Description
These Mac and Cheese Muffins are a perfect savory snack designed for baby-led weaning, combining creamy cheese sauce, tender pasta, and nutrient-rich steamed carrots, all baked into convenient, bite-sized muffins that are easy for little hands to hold and enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Dairy
- 2 large carrots, sliced and steamed
- 500 ml milk
- 1 clove garlic
- 50 g (3 tbsp) butter
- 80 g (1 cup) grated cheese
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Dry Ingredients
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 250 g (2 1/2 cups) dried macaroni pasta, cooked as per pack instructions
- 2-3 tbsp brown bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 180ºC (350ºF) to prepare for baking the mac and cheese muffins.
- Blend Carrots and Milk: Add the steamed carrots, milk, and garlic clove to a blender and blend until completely smooth to create a flavorful base for the sauce.
- Make Roux: Heat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the flour and stir continuously for about 2 minutes to cook the flour thoroughly, ensuring a smooth and silky texture.
- Prepare Cheese Sauce: Reduce heat to a simmer and gradually pour in the blended carrot and milk mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens. Then add grated cheese and fresh thyme, stirring until the cheese melts and flavors combine.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Stir the cooked macaroni pasta into the cheese sauce until fully coated with the creamy mixture.
- Fill Muffin Cases: Spoon the pasta mixture into muffin cases placed in a baking tray, then sprinkle the tops with brown bread crumbs for a crunchy finish.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and crispy.
- Cool Slightly: Allow the muffins to cool to a slightly warm temperature before removing from the cases to help them hold their shape, making them easy and safe for your baby to handle and eat.
Notes
- Ensure the muffins cool to a warm, manageable temperature before serving to avoid burns and help babies grasp them easily.
- You can substitute brown bread crumbs with gluten-free crumbs if needed.
- Fresh thyme adds a subtle herbal flavor, but it can be omitted if your baby prefers milder tastes.
- This recipe yields 24 muffins, perfect for batch cooking and freezing for convenient meals later.
- Adjust the cheese choice based on your baby’s tolerance to dairy and preference; milder cheeses work well.
- Steamed carrots provide natural sweetness and nutrients, enhancing the sauce without added sugar.
