This secretly healthy mac and cheese soup recipe has hidden veggies, is high in protein, and is vegetarian (with an easy vegan option)! The broth is thick and creamy from blended vegetables and dairy-free milk. Only a little cheese is used at the end, and a plant-based version can be added.
Mac and cheese is one of my favorite foods! I have tons of fun mac recipes on this site: Roasted Carrot Mac and Cheese and Butternut Squash Mac are two of my favorites. While mac and cheese is traditionally thought of as a high-calorie comfort food, this healthy mac and cheese soup is breaking that stereotype. This soup actually is made with mostly plant-based staples, and only has a small amount of cheese stirred in at the end. So you can have guilt-free seconds… or thirds… 🙂
This Healthy Mac and Cheese Soup Recipe Is:
- Thick
- Rich
- Creamy
- Loaded with vegetables
- High protein
- Versatile
- Satisfying
- Vegetarian, Dairy Free, and can easily be made vegan!
What’s In This Dairy Free Healthy Mac and Cheese Soup?
- Small Shaped Pasta: I used shell shape pasta for my mac and cheese soup – if you are gluten free, you can choose a gluten free pasta like this one.
- Olive Oil: I always use Zoe olive oil for my recipes, it has a really great flavor and texture. I get my olive oil online here, which is a really great value for the quality you can get!
- Garlic: I use fresh garlic when I have it, and this jarred organic garlic when I don’t have fresh. I like keeping a container of this pre-minced garlic in my fridge which is super convenient to keep pre-chopped!
- Onion
- Carrots
- Diced Tomatoes: I only use no salt added diced tomatoes, these boxed tomatoes are really great to stock up on! I like boxed tomatoes better because they are BPA free and more eco-friendly than aluminum cans.
- Red Lentils: one of my favorite legumes to stock up on! I always keep a few lbs of these on hand, they are great to throw into soups like this as they dissolve and you can’t even tell they are there.
- Vegetable Stock: I like to use Better than Bouillon’s vegetable base for the broth, as it’s low sodium and has a great taste. I only use low sodium stocks as they allow me to control the amount of salt in my food.
- Mustard Powder: I love adding this mustard powder to any mac and cheese type dish – it adds a nice sharpness and bright yellow color.
- Salt
- Milk of Choice: I use this shelf-stable almond milk which is perfect to add a little creaminess in a soup. This almond milk lasts for months in the pantry, so it’s a great choice if you can’t make it to the store super often.
- Cheese: you can use Velveeta or a plant-based alternative to make this a vegan soup… either way, it will be absolutely delish!
How Do I Make This Healthy Mac and Cheese Soup?
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, and set aside, allowing pasta to cool.
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 6 or 7 minutes until translucent. Toss in the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes longer.
- Add the red lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, mustard powder, and salt. Bring to a boil, and cook for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until thick and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Return blended soup to the pot, and heat again over low heat. Add the milk, and when the soup is just simmering, add the cheese in and stir until melted.
- Add the cooled pasta into the soup and stir in the cheese until it melts. Serve with extra cheese or freshly grated pepper on top. Enjoy!
Meal Prep Recipes For the Win!
This healthy macaroni and cheese soup is the perfect recipe for hearty homemade meal prep. I am a huge fan of meal prepping, batch cooking, and making recipes ahead. I love the convenience of cooking once and being able to enjoy healthy homemade meals during the week when I don’t have time. There is a whole section of TheHerbeevore.com dedicated to my favorite tried & true meal prep recipes. With just a little planning and prep, you can have a week’s worth of recipes ready in the time it would take to make one portion. Just batch cook, divide into individual containers, and place in the fridge or freezer for later! Easy peasy.
Dietary Modifications
- For a vegan macaroni and cheese soup: make sure you use a plant-based milk and a dairy-free cheese. Almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or cashew milk are all fantastic options.
- For gluten free, make sure that the pasta you use is certified gluten free. You can use any small shape you’d like!
- To make a more low sodium version: cut the salt in half, adding only 1/2 tablespoon. And make sure to always use a low sodium broth or stock in your cooking.
Other Healthy Meal Prep Soup Recipes You’ll Love!
Coconut Milk Cream of Mushroom Soup (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
French Carrot Lentil Soup (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Black Eyed Pea Soup with Sausage and Collard Greens
Lentil Pasta Fagioli Soup (Vegan, Gluten Free, High Protein)
Creamy Minestrone Soup (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Get the Same Ingredients I Use For My Mac and Cheese High Protein Soup:
As always, if you make this healthy mac and cheese soup recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Healthy Mac and Cheese Soup Recipe (High Protein, Vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried small pasta use gluten free if GF
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 4 carrots diced
- 1 No-Salt-Added Diced Tomatoes
- 3/4 cup red lentils
- 4 cups No-Salt-Added Vegetable Stock
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
- 2 cups milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk
- 8 ounces cheese of choice dairy free if vegan
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, and set aside, allowing pasta to cool.
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 6 or 7 minutes until translucent. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes longer.
- Add the red lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, mustard powder, and salt. Bring to a boil, and cook for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until thick and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Return blended soup to the pot, and heat again over low heat. Add the milk, and when the soup is just simmering, add the cheese in and stir until melted.
- Add the cooled pasta into the soup and stir in the cheese until it melts. Serve with extra cheese or freshly grated pepper on top. Enjoy!
Notes
For a vegan macaroni and cheese soup: make sure you use a plant-based milk and a dairy-free cheese. Almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or cashew milk are all fantastic options.
For gluten free, make sure that the pasta you use is certified gluten free. You can use any small shape you'd like!
To make a more low sodium version: cut the salt in half, adding only 1/2 tablespoon. And make sure to always use a low sodium broth or stock in your cooking.
Nutrition
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Love soup…Love Mac and cheese. What a great combo