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Lighter on sodium but not on taste! This mac and cheese is perfect for those watching their salt intake. The recipe is a Yummly original created by [Sara Mellas](https://www.yummly.com/dish/author/Sara%20Mellas).

Creamy Low-Sodium Mac and Cheese

nonstick cooking spray

salt for pasta water

swiss cheese 1 14/ cups shredded

sharp cheddar cheese 1 1/4 cups shredded

cream cheese

elbow macaroni

unsalted butter for sauce

all-purpose flour

milk

mustard powder

salt for sauce

black pepper pepper

unsalted butter

Step 1: Spray a 9x13-inch b…

Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 2: Bring a large pot o…

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt.

Step 3: Using a cheese grat…

Using a cheese grater or food processor fitted with a grating attachment, grate the Cheddar and Swiss cheeses. Set aside.

Step 4: Cut the cream chees…

Cut the cream cheese into 1/2 inch cubes. Set aside.

Step 5: Add the noodles to…

Add the noodles to the water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain the pasta in a large colander, and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

Step 6: Preheat the oven to…

Step 7: In a large pot over…

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.

Step 8: Once melted, add th…

Once melted, add the flour. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Continue whisking until the roux turns slightly golden and begins to smell toasty, 1-2 minutes.

Step 9: Slowly stream the m…

Slowly stream the milk into the pot while continuing to whisk. Cook the mixture, whisking steadily, until it begins to thicken and bubble, 4-5 minutes.

Step 10: Once bubbling, turn…

Once bubbling, turn off the heat. Add the mustard powder, salt, and black pepper.

Step 11: Add the cheeses to…

Add the cheeses to the pot one handful at a time, whisking slowly after each addition.

Step 12: Once the sauce is s…

Once the sauce is smooth, add the drained pasta noodles to the pot. Stir until combined.

Step 13: Pour the pasta into…

Pour the pasta into the prepared baking dish.

Step 14: Place the crackers…

Place the crackers in a plastic bag and crush them to the consistency of coarse sand using a rolling pin. Transfer the cracker crumbs to a large bowl.

Step 15: Place the butter in…

Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until butter is melted, about 30 seconds. Pour the melted butter over the cracker crumbs. Mix with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened.

Step 16: Sprinkle the cracke…

Sprinkle the cracker crumbs in an even layer over the pasta.

Step 17: Bake the mac and ch…

Bake the mac and cheese on middle rack of oven until bubbling at the edges and the cracker crumbs are slightly browned, 25-28 minutes.

Step 18: Check to see that m…

Check to see that mac and cheese is done. Remove from oven or add time as needed.

Step 19: Allow macaroni and…

Allow macaroni and cheese to rest 15-20 minutes before serving.

Very creamy sauce. We used shells instead of elbows and 2% milk instead of whole but still turned out nicely. Garnished with some parsley for serving.

https://gv.yummlystatic.com/oYe552Z0QP2dUg617oPC_Montage_Mac_n_Cheese_Low_Sodium/oYe552Z0QP2dUg617oPC_Montage_Mac_n_Cheese_Low_Sodium-hls.m3u8

Cooking video for Creamy Low-Sodium Mac and Cheese by Yummly on Yummly

When you are craving something from a chain restaurant but you want to monitor the ingredients, then why not try this recipe for McDonalds' Style Mini Muffins. They are rich and hearty. They combine hazelnut spread or Nutella with ground hazelnuts and milk chocolate chips for a decadent and tasty batch of mini muffins. Be sure to pick up the ingredients the next time you go shopping so you can surprise your family this week with fresh mini muffins before they head out the door.

McDonalds' Style Mini Muffins

hazelnut chocoalte, spread, Nutella

butter

eggs

sugar

yogurt

flour

hazelnuts

baking powder

milk chocolate chips

Step 1: First, make 1 table…

First, make 1 tablespoon-sized balls with Nutella hazelnut spread and place them in the freezer for 1 hour.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 350…

Step 3: Melt the butter in…

Melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave.

Step 4: In a medium-sized b…

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is pale.

Step 5: Pour the melted but…

Pour the melted butter into this mixture without stopping to mix.

Step 6: In a small bowl, mi…

In a small bowl, mix the milk and yogurt together, and add to the previous mixture. Stir to combine

Step 7: Combine the flour…

Combine the flour, the ground hazelnuts, and the baking powder. Add to the previous mixture. 

Step 8: Add the chocolate c…

Step 9: Fill each mini-muff…

Fill each mini-muffin cup up to 1/3, and place a scoop of frozen hazelnut spread in the center of each.

Step 10: Then cover with the…

Step 11: Bake for 25 minutes…

Toasted Japanese breadcrumbs mixed with lemon zest elevate the flavor of this shrimp dish. Toasted Japanese breadcrumbs make an unusual but excellent topping for this dish. Also try the breadcrumbs on pasta, in place of grated cheese. This can also be made with broccoli rabe instead of broccoli. This dish makes an excellent one-dish meal and comes together in just 20 minutes. You can serve it over rice or soba noodles, if desired.

Garlicky shrimp with broccoli and toasted breadcrumbs

cup(s) Uncooked broccoli small florets

Water

0.333 cup(s) Panko breadcrumbs

Lemon

salt divided

pound(s) Uncooked shrimp large, peeled, deveined

clove(s) Garlic clove(s) sliced

0.333 cup(s) Canned chicken broth

0.125 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes

Tbsp Fresh lemon juice

Image of Garlicky shrimp with broccoli and toasted breadcrumbs

Put broccoli and water in a microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave on high until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well; set aside (be cautious when uncovering bowl).

Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape toasted crumbs into a bowl; stir in lemon zest and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat; add shrimp and sauté until shrimp turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; sauté until very light golden, about 1 minute.

Stir in broth, pepper flakes and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring to loosen bits from bottom of pan, just until shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute.  

Remove skillet from heat and add cooked broccoli; toss to mix and coat. Drizzle with lemon juice and remaining teaspoon oil; toss again. Serve shrimp and broccoli sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs. Yields about 3/4 cup shrimp with broccoli and 4 teaspoon breadcrumbs per serving.

Capture the essence of your favorite campfire treat in this quick snack that offers whole-grain goodness. Warm popcorn is tossed with a combination of powdered sugar and cocoa powder for a sweet chocolaty hit, and then combined with mini marshmallows and chocolate graham cracker pieces to complete the effect. We like the extra bit of richness you get from chocolate graham crackers, but you could use regular grahams if that’s what you have on hand.

S'mores Popcorn

spray(s) Cooking spray

Tbsp, unpopped Yellow popcorn kernels

tsp Powdered sugar (confectioner's)

Unsweetened cocoa powder

item(s) Mini marshmallows

square(s) Chocolate graham cracker(s)

Image of S'mores Popcorn

Cook the popcorn in a WW 2-Piece Silicone Microwave Popcorn Popper as directed on the package. Or place the popcorn in a paper bag, or on a large piece of parchment paper. Fold over the edge of the bag to close, or fold edges of parchment to seal in popcorn. Microwave on High until the popping stops, 2 ½ to 3 minutes. Remove popcorn from microwave and uncover popper, or open bag or pouch to allow steam to escape.

Place the popcorn in a medium bowl. Coat the popcorn with cooking spray, tossing to coat all pieces. Place the sugar and cocoa in a fine sieve or strainer and shake to dust the mixture over the popcorn; toss gently to coat. Stir in marshmallows and graham cracker pieces.

When your sweet tooth is calling, but you don’t want to make a full-scale dessert, go for a single-serving mug cake. This one, made with powdered peanut butter, cocoa powder, and egg white, cooks in just one minute (or less) to an airy, souffle-like texture. As you spoon down into the warm cake, you’ll hit pockets of chewy-gooey chocolate-caramel bar. Though you might be tempted to mix together the batter in the mug you’ll use for cooking, we recommend whisking in a separate bowl for the best results.

Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Caramel Mug Cake

0.25 tsp Vanilla extract

Egg white(s)

peanut butter

Tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder

Sugar

Baking powder

bar(s) WW Chocolate caramel snack bar chopped

Image of Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Caramel Mug Cake

In a small bowl, whisk together 1½ tbsp water, vanilla, and egg white. Add the powdered peanut butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and baking powder; whisk until smooth. Stir in half of the snack bar pieces.

Coat a 1½-cup capacity, microwave-safe mug or ramekin with cooking spray. Scrape the batter into the mug; top with the remaining snack bar pieces. Microwave on High until puffy and set, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Serve warm.

Crisp on the outside, tender-cheesy on the inside, and full of mild cauliflower flavor, these jumbo veggie tots are sure to be a hit with the family. They start with convenient pre-riced cauliflower, which we microwave until tender and then mix with mozzarella, egg, and seasonings. The mixture is then formed into tots shape and rolled in tortilla chip crumbs for that crunchy exterior. A quick stint in the air fryer ensures maximum crispiness—but you can also bake the tots at 425°F for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with ketchup, if desired.

Air-Fryer Cauliflower Tots

oz Uncooked cauliflower rice refrigerated fresh (not frozen)

pouch(es) WW Sea salt tortilla chips crunchy snack

mozzarella cheese

Garlic powder

salt

Cayenne pepper

Image of Air-Fryer Cauliflower Tots

Place the cauliflower rice in a medium microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave on High for 4 minutes. Carefully uncover the bowl, and spread the cauliflower onto a double layer of paper towels. Let stand until cool enough to handle, 3 to 5 minutes. Gather up the edges of the paper towels; squeeze over the sink to extract as much liquid as possible.

While the cauliflower cooks, place the chips in a mini food processor; process until the chips are finely ground and resemble coarse meal. Spread the crumbs onto a plate.

In the same bowl the cauliflower cooked in, whisk the egg white; stir in the cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cauliflower mixture. Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions, shaping each into a tater tot shape. Gently dredge the tots in the tortilla chip crumbs (if tots break apart, simply reform them and reroll in crumbs).

Preheat an air fryer, if necessary, to 400°F. Lightly coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Arrange half of the potato tots in the basket; coat with cooking spray. Air-fry until browned, firm, and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the air fryer and repeat the process with the remaining tots.

Thai peanut sauce is a delicious condiment to serve with satay chicken skewers or fresh spring rolls. A little bit spicy, a little bit sweet, this addictive sauce is easy to make — and is ready in just five minutes!

Yummly Recipe Basics: How To Make Thai Style Peanut Sauce

garlic

ginger

rice vinegar

soy sauce

honey

sriracha sauce

peanuts chopped, for garnish, optional

Step 1: Warm peanut butter…

Warm peanut butter in a microwave in 30-second intervals until soft.

Step 2: Combine all ingredi…

Combine all ingredients except for chopped peanuts in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and serve.

This single-serve frittata makes an easy dinner for one in less than 15 minutes. It only requires eight ingredients, two of which include salt and pepper. You'll love the convenience of being able to use both the microwave and broiler to make this frittata. It's made with asparagus and fat-free cottage cheese, but you can use any veggies or cheese you like (just keep in mind that this may change the nutritional value). You can also scale up the ingredients and use a larger skillet if you want to make this for more than one person. Feel free to experiment with whatever you've got!

Asparagus and Cottage Cheese Frittata

spear(s), medium Uncooked asparagus

egg(s) Egg(s)

Tbsp Basil chopped fresh

pinch(es) Table salt

pinch(es) Black pepper

Olive oil

Tbsp Fat free cottage cheese

slice(s) Reduced-calorie bread toasted

Image of Asparagus and Cottage Cheese Frittata

Place the asparagus in a small microwaveable bowl, cover with wax paper, and microwave it on High until it's crisp-tender, about 30 seconds. Drain.

In s small bowl, whisk together the eggs, basil, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a small, ovenproof, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook, lifting the edges frequently with a spatula to let any uncooked egg flow underneath, until almost set, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the asparagus and spoon the cottage cheese on top.

Place the skillet under the broiler 5 inches from the heat and cook until the eggs are set, about 2 minutes. Serve with toast.

Per serving (1 frittata and 1 slice bread)

This recipe is such a cool way to make a speedy breakfast for one, or nuke-to-order as family members wander into the kitchen at different times on a weekend morning. If you don’t have cooked asparagus on hand, sub in any cooked vegetable or quick-to-wilt greens such as baby spinach or arugula. Make-ahead tip: Go ahead and cook a larger batch of the asparagus to keep on hand for the week, and prep tomatoes and scallions ahead of time, too. This will cut the prep time down to just about 2 minutes from 10.

Veggie & egg coffee-cup scramble

asparagus

Tbsp Grated Parmesan cheese

0.5 medium Plum tomato(es) chopped

Tbsp Uncooked scallion(s) sliced

Image of Veggie & egg coffee-cup scramble

In a microwave-safe cup, stir together egg, egg white, asparagus, salt, and black pepper with a fork.

Microwave 45 seconds and stir; sprinkle with cheese. Microwave until eggs are set but still creamy, about 15 seconds more.

When pureed with cocoa powder, dates, vanilla, and coconut oil, black beans miraculously become fudge! Their flavor blends seamlessly with the chocolate-coconut notes, and they become smooth, creamy, and, well, fudgy. We soften the dates first by bringing them to a boil with water; this helps ensure they puree more easily. Be sure to purchase whole dates and remove the pits yourself, as they tend to be much softer and creamier than pre-pitted dates. Store the fudge in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to one month.

Rich Black Bean Fudge

item(s) Medjool dates whole, pitted

oz Canned low sodium black beans

0.5 cup(s) Unsweetened cocoa powder

0.25 cup(s) Powdered sugar (confectioner's)

tsp Vanilla extract

Image of Rich Black Bean Fudge

Place the dates in a small microwave-safe bowl and cover them with water. Microwave on High until the water boils, about 2 minutes. Drain.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the dates, beans, cocoa, sugar, vanilla, and salt; process on high until well blended, about 1 minute. Drizzle with the oil; process until the mixture is completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, 1 to 2 minutes.

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with plastic wrap. Spread the fudge mixture evenly into a thin layer in the pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Lift the fudge from the pan with the plastic wrap; cut into 6 rows each way to form 36 squares.

What a way to celebrate the flavors of fall! Fresh butternut cubes are cooked and mashed, spread onto pitas, then topped with rosemary-scented seared onions, mozzarella, and bacon. With each bite, you get the earthy sweetness of squash, the piney depth of rosemary, and the smoky essence of bacon. Whole-wheat or multigrain pitas make great, easy pizza crusts—simply toast them under the broiler, pile on the toppings, and pop back in the oven to melt the cheese.

Butternut & Bacon Pita Pizzas

cup(s), chopped Uncooked onion(s) thinly sliced

oz Uncooked butternut squash

pita(s) Whole wheat pita(s)

slice(s) Cooked crisp center cut bacon crumbled

Image of Butternut & Bacon Pita Pizzas

Coat a medium skillet with cooking spray. Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, rosemary, and ⅛ tsp salt; sauté until the onion is lightly browned and softened, 7 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the squash in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on High for 5 minutes. Carefully uncover the bowl and sprinkle the squash with the remaining ⅜ tsp salt. Mash the squash mixture with a fork until smooth.

Preheat the broiler to High. Arrange the pitas on a sheet pan; broil until crisp and toasted, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Reduce the broiler heat to Low. Spread the squash mixture evenly over the toasted pitas; top evenly with the onion mixture. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese and then the bacon. Broil the pizzas until the cheese melts and starts to brown, about 2 minutes.

A delicious combo of salty sweet popcorn and cake!

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Top 20 microwaving recipes from across the web

The most viewed microwaving recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Creamy Low-Sodium Mac and Cheese

McDonalds' Style Mini Muffins

Garlicky shrimp with broccoli and t...

S'mores Popcorn

Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Caram...

Air-Fryer Cauliflower Tots

Yummly Recipe Basics: How To Make T...

Asparagus and Cottage Cheese Fritta...

Veggie & egg coffee-cup scramble

Rich Black Bean Fudge

Butternut & Bacon Pita Pizzas

Cake Batter Popcorn

Sweet peanut butter popcorn

Microwave Banana-Oat Cake with Fres...

Easy Fruit Cookie Pizza

Antipasto Dip

Grape Granita with Grappa

Grilled Brussels Sprout Skewers

Chocolate Ice Cream Tacos

Fried Rice in a Mug

The most viewed microwaving recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine