Broccoli Mac and Cheese

This baked broccoli Mac and cheese because there is a need in the cool fall weather for a spoonful of hot cheesy broccoli pasta and this one so happens to have a cheesy garlic breadcrumb topping.

Did you grow up with broccoli cheese friends? I feel like that was only reserved for special occasions otherwise, in our house, it was always boiled broccoli that didn’t much excite me.

Yep, garlic breadcrumbs require a little golden crispiness on top of broccoli florets that are still full of their flavor and all coated in a cheesy cheddar sauce that pairs with the broccoli.

Why you’ll love this

Winning combo

Broccoli and cheese are a clear match made in heaven and this lets them be the combined stars of the show.

Garlic breadcrumb topping

The garlic is cooked in the butter infusing the base of the sauce, but is mixed through the breadcrumbs to make a topping that feels almost addictive to eat.

How to prepare Broccoli Mac and Cheese

• Boil your water: Boil salty water in a heavy pot.
• Broccoli: Blanche your broccoli until bright, set aside to cool.
• Boil your pasta water: Get that water into a rolling boil and cook until al dente.
• Melty garlic butter: Melt the butter with the sliced garlic.
• Garlic breadcrumbs: Remove the garlic and stir to create your breadcrumb topping.
• White sauce: Make your smooth white sauce with a whisk in hand.
• Cheesy white sauce: Add handfuls of grated cheese to your sauce until smooth and melted.
• Cut it: Cut the broccoli florets into 1 inch pieces.
• Stir it: With a little pasta water, stir the pasta and broccoli into the cheesy sauce until fully coated.
• Baking dish: Spoon into your baking dish.
• Top it: Sprinkle over the garlic breadcrumbs.
• Golden: Bake until golden.
• Serve it: Spoon onto serving plates and dig in!

Tips for the best Broccoli Mac and Cheese

Making your own breadcrumbs: You only require two pieces of sliced bread for the amount of breadcrumbs in this, so place in the oven as you heat up until lightly toasted. Remove and cool with the garlic pieces, place into a blender and blend until the mixture forms rough breadcrumbs.

More pasta recipes you’ll enjoy

Pumpkin and Fennel Pasta Bake

Beef Stroganoff with Buttered Pasta

Leek and Goats Cheese Pasta

Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Recipe by Roamingtaste
Serves 6 (or more as a side)

Ingredients:
350 grams / 1 large broccoli, florets only
Crispy topping
42 grams / 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
20 grams / 1 handful cheddar cheese, grated
Cheese sauce
55 grams / 4 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
50 grams / 6 tablespoons plain flour
500 milliliters / 2 cups milk
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
200 grams / 7.05 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
400 grams / 1 pound macaroni pasta

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 220C/430F.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil, tossing in the broccoli florets and cooking until bright green, approximately 3 minutes.

Drain and set the broccoli aside to cool.

Fill the large pot with enough water to cook your pasta and place on high heat until it has reached a rolling boil, add in 1/2 tablespoon salt.

Cook your pasta per packet directions until a butter knife cuts through it with a little resistance.

Meanwhile, place a large frying pan on medium heat and add in the butter and garlic until simmering and the garlic is beginning to turn golden at the edges.

Remove from the heat and lower the heat to low.

Remove the garlic (see note), place into a small bowl with the breadcrumbs and grated cheese for the topping, stir together and set aside.

Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk until it resembles a smooth paste.

Return the butter and flour to the heat, whisking in approximately 1/4 of the milk until smooth, if it is too thick and slightly crumbly, add a further 1/3 cup milk until the mixture is smooth.

Whisk until it thickens to the point you feel resistance and it is lightly simmering at the edges.

Add in a further 1/3 of the milk and whisk to combine, repeating the process of whisking until it thickens to the point where you feel resistance.

Add in a handful portion of the grated cheddar, whisking to combine and melt it until the sauce is smooth.

Repeat the remaining grated cheese in handfuls until fully melty and your sauce is thick and smooth.

Cut the cooled broccoli into 1 inch pieces and set aside.

Set 1/3 cup of the pasta water aside and drain the pasta.

Add to the cheesy sauce alongside the broccoli and stir together until everything is well coated in the sauce.

Spoon into your baking dish and smooth out.

Top with the garlic breadcrumbs evenly and place in the oven for 15 minutes until golden on top.

Remove and serve up.

Dig in!

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