Description
These Mac and Cheese Muffins are a perfect baby-led weaning recipe combining creamy cheesy pasta with nutritious carrots and fresh thyme. Baked into muffin shapes, they are easy for little hands to hold and packed with flavor from a smooth homemade cheese sauce and a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2 large carrots (sliced and steamed)
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Dairy
- 500 ml milk
- 3 tbsp butter (50 g)
- 80 g (1 cup) grated cheese
Pantry
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 250 g (2 1/2 cups) dried macaroni pasta
- 2–3 tbsp brown bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 180ºC (350ºF) to warm it up while you prepare the ingredients.
- Blend Carrot Mixture: Add the steamed carrots, milk, and garlic to a blender. Blend them thoroughly until the mixture is completely smooth, which will form the base of the creamy sauce.
- Make Roux: Heat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the plain flour and stir continuously for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and silky, which indicates the flour is cooked and ready to thicken the sauce.
- Add Milk Mixture: Lower the heat to a simmer and slowly pour in the blended carrot and milk liquid, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue to stir until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Create Cheese Sauce: Stir in the grated cheese until fully melted into the sauce. Then add the fresh thyme, mixing it through to infuse the sauce with herbaceous notes.
- Combine Pasta with Sauce: Mix the cooked macaroni pasta into the cheese sauce until all the pasta is well coated with the creamy mixture.
- Prepare Muffin Cases: Spoon the pasta mixture evenly into muffin cases placed in a muffin tin. Sprinkle each muffin with a light topping of brown bread crumbs for a crunchy finish.
- Bake the Muffins: Place the muffin tray in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and crisp.
- Cool Before Serving: Allow the muffins to cool until only slightly warm before removing them from the cases to help them hold together, making them easy and safe for babies to handle.
Notes
- Steaming carrots before blending makes the sauce naturally sweet and smooth, perfect for babies.
- Using fresh thyme adds a subtle herbal flavor, but you can substitute with mild herbs like parsley if preferred.
- If you want to keep the muffins soft, lightly toast the breadcrumb topping or omit it.
- Ensure the muffins are cooled enough to avoid any risk of burns when serving to babies.
- You can use gluten-free pasta and flour alternatives to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
