Broccoli Mac & Cheese starts with a layer of broccoli with cheesy pasta added and then it’s baked to perfection.
Broccoli Mac & Cheese
I am a huge fan of Mac & Cheese, the homemade kind, not the boxed kind. This version has some broccoli added in and the best way to eat broccoli is with some cheese on it! If you are trying to add more vegetables into your diet, or better yet, into your kids diet, this is a good place to start.
Add the broccoli to the baking dish.
The broccoli is blanched then layered on the bottom of the baking dish. While the pasta is cooking you whip up the cheese sauce.
Add the cheese sauce to the pasta.
The cheese sauce is actually a healthy version using low fat milk, a mixture of flour and cornstarch to thicken the sauce and the amount of cheese is minimal for a cheese sauce.
Lastly you mix together some butter and bread crumbs to add to the top of the pasta. Lastly you bake the dish to combine all the flavors.
Enjoy!
Add the pasta over the top of the broccoli.
Add the bread crumbs.
The end product is delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
- 1 pound pasta
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 1/2 cups low-fat milk
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 12 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with enough water to reach a depth of 2 inches and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse with cold water. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the broccoli in an even layer.
- Fill the same pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain.
- Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees . In a sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup milk until thickened, then whisk in 1 cup more. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, then whisk the mixture into the pot. Simmer, whisking, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the cheddar and 4 tablespoons parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the pasta. Spoon the mixture over the broccoli.
- In a small heatproof bowl, add the 1/2 tablespoon butter; microwave at high power until melted, about 20 seconds. Stir in the bread crumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on the pasta. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
You can skip the broccoli if you would like, but I highly recommend it. If you don't have shallots, use a small onion in its place.
I used Rigatoni for the pasta, feel free to use any small shaped pasta for this recipe.
Adapted from Everyday with Rachel Ray
