This broccoli cheddar mac and cheese is so good, I can’t stop making it!
It’s full of tender pasta, fresh broccoli florets, and a velvety smooth cheese sauce. I was instantly hooked as soon as I tried it.
As a bonus, it comes together in under 30 minutes.
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I like to finish mine with a sprinkle of toasted panko breadcrumbs for a little crunch. But feel free to customize it with your favorite toppings. Homemade mac and cheese never tasted so good!
Why You'll Love This Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Here are just a few reasons to love this recipe!
- Comfort Classic: It’s a timeless classic with a grown-up twist!
- Crowd-Pleaser: Everyone loves it, making it perfect for family dinners, potlucks, and gatherings.
- Versatile Recipe: The recipe can be easily customized with different pasta shapes, cheeses, toppings, and mix-ins.
- Leftover Magic: This mac and cheese tastes even better the next day. Leftovers can be repurposed into creative dishes like mac and cheese balls, grilled cheese sandwiches, or pizza.
Ingredients
You only need a few ingredients for this amazing mac and cheese:
- Elbow Macaroni or Cavatappi Pasta: The twisty noodles capture the luscious cheese sauce.
- Broccoli Florets: They add color and a dose of nutrition to the dish.
- Butter: The creamy foundation to bring the flavors together.
- All-Purpose Flour: The magic thickening agent that transforms milk into a velvety smooth sauce.
- Whole Milk: It adds body and richness to create the most decadent cheese sauce.
- Seasonings: I use Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Sharp Cheddar and Gruyere Cheeses: This blend makes for the ultimate gooey, cheesy indulgence.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Making this mac and cheese is so simple:
- Cook the pasta and broccoli. Boil pasta until al dente, adding the broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain.
- Make the roux. Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook until golden and bubbly.
- Create the sauce. Gradually whisk the milk, Dijon, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper into the roux. Simmer until thickened.
- Add the cheese. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar and Gruyere until melted and smooth.
- Combine the ingredients. Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the cheese sauce, stirring until well coated. Season if needed.
- Bake (optional). For baked mac and cheese, transfer to a greased dish. Top with cheese and breadcrumbs, and bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes.
Tips For the Best Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese
These tips make your broccoli mac and cheese even better:
- Pick your pasta. Use short, twisty pasta shapes like elbow macaroni, cavatappi, or shells. They scoop up the sauce best.
- Get cheesy. Use a combination of sharp cheddar for flavor and a good melting cheese for the creamiest texture. Shred the cheese yourself for the best consistency.
- Save your pasta water. Reserve some of the starchy pasta cooking water to thin out the cheese sauce.
- Try some tasty toppings. Top the mac and cheese with buttery breadcrumbs, extra cheese, or crispy bacon.
- Vary it up. Mix up the cheeses, or add protein or more veggies.
- Don't overcook! Add the broccoli at the end and cook until just tender. Mushy broccoli is no fun!
How to Store
Here’s how to keep your leftover mac and cheese fresh:
To Store: Keep leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Cool completely before storing to prevent condensation and sogginess.
To Freeze: You can freeze in air-tight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Or, bake from frozen at 350°F covered for 1 hour, then uncovered for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
To Reheat: Reheat in the microwave at 50% power. Stir every minute and add 1 tablespoon of milk per cup of pasta to restore creaminess.
You can also reheat in a 350°F oven covered with foil for 20 minutes. Then, bake uncovered for 10 more minutes until hot and bubbly.
More Pasta Dinners You'll Love
French Onion Pasta
Rattlesnake Pasta
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Easy Pasta Primavera
Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese
6
servings15
minutes20
minutes744
kcalThis broccoli cheddar mac and cheese is creamy, cheesy, and so delicious! Adding broccoli to the classic dish brings a pop of color and extra nutrition.
Ingredients
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi pasta
4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the boiling pasta water. Drain the pasta and broccoli.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden and bubbly to make a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar and Gruyere cheeses until melted and smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the cheese sauce and stir until everything is well coated. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- For baked mac and cheese, transfer to a greased baking dish. Top with some additional shredded cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned on top.
- Serve the broccoli cheddar mac and cheese hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Using a combination of flavorful cheeses like sharp cheddar and Gruyere.
- Be sure not to overcook the broccoli so it retains texture.
- Season the sauce well with Dijon, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper for maximum flavor.
6 Comments
An excellent recipe, with outstanding results! This Mac & Cheese was absolutely delicious. I’m a home cook though hadn’t made mac & cheese in a while, needed a good recipe for proportions & flavors, so I briefly reviewed several and this one jumped out as clearly having the most thoughtful, well put-together recipe. And, your notes and tips are absolutely perfect, great useful info (especially for newer cooks, I’m sure).
And oh yeah, I used Pepper Jack (for creaminess & a touch zing) for about 1/3 of the cheese, plus Sharp Cheddar & Gruyere, and finally just a little – about 1/4 lb American cheese (rounding out that old-timey flavor). It was a great combo for us. Thank you for this recipe, I can’t say enough about it!
An excellent recipe, with outstanding results! This Mac & Cheese was absolutely delicious. I’m a home cook though hadn’t made mac & cheese in a while, needed a good recipe for proportions & flavors, so I briefly reviewed several and this one jumped out as clearly having the most thoughtful, well put-together recipe. And, your notes and tips are absolutely perfect, great useful info (especially for newer cooks, I’m sure).
And oh yeah, I used Pepper Jack (for creaminess & a touch zing), sharp cheddar, gruyere, and just a little – about 1/4 lb American cheese (for that old-timey flavor). It as a great combo for us. Thank you for this recipe, I can’t say enough about it!
In the process of making. Question: Can velveeta cheese be used?
Hi, Arlene!
So, the short answer is yes. You could use Velveeta in this recipe. However, I don’t think I’d recommend it.
It’s not going to have nearly the same bold flavor as Gruyere and cheddar and will likely turn out pretty bland unless you add a lot more seasonings. Also, since Velveeta is super creamy, I’m not sure how it would affect the roux. You’d likely have to adjust that as well or risk a really runny sauce. The baking time, too, might have to be adjusted, as Velveeta can burn more quickly than the other cheeses.
So, again, YES, you CAN use Velveeta, but by the time you substituted it and changed all the things that needed changing, it might be an entirely new recipe. Haha.
If you DO try it, though, please come back and tell me how it worked and what all adjustments you had to make. I’m interested to know how it would turn out. 🙂
I like Easy & Fast😁
Me too!