Roasted Broccoli Mac and Cheese
This broccoli mac and cheese recipe combines creamy cheddar cheese sauce with roasted broccoli for an amazing side dish. It’s great for holiday dinners, special occasions, or whenever you’re craving a bowl of decadent macaroni and cheese.
Broccoli and cheese are a perfect pair, and there’s no better way to enjoy them than in macaroni and cheese. So, we have this roasted broccoli mac and cheese recipe I’ve been making for years. It’s creamy, rich, and decadent. Basically, it is everything you want in homemade mac and cheese.
What makes it so special is the roasted broccoli. It’s an extra step but mostly a hands-off one, so it doesn’t add much time. What time it does add is totally worth it; the broccoli caramelizes in the oven, dampening its bitter flavor and making it oh-so-nice and tender.
Combine that roasted broccoli with cheddar cheese sauce and macaroni and (*chef’s kiss*) you will be so glad you tried it.
Ingredients
- Broccoli: You will need 12 ounces of florets. I like to keep them in bigger pieces for roasting.
- Pasta: We’re using classic elbow macaroni, but any short pasta shape, such as penne, rotini, cavatappi, or orecchiette, will work.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, you may want to reduce the added salt in the recipe.
- Flour: This thickens the sauce so it has the right texture and consistency.
- Whole milk: Since we’re treating ourselves, I don’t recommend substituting 2% milk. The sauce will be less creamy and rich.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Choose a good quality block cheese for the best flavor.
How to Make It
☑️ Prepare the Broccoli and Pasta
Coat the broccoli florets in some olive oil, spread them on a sheet pan, and roast them at 400°F for about 25 to 30 minutes. They’re done once they’ve caramelized around the edges and are tender.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until tender. Drain it and set it aside.
☑️ Make the Cheese Sauce
Melt butter in the same pot you used to cook the pasta. Once it’s melted, add the flour and salt. Stir and cook the mixture for about a minute.
Slowly whisk the milk into the flour mixture, making sure there are no flour lumps in the sauce. Warm the milk until it’s steaming hot, but don’t let it boil.
Add the shredded cheese to the sauce a few handfuls at a time, stirring between each addition until smooth.
☑️Add the Roasted Broccoli and Pasta
Add the roasted broccoli to the cheese sauce and stir. Add the pasta and stir again until everything is coated in the sauce.
Recipe Tips
I like bigger broccoli florets in this mac and cheese, but you can chop them up if you prefer smaller ones. After they’re roasted, chop them up as fine as you like before adding them to the cheese sauce.
This mac and cheese is best when it’s made. It will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, but the sauce will thicken once it’s cooled. To make the sauce creamier, add a few splashes of milk when you warm it up.
More Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
This decadent broccoli cheddar mac and cheese is a great side dish for holidays, special occasions, or whenever you want to treat yourself.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 12 ounces broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 ounces macaroni
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the broccoli florets on a sheet pan. Break the large ones into smaller florets. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and stir the florets to coat them. Roast them for 25 to 30 minutes or until caramelized in spots and tender. Set them aside.
- Boil the pasta following the package instructions and drain it.
- In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and salt and stir to combine. Cook the mixture while stirring for about a minute.
- Grab a whisk and slowly add the milk to the flour mixture while whisking. Whisk well as you slowly add the milk so there are no lumps. Once you’ve added all the milk, warm it until it’s steaming hot (not boiling).
- Add the shredded cheese in small batches and whisk until smooth. Add the roasted broccoli and pasta to the sauce and stir well to combine.
Notes
You can keep the florets whole (as instructed in the recipe), or chop them up before adding them to the sauce. It’s up to you!
For the most delicious mac and cheese, serve it not long after it’s made. Leftovers will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, but they won’t be as creamy. When you reheat the leftovers, add a couple of splashes of milk so the sauce is creamier.
Nutrition
- Calories: 621
- Sugar: 5.7g
- Sodium: 697mg
- Fat: 36.6g
- Saturated Fat: 18.6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.7g
- Carbohydrates: 46.3g
- Fiber: 3.1g
- Protein: 27.3g
- Cholesterol: 91.1mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
More Recipes with Broccoli
- Creamy Chicken and Rice
- Easy Beef and Broccoli
- Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
- Roasted Garlic Butter Broccoli
I hope you try this broccoli mac and cheese soon!
Happy cooking,
The recipe, photos, and post have been updated from the archives. The post was first published in November 2014.
