasta but I love to use different shapes of pasta. Some of my favorites are penne, fusilli, and shells.
Yogurt
Many recipes that use yogurt in mac and cheese are trying to make this dish more healthy, but I use it because I like the tangy taste it gives to the final dish. For this recipe, I used an organic grass-fed yogurt.
American Cheese
I don’t normally use processed ingredients in my cooking, but mac and cheese is the exception! So far I haven’t found anything that can replace it in this dish, so I use it. I usually buy name-brand American cheese, but there is organic American Cheese available too!
My family and I love this Baked Yogurt Mac and cheese and I hope you will give this recipe a try as well! Let me know what is a staple dish at your family gatherings?
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Baked Yogurt Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Creamy Yogurt Mac and Cheese is the ultimate cheesy pasta dinner. It is made with a creamy tangy cheese sauce made with yogurt and cheddar cheese and elbow pasta.
Ingredients
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2 cups elbow pasta, dry
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4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
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1 cup water
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1 cup yogurt
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14 slices American cheese
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5 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
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½ teaspoon ground paprika
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½ teaspoon ground black pepper
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¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Boil the elbow pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
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In a large pot on medium-high heat, melt the butter. Then add in the water and yogurt, then stir to combine.
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Add in the slices of American cheese, stir, and cook until all the cheese is melted and you have a creamy sauce. Add in half of the shredded cheddar cheese, the ground paprika, ground black pepper, and salt. Cook until all the cheese has melted.
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Add the drained elbow pasta to the cheese sauce, add in half of the remaining shredded cheese and stir to combine.
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Pour the mac and cheese mixture into the 9 x 13 baking pan. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over top.
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Bake in a 400-degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Allow the mac and cheese to cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Can be wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in air-tight baggies in the refrigerator for 1 week or several weeks in the freezer.
Keywords: yogurt mac and cheese, mac and cheese, homemade mac and cheese, american cheese, cheddar cheese, pasta dish
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