Keto Mac and Cheese

Introduction

Cheddar melted into heavy cream until it is thick enough to coat a noodle — no roux, no flour, nothing else doing the work. The noodles are shirataki, and they are the part that decides whether this comes off, so most of what follows is about them.

About the Noodles

This uses Pasta Zero, or any shirataki noodle. They are firmer than wheat pasta and come packed in liquid. Opening the bag smells a little unusual — not bad, just not like pasta. Rinsing deals with that.

What they really need is drying out, which is the next section.

The Part That Actually Matters

Three things happen to the noodles before they ever meet cheese, and the third one is the one to pay attention to.

They get rinsed under cold water for about 90 seconds, boiled for three to five minutes, and then — this is the step — pan-fried over medium heat for eight to ten minutes.

Shirataki noodles are full of water. Frying drives some of it off, and that is what makes this step the crucial one. Expect the pan to throw off a lot of water vapour once the noodles get going — worth knowing in advance, so you are not standing there wondering what is burning.

The one thing to watch is the far end of that window. Left too long they start to turn crunchy, and crunchy is not a texture anybody wants in mac and cheese.

Add-Ins Go in With the Cheese

Have anything you are adding ready before the sauce comes together. It goes in with the cream and cheese rather than at the very end, which is easier than trying to work it through afterwards.

We put bacon in ours. Four ounces, cooked and chopped — optional, but not in our kitchen.

The Sauce Needs No Roux

Heavy cream comes to a boil, then down to a simmer. The salt, pepper and garlic powder go in, then the cheddar, stirred until it melts smooth. Then the noodles go in.

That is the whole sauce. No roux, no flour, nothing to thicken it with — the cream and the cheese do it themselves.

You’ll find the full per-serving breakdown — calories, fat, fiber, protein, and net carbs — in the Nutrition Facts panel with the recipe below.

Leftovers

Get it into an airtight container and use it within three to four days. If you do reheat it, take it to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer.

If You Would Rather Skip the Noodles Entirely

Cauliflower is the other way to do this. Keto Cooking Christian’s Jalapeño Popper Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese is worth a look if shirataki is not for you.

And if you want something to put next to it, these air fryer fish sticks or this keto sheet pan salmon both work.

For a holiday table, it is one of the sides on our keto Thanksgiving recipes page, and a handy one there, because it stays on the stove while the oven is busy.