Like so many, you have come home after a long day looking for some comfort food only to discover you’re out of butter for that package of macaroni and cheese?
You don’t want to cook from scratch, and you wonder, can you make Kraft Mac and Cheese without butter? Butter offers fatty goodness and a savory accent and texture to your macaroni and cheese, although you’ll be glad to know it’s not essential.
Butter is luckily not an essential ingredient, although it offers a unique flavor and smooth consistency. It is possible to use such things as margarine, sour cream, or plain yogurt, along with more if you are in a pinch.
In our guide, you can learn more about that dreaded Kraft Mac and Cheese no butter scenario. By the end, you’ll have enough information to know all the substitutions for butter, and ultimately, what the best butter substitute for mac and cheese is. (Read How Long Can Tuna Salad Last In The Fridge)
What Can I Use Instead of Butter in Kraft Mac and Cheese?
When you need to replace butter for making mac n cheese, you can go through this list and find the best mac and cheese substitute for butter.
Popular Butter Substitutes
Because butter isn’t needed to make a box of mac and cheese, there are some creative alternatives in the best butter alternatives. So, when you are cooking mac and cheese and are clean out of butter, pick one from this perfect butter substitute list.
Margarine
Margarine is a terrific choice if you’re looking for a great substitute to replace butter.
It has a delicious buttery flavor and a creamy texture. In addition, this product has less saturated fats and cholesterol because it is made from plant oils and is dairy-free.
Margarine is the most obvious butter substitute when you make mac and cheese because it has a similar flavor and feel to butter.
Of the top substitutions, vegan-friendly margarine can also help with being a weight-loss option.
Margarine is the finest butter alternative in mac n cheese since it has a comparable flavor and texture.
Sour Cream
Anyone who loves baked potatoes is likely to have this recipe on hand. In-boxed pasta, you can use sour cream for milk and replace butter.
The final product will be a rich, creamy dish with a slightly tangy taste. However, bear in mind that it is high in fat and calories, so don’t eat too much of it. When you make mac and cheese, aim for four tablespoons to add to the base sauce.
Mayonnaise
Many people like to use mayo as a non-butter alternative in cooked macaroni. Mayo is comparable to sour cream because it is fat-dense it has a mild sour flavor. It can lead to a gooey feast, but it’s more commonly seen in a baked macaroni cooking process than on the stovetop. (Read How Long Do Mashed Potatoes Last)
Plain Yogurt
Adding plain, unflavored yogurt to extra creamy mac n cheese is another option instead of adding butter. Greek yogurt is a high-protein food that makes for an especially delectable dinner. Yogurt can also help keep down the calorie count, as can many of these alternatives.
Greek yogurt offers a thicker sauce and creamy flavor with a hint of zest, so you can easily leave out the butter and milk. When making, add the yogurt simultaneously as you add milk and the cheese powder.
Cream Cheese
Substituting cream cheese when the recipe calls for milk and butter is easy, and a delicious dish ends up with an even richer flavor. It adds a pleasant, almost sweet taste that is ultra-creamy and fatty.
For added flavoring, cream cheese is an excellent substitute. You can also combine it with lighter ingredients like oil to give a rich, creamy texture.
Again, this is more of a flavor substitution, but a tiny quantity of oil, ghee, or margarine should still be used to avoid a sticky roux or noodles. Cottage cheese makes another great alternative if you don’t have cream cheese.
Heavy Cream
Because butter is derived from heavy cream, it’s no surprise that heavy cream is among the best butter substitutes for mac and cheese. This is a great way to make a luscious, rich sauce in the final dish.
Another reason for using heavy cream as a substitute is that you can use it to make your butter so you can make your mac and cheese with a made-at-home feel.
Olive Oil
Olive oil can be used in place of butter in many recipes to reduce saturated fat levels. However, don’t add too much when using olive oil, as the entire dish can turn out oily.
Certain plant-based oils, such as coconut oil, can replicate the texture of butter. Although coconut oil is the greatest for flavor, other oils like vegetable oil can be used instead.
Vegetable oil is bland, but you can spice it up with a pinch of chili flakes for extra flavor.
Bacon Grease
Bacon grease is another butter substitute for mac and cheese. After cooking, you can use any fat such as bacon grease to make a roux.
The fat adds more to the characteristic sauce of mac n cheese. As a result, you should be able to and encouraged to use bacon grease as a butter substitute.
Ghee
Ghee is clarified butter that has been cooked at a low temperature and then filtered to remove any water. Ghee with mac & cheese is worth a try, even if you prefer butter—this clarified butter’s rich, nutty flavor pairs well with other components.
The flavor of ghee isn’t the only reason; it’s also a wonderful option for folks who are allergic to dairy. Ghee is one of the greatest butter substitutes for mac and cheese, whether you make it yourself or buy it at the supermarket.
Can Mac and Cheese Be Made Without Butter?
With all the substitutes for butter, you can’t just add the same quantity. Some are measured differently, and you have liquids and solids.
Here’s more about how much butter substitute you need.
Because margarine is nearly equal to butter, you can use the recommended amount. When a recipe calls for four tablespoons of butter, for example, use four tablespoons of margarine instead of four tablespoons of butter.
When using yogurt, mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream, use about a cup per box of pasta. The right amount is determined by the taste and texture you choose.
Drizzle half a tablespoon of olive oil into your mixture. Add another half if it still seems dry. With any oil, take care as all your sauce can turn out a runny mess.
If you use cooking oil or another cooking fat, but the flavor is bland, add some chicken bouillon powder or a flavored cube to boost the flavor.
What if you are out of butter, cheese, or milk? You can try broth, plant milk, or another milk alternative in place of dairy milk. In a pinch, powdered milk can be used, and you can make it as strong as you like.
Because boxed mac & cheese isn’t a gourmet dish, any changes you make can still end up close to the intended flavor. You can even add cheese sauce or some processed cheese.
It is worth keeping a can of evaporated milk in your pantry, should you ever run out of milk for cooking. (Read Best Way To Reheat Pastrami)
Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (Contains No Butter)
Here’s a quick homemade mac and cheese recipe that doesn’t use any butter but is still packed with all-important cheese taste.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces macaroni noodles
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 1 cup butter substitute (mayo, sour cream, yogurt, or any of the above)
Directions
- Bring Water To Boil
- Cook Macaroni Noodles as instructed (around 8 – 10 minutes)
- Drain Water
- Combine Cheese and butter substitute and Mix
- Add to your baking dish
- Bake in your oven at 350 Degrees Fahrenheit for 30 – 35 minutes
Boxed Mac and Cheese
Is Butter Necessary for Macaroni and Cheese?
Here you can find out a bit more of the stand on adding butter or excluding butter from your boxed mac and cheese.
Because butter has a short shelf life, it is not included in packaged mac and cheese. However, you can still prepare a creamy and tasty macaroni and cheese without butter, albeit it will taste different.
You might be out of butter or looking for a healthier version of macaroni and cheese.
By reducing the quantity of fat consumed, omitting butter can help you lose weight. Butter isn’t required much, unlike baking, which is a more precise art.
Boiling the noodles is the only cooking involved in mac and cheese.
After that is done, butter is added. It has a negligible impact on the actual cooking part of the process. The rest is simply combining the materials.
Butter is not required for packaged or boxed macaroni and cheese. Butter may even be listed as an optional ingredient on some labels.
