Green Mac Cheese Spinach Broccoli (Printable Version)

Creamy green mac featuring spinach, broccoli, and melted cheeses for a hearty, flavorful main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or short pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 7 oz fresh spinach, washed
03 - 7 oz broccoli florets
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
08 - 2 cups whole milk
09 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add broccoli florets. Drain pasta and broccoli together and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to a blender.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
04 - Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes.
05 - Add cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Dijon mustard to the sauce. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
06 - Add half the sauce to the blender with wilted spinach. Blend until completely smooth and bright green.
07 - Return blended spinach sauce to the skillet and stir to combine with the remaining cheese sauce.
08 - Add drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly with green cheese sauce. Heat gently until everything is warmed through.
09 - Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes decadent and cheesy while sneaking in real vegetables your whole family will eat without complaint.
  • The blended spinach creates this silky, bright sauce that looks restaurant-worthy but comes together in under an hour.
02 -
  • Whisking constantly when you add the milk is non-negotiable, because one moment of distraction and you'll have lumps that even blending can't fix perfectly.
  • The spinach needs to be in the sauce, not trying to hide at the bottom of the bowl, and blending it directly into half the sauce is the only way to guarantee even distribution of flavor and that beautiful color.
03 -
  • Always taste your sauce before adding the pasta because that's your only chance to adjust salt and seasonings, and cheese masks under-seasoning in a way that's hard to fix.
  • Keep the heat low once you've added the cheese so nothing separates or breaks, and remember that residual heat will keep everything warm while you plate it.
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