Baked Macaroni Cheese Broccoli (Printable)

Creamy baked macaroni combined with broccoli florets and a golden cheese crust for a satisfying meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Vegetables

02 - 10 oz broccoli florets

→ Cheese Sauce

03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 3 cups whole milk
06 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
07 - 1 cup Gruyère or mozzarella cheese, shredded
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
10 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
11 - 1/4 tsp nutmeg
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Topping

13 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
14 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
15 - 1 tbsp olive oil or melted butter

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 2.5-quart baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni 2 minutes less than package directions. Add broccoli florets during last 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar, Gruyère, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth.
05 - Mix cooked macaroni and broccoli into cheese sauce until evenly coated. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
06 - Combine panko, Parmesan, and olive oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture.
07 - Bake for 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broccoli sneaks in actual vegetables while the cheese sauce makes everyone forget they're eating something nutritious.
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all day thinking about your guests.
  • The panko crust gets so gloriously golden that people always ask for the secret.
02 -
  • Undercooking the pasta by two minutes is essential. It finishes cooking in the oven, and overcooked pasta turns to mush.
  • Shredding your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded makes the sauce silky. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly.
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking. Five minutes lets the sauce set slightly, so it stays on your fork instead of running across the plate.
03 -
  • Taste the sauce before it goes into the baking dish. This is your only chance to adjust salt, pepper, and spice without disturbing everything else.
  • If your sauce looks slightly thin, it will thicken more as it bakes. If it looks thick in the pot, it's perfect—don't panic.

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