Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe- A not so skinny version
This recipe was originally published in 2012 and was updated & republished in 2020 with a new video.
Aside from a bowl of hot, brothy noodles, no other dish comforts me more than a bowl of mac and cheese. Since I developed my one pot stove top mac and cheese recipe, I’ve made it easier to stuff my face silly with cheesy-happiness. But to alleviate some of the calorie guilt of inhaling 3 bowls, I think of greens.
Oh yes, broccoli-greens-healthier-better-eat more. This sounds like a rational formula to eating Mac and cheese a few times a week. I love giving myself excuses for eating more by adding something, anything and always green. favorite colors as a kid so all this makes sense. Feeling so inspired, I googled to find a broccoli mac and cheese recipe. Lo and behold, I found this one by Gina.
Video : Skinny Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Light Mac and Cheese Recipe with Broccoli
A skinny mac and cheese recipe by a skinny girl? Oh yes, I’m all for it. I feel healthier already. Gina’s recipe looked amazing with the chicken broth for less fat and lots of flavor. Off I go into my kitchen make an inspired skinny mac an cheese. As I assemble my ingredients I notice I already lost the skinny battle. Per Gina’s recipe, I don’t have any fat free chicken broth. Ok, so my version will be a little less skinny.
Oh wait, I don’t have skim milk. Maybe my version won’t be so skinny. And I used more Parmesan cheese cause my brain doesn’t comprehend anything below one cup of Parmesan cheese. Now, let’s just forget the skinny. Fine, alright, ok. My version isn’t so skinny anymore but it’s darn delicious and it’s got extra broccoli in it! Gina’s recipe is wonderful and for those of you who have a healthier stocked kitchen than I do, then her version is for you.
For the rest of you, here’s my Not So Skinny broccoli Mac and cheese recipe.
Broccoli power,
diane
cook mac pasta a little firm, al dente so that after baking, the texture is perfect
This was originally published in 2012 and was updated & republished in 2020.
Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz (453 g) dried elbow macaroni , cooked to pkg. instructions, but leaving them a little firm
- 2 medium (2 medium) heads fresh broccoli (14-16oz), but in small bite size pieces
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) butter , or olive oil
- 1/4 cup (30 g) flour
- 1 (1) small onion , minced
- 3 cloves (3 cloves) garlic , minced (optional)
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chicken or vegetable broth , or stock
- 2 cups (226 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (100 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- about 1/2 cup of extra cheese for topping
- 1/4 cup (27 g) bread crumbs
- 3/4 teaspoon (3.7 ml) kosher salt and black pepper , or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a large 9 x 12 baking dish.
- In large pot, boil water and cook pasta to instructions, but leaving pasta a little al dente. About 3 minutes before draining pasta, add broccoli to cook in water alongside pasta. I like my broccoli a little firm, so that it doesn't end up mushy after the bake. You can decide how cooked you want your broccoli by adding it in sooner.
- While pasta is cooking prepare the cheese and milk mixture. In large pot on medium heat, add butter/oil, onions and garlic. Cook until soft, then add flour. Stir flour quickly to combine the flour and onion rue mixture. Add milk and broth/stock.
- Allow mixture to come to a boil and sauce will thicken. Remove from heat and add cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain your cooked pasta and broccoli and add to cheese mixture. Gently mix together and pour into baking dish. Add extra cheese and bread crumbs on top.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted with a nice crust.
We made this recipe with the kids (who aren’t too keen on veggies) and they absolutely loved it! This is now our favorite mac & cheese recipe!
What is the name of your diet recipe page? I forgot it and can’t find it linked here or on your personal page. Thanks!
Hi Kris, we have a low carb recipe site here. Thanks! EatBetterRecipes.com
I substituted peas instead of broccoli and added ham, also added celery to the rue mixture, came out delicious
That’s awesome with peas and ham. Love it!
I think you could just add chopped broccoli to your stovetop mac and cheese ๐ simple and fewer steps hehe
We couldn’t stop eating. This is the best thing ฤฐ’ve made in a looong time.
Oh My! I just finished Making this, halved the recepie but instead used colliflower and did everything as you described, after a bowl of this i can say i am hooked and will be making many more batches!
Thank You for posting this!
i’ve been searching online for ways to get my two year old to eat broccoli. i happily stumbled upon your recipe today. i knew he wouldn’t eat the broccoli in big pieces so i minced the broccoli and added it with the onion, and did everything else as described, minus the chicken broth. his face is practically in the bowl as i’m typing away ๐ i personally loved the extra crunch from the bread crumbs. thank you and gina for this recipe.
I made this for dinner last night and it was fantastic! I added some more bread crumbs on top, used vegetable broth (since we are vegetarian), and a combination of low fat/whole milk. We all really enjoyed. Thanks!
Happy Tasty Tuesday! We love this recipe and it is featured on our Recipes for the Food Holidays of October! Thanks for sharing!
http://4virtu.com/2012/10/tasty-tuesday-recipes-for-the-food-holidays-of-october/
I love this version of mac n cheese and what I love the most is the shades of “skinny” we can each achieve. I’d love to have you share some of your pasta treats with Presto Pasta Night Roundups http://www.prestopastanights.com
Love this! As a kid, the only way I would eat broccoli was if it was covered in Cheez Whiz ๐
Michelle- Do you still eat your broccoli with cheez whiz? ๐ and thank you for adding us to your weekend list. xoxo
I agree, mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food — to the point where, in a rare spate of homesickness, my boyfriend asked me to go to one of the expat stores here in Paris to pick up a few blue boxes and wieners for dinner. This sounds much more up my alley!
Looks fab! We all need a treat some days!
As I always say, you only live once, so enjoy good food while you can. The problem is, that seems to happen every day! ๐ Happy weekend!
Aww, you tried and that’s what counts! Whatever you do don’t look at the version I have in my index..It’s from Pioneer Woman and it is sooo not skinny. But it’s ridiculously tasty!!
Sometimes you need to screw skinny and just do plain ‘ol delicious.
Sounds like perhaps this can do both!
YUM!