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Ribs & Mac

Ribs & Mac

5 from 1 vote
743 Calories | 51g Protein
Quick note before you dive in:
You’ll find a brief overview up top ⬆️
and the full recipe and details below ⬇️
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Down Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours

Equipment

Servings: Makes 4

Ingredients
 

For the Ribs:

  • 2 lbs baby back ribs 1 rack
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ tbsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tbsp garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper optional for heat
  • ⅓ cup BBQ sauce for glazing

For the Mac & Cheese:

  • 8 oz elbow mac
  • 4 oz low-fat cream cheese
  • ½ cup skim milk
  • ¾ cup shredded nonfat cheddar cheese
  • ⅓ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • ½ tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp paprika

Instructions
 

Prep the ribs:

  • Preheat oven to 275°F. Remove silver skin if present and pat ribs dry. Combine dry rub ingredients in a bowl, then coat ribs generously on both sides.
    2 lbs baby back ribs, 1 tbsp brown sugar, ½ tbsp smoked paprika, ½ tbsp garlic powder, ½ tbsp onion powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp chili powder, ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • Wrap seasoned ribs tightly in foil and place on a lined baking sheet meat-side-up.

Bake low & slow:

  • Cook ribs at 275°F for 3 hours, until tender and meat pulls back from the bone.

Finish ribs:

  • Remove foil, brush with BBQ sauce, and bake uncovered at 350°F for 20–30 minutes until sticky. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
    ⅓ cup BBQ sauce

Cook pasta:

  • While ribs finish, boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
    8 oz elbow mac

Make cheese sauce:

  • Over low heat, stir in cream cheese & skim milk until smooth.
    4 oz low-fat cream cheese, ½ cup skim milk
  • When the cream cheese has melted, mix in the nonfat cheddar, garlic powder, onion powder, and Greek yogurt, salt, & pepper
    ¾ cup shredded nonfat cheddar cheese, ⅓ cup nonfat Greek yogurt, ½ tbsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp Black Pepper, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp paprika

Combine & portion:

  • Toss pasta in sauce, divide into 4 containers, and add 2–3 rib bones per serving. Store up to 4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 743kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 51gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 2051mgPotassium: 885mgFiber: 3gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 1567IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 486mgIron: 3mg