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Lighter Alpine Macaroni (Älplermagronen) with Applesauce & Green Salad
Recipe

Lighter Alpine Macaroni (Älplermagronen) with Applesauce & Green Salad

Main • Switzerland

A practical, lighter take on classic Älplermagronen: whole-wheat macaroni and tender potatoes in a light onion-yogurt sauce, finished with a little Gruyère. Served with unsweetened applesauce and a crisp green salad for balance.

Why smarter

Whole-wheat pasta adds fiber, the sauce leans on a small amount of cheese plus yogurt instead of cream, and salad + applesauce make the plate feel complete without relying on heavy portions.

Chef tip

Slice the potatoes small (about 1.5 cm) so they cook quickly with the pasta. If the sauce feels thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water.

Soft line

Classic comfort, just a bit lighter—still properly Swiss.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Whole-wheat macaroni 280.000 g whole-wheat macaroni
2 Waxy potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1.5 cm) 400.000 g potatoes waxy
3 Onions, thinly sliced 200.000 g onion
4 Canola oil 10.000 ml canola oil
5 Vegetable stock (or water + 1 tsp stock powder) 250.000 ml vegetable stock
6 Plain yogurt (natural), stirred until smooth 150.000 g plain yogurt
7 Gruyère (or Appenzeller), coarsely grated 80.000 g Gruyère cheese or Appenzeller
8 Chives, finely chopped 10.000 g chives optional
9 Salt salt to taste
10 Black pepper black pepper to taste
11 Unsweetened applesauce (to serve) 320.000 g applesauce about 80 g per serving
12 Mixed salad leaves 200.000 g mixed salad leaves
13 Cucumber, sliced 150.000 g cucumber
14 Cherry tomatoes, halved 200.000 g cherry tomatoes
15 Canola oil (for dressing) 10.000 ml canola oil
16 Wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar 15.000 ml vinegar
17 Dijon mustard 5.000 g Dijon mustard optional

Method

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add diced potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add whole-wheat macaroni to the same pot and cook until pasta is al dente and potatoes are tender. Reserve about 150 ml cooking water, then drain.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 10 ml canola oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden.
  4. Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
  5. Turn the heat to low. Stir in the yogurt until smooth (don’t let it boil). Season with black pepper and a little salt.
  6. Add drained pasta and potatoes to the pan and toss to coat. Loosen with a splash of reserved cooking water if needed.
  7. Sprinkle over grated Gruyère and chives. Cover for 1–2 minutes to melt, then toss once more.
  8. Make the salad: toss leaves, cucumber and tomatoes with 10 ml canola oil, vinegar and mustard (if using). Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  9. Serve the macaroni with a scoop of unsweetened applesauce and the green salad on the side.