A light but decadent one pot stovetop mac and cheese with avocado, garlic, basil and capers for an amazing flavor inspired by Green Goddess dressing! This fun twist on mac and cheese is easy to make on a busy weeknight.

👩‍🍳 Christine’s Notes

It’s a stretch to call this one mac and cheese, since it has way less cheese than a mac and cheese would have, but we are replacing that with avocado so it’s still incredibly creamy while feeling a little lighter. The basil and capers give it a much more grown up flavor profile.

This is a one pot stovetop recipe, which means we are cooking the macaroni in milk instead of making a bechamel base. When you cook it in milk, the starch from the pasta leaches out and makes the milk creamy and thick. Then you add in your cheese and your avocado mix, and ta da! The perfect texture.

Top Tips for this recipe

  • This macaroni doesn’t keep well. It will turn brown in the fridge because of the avocado, so try to make the right amount for today.
  • There is a knack to the one-pot macaroni and cheese process. You need to stir a lot, as the milk starts to heat up with the macaroni. Depending on how thick your macaroni is, you may need more or less milk to cook it in than I do. So just keep a close eye on things and make sure you have extra milk on hand if you might need it.
  • Feel free to add some fresh tarragon, chives and parsley to strengthen the likeness to green goddess flavor!

More Fun with Avocado

Mushroom Avocado Lettuce Wraps

Roasted Broccoli Avocado Pasta

Gnocchi Tray Bake with Avocado Pesto

Crispy Kale, Shiitake & Avocado Ramen

Green Goddess Avocado Mac and Cheese

A light but decadent one pot stovetop mac and cheese with avocado, garlic, basil and capers for an amazing flavor inspired by Green Goddess dressing! This fun twist on mac and cheese is easy to make on a busy weeknight.
2 -3 servings as a main dish, 4-5 as a side
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
5 from 1 rating
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups (250 g) macaroni
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 medium avocados
  • 2-3 small garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp of salt
  • 1 Tbsp capers
  • ½ cup (12 g) packed fresh basil
  • ¼ tsp of dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup (115 g) grated cheddar cheese, or another cheese, but make it a strong one

Instructions 

  • Pour the macaroni and milk into a saucepan. Heat, stirring very frequently, until the milk begins to bubble. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. Continue to stir at regular intervals. You may need to add more milk depending on how thick your macaroni is. If your macaroni isn't cooked by the time your milk has cooked down, you'll need to add more and turn the heat back up to bring it back to a boil.
  • Meanwhile, use a handblender or small food processor to blitz the avocado, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and capers until smooth and combined.
  • Add basil to the avocado mixture and pulse until well distributed.
  • When the macaroni has fully cooked, add the dijon mustard, cheese and olive oil to the saucepan and stir until the cheese has melted.
  • Add the avocado mixture and stir through until heated.
  • Slurp it up!

Notes

This recipe will keep in the fridge, but it does go a little brown. Adding extra lemon juice to the leftovers will help keep them greener for longer!
Author: Christine Melanson