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Veggie Mac And Cheese

Veggie mac and cheese with a creamy cheddar-Gruyère sauce and a golden panko breadcrumb crust. Blanched broccoli, peas, roasted red peppers, and spinach are folded in for colorful, melty every bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and vegetables
  • 1 lb elbow pasta or shells Use elbow pasta or shells for classic scooping texture.
  • 2 broccoli florets, blanched
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup roasted red peppers, diced
  • 1 cup baby spinach
Cheese sauce
  • 3 cup sharp cheddar, shredded Shred for best melt and smooth sauce.
  • 1 cup Gruyere, shredded
  • 2 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Topping and seasoning
  • 1 cup panko
  • 2 tbsp butter For the panko topping; use unsalted butter if desired.
  • 0.25 cup parmesan
  • 0.5 Salt and pepper to taste Season in layers until the filling tastes balanced.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prepare the pasta
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and grease a 9x13 dish.
  2. Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain it well.
Make the cheese sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute.
  2. Gradually add whole milk and heavy cream, then simmer until thick.
  3. Stir in sharp cheddar, Gruyere, Dijon mustard, and smoked paprika until smooth.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fold in the pasta, broccoli florets, frozen peas, roasted red peppers, and baby spinach, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, then mix panko with butter and parmesan and scatter over the top.
  3. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375F until golden on top and bubbling at the edges.

Notes

For a thicker sauce that holds its shape, simmer the milk-and-cream mixture until it coats the back of a spoon before adding the cheeses. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat covered in a 350F oven or microwave until hot throughout. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can become grainy after thawing. For a lighter version, use 1% milk and half-and-half in place of the whole milk and heavy cream, keeping the cheese amounts the same for flavor and melt.