Broccoli and White Cheddar Baked Shells
Broccoli and cheddar baked shells is comfort food at its finest! This classic macaroni and cheese is quick and easy for family meals, and upscale enough for company.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried pasta shells
- 6 cups chopped broccoli, loosely packed
- salt
for the white cheddar sauce
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
for topping
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Boil the pasta until it is al dente (it will cook a little bit more in the cheese sauce, so don't overcook it), adding the chopped broccoli into the boiling water a minute or two before the pasta is done cooking. Drain, season lightly with salt and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Then whisk in the flour to make a roux.
- Cook the roux (it should be bubbling, but not turning brown) for a couple of minutes, and then slowly add the milk, a little at a time, whisking well between each addition to keep the sauce smooth.
- When all the milk has been added, gently bring the mixture up to a simmer.
- Once you start to see the mixture simmer, take it off the heat, and add the shredded cheese, starting with just 1/4 cup or so, and mixing it in to the sauce. Then add the the rest of the cheese in a couple batches, mixing each addition in.
- When the cheese has melted into the sauce, season with nutmeg and pepper to taste. Then toss it with the pasta and broccoli, and transfer everything to an oven safe baker.
- Top with the 1/2 cup extra shredded cheddar cheese, and bake for about 15-20 minutes until bubbling. You can broil the baked pasta for another couple of minutes for a browned top if you like.
Nutrition
Calories: 678 kcal · Carbohydrates: 72 g · Protein: 31 g · Fat: 30 g · Saturated Fat: 18 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 87 mg · Sodium: 439 mg · Potassium: 679 mg · Fiber: 5 g · Sugar: 10 g · Vitamin A: 1506 IU · Vitamin C: 81 mg · Calcium: 606 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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