Macaroni Gratin (Milk-Free)
マカロニグラタン（乳なし）
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Macaroni gratin is a much-loved dish on Japanese school lunch menus, and this version is made entirely without milk, butter or cheese. The white sauce is built on soy milk instead, so it has the same creamy, comforting feel as the classic. Tender chicken, sweet sautéed onion and soft macaroni are folded into the sauce, then baked until the panko topping turns golden and crisp. It is mild and gentle in flavor, which is exactly why little ones take to it so readily.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 27 gchicken thigh
- 40.5 gonion
- 7.5 gmacaroni
Seasonings
- 3.8 gvegetable oil
- 4.5 gflour
- 63 gsweetened soy milk (Japanese chosei tonyu)Japanese 'prepared' soy milk that is lightly sweetened and flavored to taste milder than plain soy milk. Substitute: Regular (original, lightly sweetened) soy milk from the supermarket.
- 0.2 gsalt
- 0.2 gconsommé bouillon (allergen-free)Japanese-style consommé stock granules or cubes, used as a Western-style soup base. This kind is made without egg and milk, but most recipes on this site that use it list wheat in their allergens, so check the label if you avoid wheat. Substitute: A chicken or vegetable bouillon powder or cube made without egg, milk or wheat (check the label).
- 1.5 gpanko
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- sweetened soy milk (Japanese chosei tonyu) (調製豆乳)
- Japanese 'prepared' soy milk that is lightly sweetened and flavored to taste milder than plain soy milk. Substitute: Regular (original, lightly sweetened) soy milk from the supermarket.
- consommé bouillon (allergen-free) (コンソメ（アレルゲン不使用）)
- Japanese-style consommé stock granules or cubes, used as a Western-style soup base. This kind is made without egg and milk, but most recipes on this site that use it list wheat in their allergens, so check the label if you avoid wheat. Substitute: A chicken or vegetable bouillon powder or cube made without egg, milk or wheat (check the label).
Directions
- 1
Cut the chicken into 1 cm dice and slice the onion thinly, cutting the slices in half lengthwise. Boil the macaroni.
- 2
Heat the oil in a pot, add the onion and sauté well until soft and wilted. Add the chicken and sauté.
- 3
Turn off the heat, sprinkle in the flour and stir until no dry flour remains. Return to low heat and gradually stir in the soy milk.
- 4
Once the sauce begins to thicken, turn off the heat and stir in the macaroni. Add the salt and consommé bouillon.
- 5
Pour the mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Scatter the panko over the top and bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (400°F) for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 181.5 kcal | 363 kcal | 181.5 kcal |
| Protein | 8.3 g | 16.5 g | 8.3 g |
| Fat | 10.1 g | 20.1 g | 10.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16.5 g | 33 g | 16.5 g |
| Fiber | 2.1 g | 4.2 g | 2.1 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Calcium | 31.5 mg | 63 mg | 31.5 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg | 2.4 mg | 1.2 mg |
| Potassium | 268.5 mg | 537 mg | 268.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 181.5 kcal | 8.3 g | 10.1 g | 16.5 g | 2.1 g | 0.3 g | 31.5 mg | 1.2 mg | 268.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 363 kcal | 16.5 g | 20.1 g | 33 g | 4.2 g | 0.6 g | 63 mg | 2.4 mg | 537 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
