Description
Satisfy your cravings with Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese, featuring creamy cheddar, fresh broccoli, and a crispy panko topping, perfect for easy dinners or cozy nights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 1 large head broccoli, chopped into small florets
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2¼ cups whole milk
- 12 oz aged cheddar, grated
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Boil salted water and cook macaroni until al dente, adding broccoli florets in the last 5 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
- In a saucepan, melt butter, whisk in flour, then gradually add milk, stirring until thickened. Stir in cheddar until melted.
- In a bowl, combine melted butter, panko, and garlic powder for topping.
- Mix cheese sauce into pasta and broccoli, add salt to taste. Transfer to baking dish and top with breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Notes
This dish can easily be made gluten-free with pasta and breadcrumbs swaps.
Extra creamy sauce can be achieved by adding a splash of cream with the milk.
Avoid overcooking pasta to maintain texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg