This Halloween Monster Mac and Cheese is a fun, spooky twist on classic stovetop macaroni and cheese. Instead of using food coloring, this healthy version gets its vibrant green color from spinach, making it an easy way to sneak some veggies into dinner.

The creamy cheese sauce is made with cottage cheese, white cheddar, spinach, and milk, which creates a rich and satisfying sauce. Top it with edible monster eyes or your favorite silly decorations for a delicious Halloween dinner.

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Why You’ll Love This Halloween Mac and Cheese

Spooky and fun. The bright green cheese sauce turns classic stovetop macaroni and cheese into an easy Halloween dinner that kids love.

Healthy and easy to make. Instead of using green food coloring, the bright green color comes from spinach, which blends perfectly into the cheesy sauce.

I promise you won’t be able to taste the spinach. Plus, there’s a scoop of cottage cheese to boost the protein.

Kid-approved. It’s a fun and simple way to make Halloween dinner feel like a celebration.

Great for Halloween parties. While you can enjoy this green mac and cheese anytime of the year, it’s perfect to serve at a Halloween party, fall gathering, or weeknight family dinner.

Easy to customize. You can decorate this Halloween mac and cheese with silly Monster eyes, Halloween sprinkles, extra cheese, or different spooky toppings.

What is Monster Mac and Cheese?

Monster mac and cheese is a vibrant green, veggie-packed version of classic macaroni and cheese. It has the same creamy and cheesy comfort-food flavor that kids love, but with a spooky makeover that makes it perfect for Halloween.

It gets its fun green color from blended spinach, which you won’t be able to taste.

Add edible candy eyes, cheese-and-olive eye tops, or Halloween sprinkles to make your dinner look like a friendly little monster.

My toddler absolutely LOVES this spooky mac and cheese and requests it often.

Halloween Mac and Cheese Ingredients

Pasta: Elbow macaroni is the classic choice for mac and cheese, but you can use any small pasta shape you like, such as cavatappi or medium shells.

Milk: Whole milk is the best choice if you want a rich and creamy sauce, but you can use 2% or lower-fat milk if desired.

Cottage cheese: Adding a little cottage cheese can help boost the protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Blending it with the milk and spinach removes any lumps, which creates a silky smooth sauce.

Spinach: I use 2 cups of fresh baby spinach to create a bright, Monster green color.

You won’t be able to taste the spinach, but you can use less if you prefer. It won’t be as vibrant green if you use less, but it’ll still look spooky and fun!

Butter and all-purpose flour: Butter and flour create a roux, which is the base and thickener for a smooth and creamy cheese sauce.

Seasoning: I add a little garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to season the cheese sauce. This gives it good flavor.

Shredded cheese: I use white cheddar cheese. You can use a mix of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack if you prefer.

How to make Halloween Monster Mac and Cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, add the milk, spinach, and cottage cheese to a blender and blend until the spinach and cottage cheese are fully pureed with the milk, about 30-60 seconds.

Return the pot back to the stove and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking (or stirring) to combine.

Slowly pour in about half of the milk mixture while constantly whisking. Once it starts to thicken up, slowly pour in the rest of the milk mixture, whisking continuously.

Cook for 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat until the mixture is thickened, making sure the milk doesn’t burn. The sauce should be able to coat the back of a spoon.

Turn off the heat and whisk in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and the sauce is silky smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Add the cooked, drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir until everything is well combined. Serve hot.

How to get a bright green Halloween color?

The best way to get that fun, monster-like green color is with spinach puree. Simply blend the spinach with milk and cottage cheese to get a beautiful, vibrant shade of green.

It’s a healthier and more natural option than using food coloring.

Fun toppings and decorations for Monster Mac and Cheese

To make this Halloween mac and cheese extra silly and spooky, you can add simple decorations or let kids decorate their own bowl. Below are some ideas:

Candy eyes: Add edible candy eyes to create a fun monster face.

Olive eyes: For a healthier option, you can add sliced black olives on small rounds of cheese to create monster eyes.

Cheese teeth and bell pepper mouth: Cut a thin slice of bell pepper to form a mouth. Then cut white cheese into tiny triangles and arrange them under the bell pepper for a goofy monster grin.

Halloween-shaped cheese: Use small cookie cutters to cut cheese into spooky shapes like pumpkins, bats, or ghosts.

Pretzel pieces: Break pretzel sticks into small pieces to create Monster eyebrows, silly hair, or horns.

Can I make stovetop mac and cheese ahead of time?

Yes, you can make stovetop mac and cheese ahead of time, but it tastes best served fresh because the sauce will thicken as it cools.

For the best taste and texture, you can make stovetop mac and cheese up to 1 day in advance. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the mac and cheese gently on the stovetop over low heat.

Add a splash of milk or cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, while reheating and stir frequently to help loosen the sauce.

Save the toppings and Monster decorations until just before serving.