Keto Mac and Cheese

Introduction

Mac and cheese is the one that seems permanently off the table when you cut carbs. It is not — but the noodles are the whole conversation, so let’s start there.

About the Noodles

This uses Pasta Zero, or any shirataki noodle. Fair warning: they are not pasta. They are firmer and the texture is different. They also come packed in liquid, and opening the bag smells a little unusual — not bad, just not like pasta.

Prepared properly they are very good. There is a trick to it, though, and it 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. Once the noodles get going they throw off a lot of steam. It is steam, not smoke, and nothing is wrong.

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, and the cheddar goes in with salt, pepper and garlic powder 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.

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Leftovers

This is the kind of dish there is usually some of left, so here is what we can and cannot tell you.

What we do know is how long cooked leftovers should stay in the fridge: get it into an airtight container, and go by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, which puts cooked food at three to four days.

What we have not tested is how well the shirataki holds up on the way back out. It is fussy enough about being cooked once that we are not going to guess at twice. If you try it, the comments are the place to say so.

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.