Creamy Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(35)
Ingredients
4 servings
- 8 ounces medium pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups whole milk
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
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Preparation
Step 1
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
Step 2
Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Step 3
Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, half and half, and Dijon until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Step 4
Stir in pasta, broccoli, and cheese until well combined, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 5
Serve immediately.
Step 6
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Chef's notes
You can substitute penne, elbow macaroni, ziti or fusilli for the pasta shells.
If you prefer softer broccoli, you can parboil them, adding them in during the last 5 minutes when cooking your pasta shells.
Half and half is equal parts of whole milk and cream. For 1 cup half and half, you can substitute 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.
