Cheesy Baked Mac & Cheese with Roasted Broccoli
Creamy mac and cheese with a kid-friendly broccoli boost
Prep 15 min
Cook 45 min
Total 1 hr
Serves 4
This baked mac and cheese is the ultimate family-friendly dinner, combining a rich, cheesy sauce with tender elbow macaroni and a healthy dose of broccoli. It’s comfort food that even picky eaters finish, perfect for weeknight meals with plenty of leftovers to enjoy.
Cook this with the Forkful app
Save this recipe, get step-by-step cooking mode, automatic nutrition, and grocery lists.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
- 0.25 cup salted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2.5 cups milk (more if needed)
- 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 0.5 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1 pinch ground paprika
- 3 cups broccoli florets (cut into bite-sized pieces)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to blanch them slightly. Drain both and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture turns a light golden color, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring to prevent lumps.
- Remove from heat and stir in the shredded Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses until melted and smooth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to your liking. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more milk to reach your desired consistency.
- Combine the cooked macaroni and broccoli with the cheese sauce, mixing well. Transfer everything into the prepared baking dish.
- In a small skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until they are golden brown and crisp.
- Sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs evenly over the mac and cheese, then dust with a pinch of paprika.
- Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the cheese sauce is bubbly and creamy.
Pro tip: Add the broccoli to the pasta water during the last few minutes of cooking to keep it bright and tender without extra cooking time.
Nutrition
This recipe works out to about 510 calories per serving. For the full breakdown, protein, carbs, and fat included, save it in the Forkful app: nutrition is calculated automatically from the ingredient list.
Save this recipe to your phone
Save this recipe, get step-by-step cooking mode, automatic nutrition, and grocery lists.
