Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese

broccoli mac and cheese on plate with fork

5 from 2 ratings

from kristineskitchenblog.com

This Broccoli Mac and Cheese is a creamy, cheesy baked homemade macaroni and cheese at its best. Pure homemade comfort food that the whole family will enjoy.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Servings: servings

Calories: 572kcal

Ingredients

For the casserole:

2 cups chopped broccoli florets
10 ounces dry pasta preferred shells or macaroni
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic minced
2 ½ cups milk lowfat or whole milk
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (10 ounces by weight)

For the topping:

¾ cup breadcrumbs store-bought or homemade*
1 tablespoon butter melted

Instructions

Make the casserole:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and boil for 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli to a colander, keeping the water in the pot boiling.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain pasta and return to the empty pot.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and then the minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat until it comes to a low boil and thickens, whisking often, about 5 minutes total. Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper, and Dijon. Then stir in the cheddar cheese, a little bit at a time, until it melts into the sauce.
Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta in the pot. Add the cooked broccoli and stir gently to combine. Pour into a 3 quart or 13x9-inch baking dish.

Make the topping:

Stir together the breadcrumbs and melted butter and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake mac and cheese in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Check after 12 minutes and cover with foil if needed to prevent the topping from over-browning.

Notes

It is best to buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese from the store often has a coating that prevents it from melting smoothly.
To make homemade breadcrumbs: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a food processor, process 4 slices whole-wheat bread until you have fine crumbs. Lay crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the preheated oven until dry and very lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Stir after 10 minutes to help crumbs brown evenly. Extra breadcrumbs can be stored in the freezer.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.