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Photo of Baked macaroni and cheese with broccoli by WW

Baked macaroni and cheese with broccoli

8
Points®
Total Time
1 hr
Prep
15 min
Cook
45 min
Serves
8
Difficulty
Moderate
This casserole-like dish hits the spot when you’re in the mood for a hearty pasta recipe. It takes just about an hour to make, 20 to 25 minutes of which is hands-off baking time, but you'll really love the end result after this little bit of extra effort if you want to impress your family and/or guests. It features an insanely savory combination of broccoli florets, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, skim milk, diced onions, Mexican-style shredded cheese, and Dijon mustard. Be sure that you serve it right away for the best flavor and texture. Try this recipe with cauliflower, kale, or Brussels sprouts instead of broccoli if you're looking for a different take.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

4 spray(s)

Uncooked pasta

12 oz, gemelli or other twisted pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)

Table salt

⅛ tsp, for pasta cooking water

Broccoli

10 oz, small florets (about 2 1/2 cups)

Salted butter

1 tsp

Fresh breadcrumbs

⅓ cup(s)

Grated Parmesan cheese

3 Tbsp, divided

Fat free skim milk

2½ cup(s)

All-purpose flour

⅓ cup(s)

Onion

½ cup(s), chopped, or diced

Shredded reduced fat Mexican-style cheese blend

1 cup(s)

Dijon mustard

1 tsp

Table salt

1½ tsp

Black pepper

½ tsp, freshly ground

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a shallow 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water according to package directions, adding broccoli to water 3 minutes before pasta will be done; drain pasta and broccoli and return to pot.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until light golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer crumbs to a small bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and set aside.
  4. In same saucepan (wipe clean if necessary), whisk together milk and flour until blended; add onion. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and whisk in shredded cheese, mustard, salt, pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Pour over cooked, drained pasta and broccoli; toss to mix and coat.
  6. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle top evenly with bread crumbs. Bake until bubbly at edges, about 20 to 25 minutes. Divide into 8 pieces and serve.
  7. Yields 1 piece per serving.

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