This easy, homemade, baked mac and cheese recipe adds broccoli to the mix, a great way to sneak veggies in a kid’s favorite dish! It’s also lightened up, so less calories than traditional mac and cheese.
Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is total comfort food, I make many variations, some I love are this Greek Mac and Cheese, Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, or this low-carb Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese. But this broccoli version is always a hit with the kids.
It’s perfect if you’re craving macaroni and cheese without wasting an entire days worth of calories in one meal. You still get that same comforting taste. This recipe, which I first posted back in 2013 was loved by all in my home, even my not-so-crazy-about-broccoli husband loved it and leftovers are perfect for lunch.
Tips and Variations
- For a stove-top broccoli mac and cheese, omit the crumb topping and serve right out of the pot.
- To speed things up, I used pre-cut fresh broccoli.
- You can bake this in one large baking dish, or individual oven safe dishes for portion control.
- You can halve the recipe and use a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
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Skinny Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 oz high fiber elbows like Ronzoni Smart Taste
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups skim milk
- 1 cup fat free chicken broth, vegetarians use vegetable broth
- 8 oz 2 cups reduced-fat sharp cheddar (Cabot 50%)
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 12 oz fresh broccoli florets, I used pre-cut bag
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Cook pasta and broccoli together in a large pot of salted water, according to package directions for al dente (or slightly under cook 2 minutes). Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter. Add onion and cook over low heat about 2 minutes, add flour and cook another minute, or until the flour is golden and well combined. Add milk and chicken broth and whisk, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil; cook about 5 minutes or until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once the sauce is thick, remove from heat, add cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked macaroni and broccoli and mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more cooking spray on top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to get the breadcrumbs golden.
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Photo Credit: Jess Larson
