Garden Vegetable Mac and Cheese (Print Version)

Creamy macaroni and cheese elevated with broccoli, carrots, and peas for a wholesome family meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10 oz elbow macaroni

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped small
03 - 1 cup carrots, diced
04 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Cheese Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
09 - 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
10 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
11 - 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
12 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Topping

14 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
15 - 1 tablespoon melted butter

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 1 minute less than package directions. Add broccoli and carrots in the final 3 minutes of cooking. Add peas during the final minute. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a roux.
04 - Gradually whisk milk into the roux, stirring constantly until smooth and slightly thickened, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until cheese is fully melted and sauce reaches smooth consistency.
06 - Combine drained pasta and vegetables with cheese sauce, mixing thoroughly. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
07 - Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and evenly sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture.
08 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The vegetable trick works so well that even picky eaters clean their plates without a single complaint
  • Homemade cheese sauce comes together in minutes and tastes infinitely better than anything from a box
02 -
  • The first time I made this I added all the vegetables at the beginning and ended up with mushy broccoli so now I add them in stages based on how long each needs to cook
  • Grating your own cheese makes such a huge difference in texture that once you try it you will never go back to pre shredded bags again
03 -
  • Room temperature milk incorporates into the roux much more smoothly than cold milk straight from the fridge
  • Letting the baked dish rest for ten minutes before serving helps the sauce set slightly so it does not run all over the plate
Go Back