Second Nature logo

US

Interested in our medication-supported weight-loss programme?
title

Prep and cooking time: 35 mins

  • Freezable
  • Vegetarian

Ingredients

Serves: 4

  • 160g spiral or short wholewheat pasta
  • 20g butter
  • 20g whole wheat flour
  • 300ml milk
  • 150g Cheddar, grated
  • 70g gruyere or extra Cheddar, grated

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.

Step 2

Cook the pasta al dente (undercooked). Because the pasta is wholewheat, you’ll want it to have crunch because it will cook in the oven with the sauce.

Step 3

To make the roux, heat a non-stick saucepan over low/medium heat.

Step 4

Add the butter until melted, then the flour, and stir until fully combined. Cook the flour in the melted butter for at least 2mins so the sauce loses the taste of flour.

Step 5

Slowly add the milk (50ml at a time), until the roux coats the back of a wooden spoon (roughly 10mins).

Step 6

Add the cheese to the roux mixture and stir until melted. Season lightly with salt and pepper. If the sauce looks too thick, add a dash more of milk. The sauce will thicken the more it’s heated.

Step 7

Add the par-cooked pasta to the pan and stir to coat fully in the sauce.

Step 8

Transfer to a baking dish and top with a handful of extra cheese and bake in the oven for 15mins, or until golden. Serve with salad or vegetables.

Meal Plan

Download our free, indulgent 7-day meal plan

It includes expert advice from our team of registered dietitians to make losing weight feel easier. Subscribe to our newsletter to get access today.

I've read and agreed to the Terms of Service & Privacy Policy.

You might also like

Make losing weight feel Second Nature

The first step on your Second Nature journey is to take our health quiz.

Hand holding phone

Write a response

As seen on

The GuardianThe TimesChannel 4The Sunday TelegraphEvening StandardMetro