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Ditch the boxed stuff and make White Mac and Cheese from scratch. It’s easy, so creamy, and totally delicious! Plus, the addition of broccoli adds some extra nutrients.
Ingredients for White Mac and Cheese with Broccoli
This white mac and cheese has a deliciously creamy sauce with lots of heavy cream and parmesan. It’s a little different than your average mac and cheese but is so good if you don’t want things too crazy cheesy.
If your kids don’t love broccoli, you could swap it out for cauliflower. The color will blend in with the pasta and you might be able to trick them into eating veggies!
- butter
- olive oil
- minced garlic
- chicken broth
- half and half
- heavy cream
- macaroni pasta
- paprika
- onion powder
- Italian seasoning
- salt
- pepper
- head of broccoli
- Parmesan cheese
How to Make White Mac and Cheese
Making this pasta dish is simple and only takes one pot. One pot meals are a lifesaver when I just can’t possibly wash another dish. I often serve these dishes on paper plates so I don’t even have to load a few plates. It’s not lazy, it’s efficient! Haha.
First, start by melting butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. (These are my absolute favorite pots and pans to use. They’re so durable and the color is adorable.)
Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds. Let that get a little fragrant but be careful not to burn it. Did you know that garlic burns very easily?
Stir in the broth, half and half, heavy cream, pasta, and all of the seasonings. Bring that all up to a simmer. Cooking the pasta in all this creaminess will make this dish so rich and delicious.
Cover and let simmer for about 3 minutes, then add in the broccoli. Recover and continue to cook for an additional 8 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through. Stir in the parmesan and let that melt. Serve and enjoy!
More Pasta Recipes
You all know that I’m a pasta fanatic. It tastes amazing and is an inexpensive way to feed my family. I love it so much! Here are a few of my very favorite pasta recipes.