This easy, homemade, baked mac and cheese recipe adds broccoli to the mix, a great way to sneak veggies in a kid’s favorite dish! It’s also lightened up, so less calories than traditional mac and cheese.
Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is total comfort food, I make many variations, some I love are this Greek Mac and Cheese, Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, or this low-carb Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese. But this broccoli version is always a hit with the kids.
It’s perfect if you’re craving macaroni and cheese without wasting an entire days worth of calories in one meal. You still get that same comforting taste. This recipe, which I first posted back in 2013 was loved by all in my home, even my not-so-crazy-about-broccoli husband loved it and leftovers are perfect for lunch.
Tips and Variations
- For a stove-top broccoli mac and cheese, omit the crumb topping and serve right out of the pot.
- To speed things up, I used pre-cut fresh broccoli.
- You can bake this in one large baking dish, or individual oven safe dishes for portion control.
- You can halve the recipe and use a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
More Recipes You May Enjoy
Skinny Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 oz high fiber elbows like Ronzoni Smart Taste
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups skim milk
- 1 cup fat free chicken broth, vegetarians use vegetable broth
- 8 oz 2 cups reduced-fat sharp cheddar (Cabot 50%)
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 12 oz fresh broccoli florets, I used pre-cut bag
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Cook pasta and broccoli together in a large pot of salted water, according to package directions for al dente (or slightly under cook 2 minutes). Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter. Add onion and cook over low heat about 2 minutes, add flour and cook another minute, or until the flour is golden and well combined. Add milk and chicken broth and whisk, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil; cook about 5 minutes or until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once the sauce is thick, remove from heat, add cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked macaroni and broccoli and mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more cooking spray on top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to get the breadcrumbs golden.
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Photo Credit: Jess Larson
This is, by far, the most delicious Mac and cheese recipe I’ve made! I first made it about 8 years ago, and since then I’ve probably made it 30 times! Every person who has it always goes for more! Love the broccoli in it, which makes me like I’m making a healthy choice that couldn’t be more delicious!
Thanks Sarah!
Haven’t made it yet but looks delicious!
My sons favorite. Thanks Gina.
This was excellent! Due to dietary limitations, I subbed minced leek green for the onion, and added a teaspoon of dried ground mustard to compensate. So, so delish!
Made exactly as stated- very yummy!
This is one of my favourite Skinnytaste recipes. It freezes well so I have it for 2 nights and then wrap and freeze the leftovers in individual servings. The last time I made it I had some pre shredded Tex Mex Cheese I wanted to use and it was so good – added just a little bit of a kick to it. The next time I make it I will add some crushed chili pepper.
Definitely a favorite. I thought it was cheesely satisfying. And easy enough to make. Thanks for sharing.
Like another commenter, this recipe did not have much of a cheesy taste to me. Not sure if 2% cheddar might give it more of one, but that would add calories. Otherwise, I have all of her cookbooks and am thankful for her recipes.
What a great way to add broccoli to Mac and cheese. Used medium sized shells as the pasta. Delicious
This is literally one of the bestie best and cheese cheese recipes I have ever made. So delicious! Making it tonight for company!
Nice and creamy with a nice crunch on top. Everyone enjoyed!
Perfect!
I have made this recipe many times and love the flavors. I have used fresh and frozen broccoli. Both work v well. I am going to try making half again the sauce to see if it will be creamier for my husband’s taste. (I realize that will up the calories) If anyone has tried that, pls post. I Love skinnytaste recipes!
We made this to go with dinner and we loved it. Very delicious.
Really liked this recipe. It’s a quick and easy weeknight meal, and we had plenty of leftovers. Next time, I think I will add the broccoli to the water about halfway through. It totally dissolved.
I’m obsessed – I’ve made this about a million times over the last couple of years. It’s soo good and perfect every time. The only change I really make is to use soy milk so that it is easier on my stomach, but it tastes equally as good and also saves a bit on the calories 🙂 Recommend this always
I normally don’t want to be that person, but I loved the recipe AND I made some changes. Using 2 cups of fat free milk and 1 cup of chicken broth is what I was looking for in a lower calorie Mac ‘n Cheese. The crunchy top was great. The only changes I made was sautéing the veggies in with the butter and onions because I already had cooked pasta leftover. I added garlic, cauliflower (leftover) and asparagus (also leftover) just to use them up.
This will be my go-to mac ‘n cheese recipe. Thank you.
I made this last night, as written, for my vegetarian daughter. Everyone loved it and we’ll definitely make again. Thanks, Gina
So love the taste and the simplicity of this “nearly” healthy dish
I’ve made this time and time again and loved it every time! Most recently I tried subbing in chickpea pasta, and it came out just as good.
Made this for dinner tonight and so tasty. Toddler approved, she had seconds. I recommend using food scale to weigh cheese, it looked like much more than 2 cups measured
Made this tonight. Added some leftover rotisserie chicken to make it a complete meal. It was good
I really wanted to like this. I understand it is a lower calorie mac and cheese. Mine just wasn’t cheesy enough for me. It was super fast and easy. I also added a bag of cauliflower rice I wanted to use up and some roasted red pepper. Both were great. I also use cashew milk, which worked just fine. If I make this again, I think I will add garlic and yes, more cheese. : )
Made a half recipe of this this evening for dinner to use up some aging broccoli. I also had some leftover fresh dill weed, which I chopped up and added in. Gave it a nice flavor boast! Leftovers for lunch! Thanks Gina!
I made this tonight for my super picky eater, boyfriend. He loved it! He couldn’t stop eating it, he had two servings.
This was delicious! I’ve already made it twice
Recommendations for how to freeze this recipe? Thanks!
We just enjoyed the uncooked frozen half of this recipe. I split the recipe and baked half, froze half. Before freezing I allowed it to cool completely, covered with plastic wrap and then with foil. Last night I transferred it from the freezer to the fridge. About an hour before putting it in a oven, the dish was placed on the counter trop. Cooked the defrosted portion in the oven as directed. It was delicious.
Is there any sub for the chicken broth? The one I have in my fridge just expired. Or has anyone made this recipe without the broth?
Made this on Saturday. Now have a few lunches ready to pack. Delicious. Used frozen broccoli flowerets from Birds Eye Steam Fresh. So easy.
Thank you again for another great recipe
So delicious! Thank you so much for your site, WW points and delicious recipes!
so goooood thank’s a lot !!!!
A lot of Skinny Taste receipes have made it into our regular rotation, but unfortunately I don’t think this one will. This may sound crazy due to the amount of cheese in the receipe, but it didn’t taste cheesy at all. It was all very bland. The best part was the parmesan crust. If making this again, I would almost over salt the salt before combining it with the macaroni and maybe add some garlic powder or something to give it more than one note of taste.
I found it tastes better when you don’t bake it. I wasn’t a huge fan the first time I made it and baked it but the second time I made it I didn’t bake it and it had much more flavor!
I agree. It’s best the first day. The sauce seems to sink into the pasta a bit and disappear so it was good the second time but not as good as the first. That said, it’s still on repeat at our house because it is still much better than frozen.
Any recommendations on pastas? Because my grocery store doesn’t have the smart taste Ronzoni :(…
I use the Barilla protein plus pasta 😊
My kids usually protest veggies in their mac and cheese, but they really liked this recipe (as did my husband and I). We didn’t have skim milk or reduced-fat cheese, so I used 2% milk and regular sharp shredded cheese and also increased the amount broccoli (because I like a lot of veggies) and it was happily consumed. Thanks for sharing the recipe. This is in our bi-weekly rotation now.
I have a question. The recipe says “8 oz 2 cups” for the cheese. Does that mean either weigh and use 8 oz or measure 2 cups, or something else? Thanks!
I think I make this once a week, perfect to serve with chicken nuggets
Thank you!!! I am a SkinnyTaste aficionado! Your recipes have saved me time, my kids think I am the world’s best chef (oh and my hubby, too 😉 ) and it has inspired my love for cooking as I have learned so much about what spices go best together! So, when my now 5 year old asked for REAL MAC AND CHEESE for her birthday dinner, I immediately searched for a recipe from you and VOILA we all loooooved it soooo much! I was also happy to read the reviews about using cashew milk instead of almond milk as I don’t drink milk. Again I learned something! Thanks again and bon appetit!
I am so glad!!
This recipe on its own is awesome, but I subbed out a cup of the cheddar and subbed IN a cup of shredded habanero cheese. It was incredible, and my husband gave it a three thumbs up.
Where can I find the shopping lists for the recipes?
My kids asked what’s for dinner and gave this a big “yuck” and immediately requested that we order a pizza. I proceeded with dinner as planned. As I was pouring the macaroni and cheese into the casserole dish, my youngest asked for a taste test and then another and another. Both kids ended up going back for seconds and declared it a great summer recipe. I’d say it’s a keeper for sure.
Yay!
Just made this with almond milk. I don’t recommend that substitution. Not good.
Almond milk typically doesn’t cook well, and sits on top of your ingredients rather than mixing in with them. Oat milk would have done the trick, or cashew milk for future dairy free recipes.
This was delicious and the recipe was so easy to follow! My kids (13 & 11) also loved it! I’ll have to hide the leftovers from them 😉
Could this be made in the Instant Pot? I’ve used other kinds of pasta in the IP but haven’t tried Ronzoni’s Smart Taste. Would the cooking time need to be changed?
Love your recipes
Please help… I want to make this recipe so bad. Where is everyone finding the 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar and the ronzoni smart taste elbow macaroni. I went to our local Publix for the ingredients and they didn’t have either one of these items.
I’m struggling finding reduced fat cheese, too. It’s not a King Soopers I wonder if Spouts has it. I’m still making this recipe because it looks delicious.
They have a 2% reduced fat sharp chedder (sargento) at kroger. And I just used whole wheat penne pastaas they did not have anything else.
CABOT has RF sharp cheddar cheese. you have to look for it with the blocked cheese.
Can I use steam in a bag broccoli with this recipe?
Sure
Made this last night and I agree to the people who mentioned cooking the broccoli in the last two minutes! I ended up taking my broccoli out early before the pasta was done to avoid mush. The overall texture and appearance of my final result was great but I will say it was lacking flavor for me. Anyone have any tips on how to do this without adding abundance of salt or calories? The breadcrumbs did help! I’m wondering if an additional cheese would help? Overall it is great – Thanks Gina!
Cut this recipe in half….absolutely delicious!
I like to add onion powder and a bit of nutmeg to Mac and cheese.
Shame on you. Stealing this recipe verbatim and acting like its your own. Sorry, the other website beat you by 4 years…
https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2014/12/28/healthy-mac-cheese/
This recipe was first posted September 7, 2011 which you could see by the oldest comment. If you actually read her blog post, you will see she mentions making MY recipe from my book!
Literally the whole page of the “original” you “copied” is dedicated to singing your praises. You are amazing and patient to deal with such an odd negative comment. I hope that person finds the happiness they are searching for. Thank you for all of your recipes! Your site has helped me so much with meal planning!
I am so happy it’s been helpful! xoxo
@Youshouldfeelembarrassed…YOU should feel embarrassed yourself. All you had to do was take two seconds to read the link you posted and you would see how Katie even mentions Gina. Shame on you for bashing this woman that has helped so many people eat healthier. You owe her an apology.
Anyone have any freezing tips to share? I’ve read through most of the comments and haven’t seen any info about freezing although it’s categorized as a freezer meal. I’m only asking because I usually don’t have much luck freezing pasta recipes as the pasta tends to come out mushy. Lately I have been making casserole-type recipes like this into 2 9×9 baking dishes and freezing the second one for another night and I’d love to be able to do that with this recipe!
The recipe itself is fantastic though! My husband requests it all the time. I like to add shredded chicken breast into the mixture before baking to add protein and make it a more full meal. I also only cook the broccoli for 1-2 minutes with the pasta so that it still maintains some crunch after baking in the oven. Delicious!!
A few years ago I made a recipe called “Green Eggs and Ham” for St Patrick’s Day. Very similar except only 6 ounces of old cheddar and additionally 6 hard boiled eggs, quartered and 4 ounces ham cubed.
It was a great hit with the kids, especially as I served it on photo copies of the Dr. Seuss book cover.
I counted it for 9 points.
How many cups of pasta is 12 ounces? Ive made this twice and loved it but think I’ve messed that part up both times. The first time I put 1.5 cups and that was not close to correct. Today I did 2 cups.. but I’m thinking its 3 cups. My food scale is broken otherwise I would weigh it out. thanks so much!
How would I make this with frozen broccoli? I need exact directions because I am no cook.
What type of onion is best for this dish? Or does it even matter?
I use onion power and it works great. I think you could use any onion your family likes.
If I am making this a freezer meal, should I wait to bake it? Or do I bake then let cool and reheat? Thank you!
I waited to bake the half I froze…..just let it defrost fully and then baked as directed…. I also did not put the breadcrumbs on the half I froze until I defrosted it.
what size baking dish? Please add this info to your recipe. thanks in advance.
Any large casserole or baking dish that can hold all the ingredients. Around a 14″ x 10″ inch dish should do it.
I’ve made this twice and it was a hit both times!
The first time I made it, i accidentally missed the part that said to boil the broccoli with the macaroni and I simply just mixed it in with the noodles and cheese mixture and baked it. The broccoli turned out to have a texture that of lightly steamed broccoli and it was perfect.
I made this today but I made it with chick pea pasta! It was amazing!
Hello, we love this recipe, so tasty and easy to make. It’s a keeper. What I wanted to ask, is there some milk alternative that would be also good in this recipe? Thank you!
I made it with original unsweetened almond milk. Still super creamy and you cannot tell the difference
Thank you, I will try.
Yummy! Next time, I will hold the broccoli out for a few minutes while cooking the noodles, as others have suggested, but it is very good exactly as written.
I’ve made this several times now and its always amazing. One of my favourite dishes on here and so easy and comforting. Tonight, I had a mean craving for baked mac and cheese, and I almost ordered it off ubereats for $20 and 1000 calories. And then I remembered this recipe, and that I pretty much always have all these ingredients on hand, so I whipped it up real quick and don’t regret it at all!! Easier on the calories and much cheaper. So satisfied 🙂
This was really tasty! I made the recipe as is, with the exception of adding some shredded chicken to make it a little heartier. Everyone loved it!
You wrote 8 oz ( 2 cups ) of cheese. Which is it? 🙂
8 oz comes out to 2 cups.
For the minced onion, do you mean like the McCormick dry minced onion or do you mince an actual onion yourself?
Real fresh onion
This is a huge hit in our house _ picky eater approved!!
I found it searching for low potassium. I saw note that indicated that it fit in that category. No potassium value is listed in the nutritional facts.. Prep time for me was more than 10 minutes.
Still in oven. Haven’t tasted yet, but it looks good.
I don’t have the nutrition facts for potassium specifically. You may have to calculate that yourself using the ingredients listed.
The dish tasted good and will make it again. But I was disappointed in its appearance. I cooked the broccoli with the macaroni and, of course, the broccoli was over cooked and fell apart. The dish was more green than golden. The recipe should be revised to let cooks know to put the broccoli into the pasta pot during the last 2 minutes (or so) of cooking time. I expect that if I had done this, I would have the large chunks of broccoli instead of the green mush I ended up with. I should have known better, but I tend to follow a recipe as written the first time I make it and make adjustments the second time around.
I agree with adding the broccoli to the pasta toward the end of the cooking time. Better a bit al dente than green mush!
I used a broccoli, carrots and pea pod mix in mine. I put the carrots in with the macaroni as I thought they would need more time I added the broccoli and pea pods towards the end of the boiling of the macaroni (maybe around 5 minutes left) and found it was all still too mushy for me. I really like my veggies with some crisp to them so I will either wait until 2 minutes as you suggested or just put them in raw and let them cook in the oven.
Aside from the veggies, this was still a super delicious dish that tasted just as good reheated as it did fresh. I will definitely make this again.
This was delicious!! Definitely will be a regular meal at our house. I made it exactly as written but added 1/2 tsp of ground mustard (because my mom told me to always add that to Mac and cheese). Delicious. Even my “allergic to vegetables” 3.5 year old ate this.
I added mustard to mine too. Small change but I just had to! 🙂
Could anyone let me know if you taste the chicken broth? Silly question I know but all I can think of is the dish tasting of chicken broth. 😂😂 . Thanks in advance ! And thanks Gina for helping us eat sooo much healthier!
Can this be made ahead and frozen and if so at what point?
Hi Gina! I typically add diced tomatoes and ground turkey to my normal broccoli/mac n’ cheese recipe. Do you think I would need to make a bit more of the cheese sauce if I did that with this recipe?
Sure
I love this dish! I like to add a shredded chicken breast for a bit more protein.
I love all of Gina’s recipes
I added sausage but it was delicious. My 1 year old devoured it.
Thanks so much for your amazing blog! What brand breadcrumbs do you recommend?
I like 4C.
As a picky eater myself, I have to ask: since it calls for chicken broth, does it give a chicken taste to the Mac and cheese? I feel like that would be weird. But I really want to try it!
It did not taste chickeny to me…but you could sub vegetable broth if you are worried about it.
Very delicious! I made it gluten free and also added some minced garlic. Man, this makes a lot of food!
I have also made a GF version for my sister-in-law. Came out great. I am making it tonight too!
Strange question. Could I use almond flour instead of flour? I wonder if it would alter the taste to much. Thanks!
Do you think I could make this ahead of time and bake the next day?
Sure
I have done this MANY times and it comes out great! I just add the bread crumbs before it goes into the oven
I’ve made this recipe before and loved it! Any tips on making it ahead of time or freezing it? I’m going to make it again, but divide into two batches (it makes so much!) and send a tray back to school with my college age daughter. Thanks in advance!
Love, love love this. I make it all of the time. Although when I “Create Food” in my WW app and add in all of the nutrition information, it comes up as 9 freestyle points and not 8 for some reason.
Hi Jenny. The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.
The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.
I make this all the time. I add broccoli and cauliflower to the pasta water 2 min. before the pasta is done.
It is cold here and I could turn on the oven !nd make this recipe. Loving It!
Thank you.
Absolutely perfect recipe – wouldn’t change a thing. So delicious and perfect leftovers!
This is delicious. I can’t believe that it is a “skinny” version because it seems just as decadent as any other mac and cheese. Both of my kiddos gobbled it up. I will definitely be keeping this in my back pocket as a meal to bring over for new moms, too.
This is seriously the best thing I have ever eaten. Amazing!!!
I made this last night for dinner and it was exceptional. It exuded such rich, comfy, and creamy deliciousness. Both my husband and I loved it! I will definitely be making this again, and soon.
I am confused about it how much pasta
Check on pasta packaging to make sure it is 12 oz.
This looks like a very simple dish but it is SO delicious. I made the whole batch for myself to eat throughout the week. I usually get tired of a dish after having to eat it so many times in a row (disadvantages to living alone and cooking for one). BUT every time I heated this up it was as good as the first time.
Awesome
Want to make this tonight, but am hoping to substitute a different vegetable. My 13 year old will not touch broccoli. Any recommendations? I am thinking maybe steamed green beans.
I say use whatever your kids like!
Very tasty dish. Never had the gluten free pasta could not tell any difference. Made it with coconut milk also.
Uhm isn’t 8 ounces 1 cup? I am referring to the cheese! How come no one has pointed out there error?
No, liquid ounces are not the same as weighing cheese. 1 cup of rocks weigh more than 1 cup of feathers!
I wanted to like this, but I thought it was bland.
Sorry…I miscalculated..I had the wrong amount on the pasta in my recipe builder…it came out as 6 freestyle points…still better than 8!
This recipe was a hit with my daughter-in-law and me! (My son refused to eat it because of the broccoli – his loss!) I am a lifetime weight watcher so I am always looking for ways to cut the points. I used Hood Calorie Countdown Fat Free milk, Kraft fat free shredded cheddar cheese, and Kraft reduced fat parmesan…..and came up with 3 freestyle points using the recipe builder. Much better than 8 points….and my DIL kept most of the leftovers for her lunches! I got one serving to bring home. Way to go, Gina!!
How come when I plug in the nutrition values on weight watchers this gives me a point value of 9 instead of 8? I feel like this happens a lot w/ recipes I make off this site 🙁
Are you using the recipe builder? The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.
The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.
This was delicious! My family loved it too! I used whole wheat elbows. It made enough for three of us plus three lunches of leftovers. Will def make again!
What veggie can you recommend to replace the broccoli. My husband HATES broccoli, so I try to avoid using it. I was thinking maybe spinach, and some jalapeño maybe? I’m just trying to figure out what would work well with this particular recipe.
Gina
Have followed you for years and there isn’t a recipe that I dont love . Have you thought of doing an E book with your cookbooks. It would be awesome to view on line. I bet people would purchase for the same amount as your paper copy!! Just a thought!
Going to make the stuffed pork chops and Mac and cheese this week. As always … thanks for brining creativity into my kitchen and for being so generous in your work!
With gratitude
Stephanie
What does the SP stand for? The recipe says SP 8 freestyle points.
Which means it’s 8 freestyle points? What does the SP STAND for?
Smart points (what was prior to freestyle)
This was great! My husband is not a Mac and cheese fan but my daughter asked for just that for her birthday dinner! To try and make it more appealing to him, we tried this recipe out. Not only did take seconds…he brought leftovers to work the next day! So good!
I probably need to play around with the ingredients I was using but when I plugged the recipe into my WW app, I came up with 12 points instead of 8 points.
Did you use recipe builder? Not the calculator, the points will be off.
We loved this dish! We made it last night. I love hearty meatless meals from time to time, and this really fit the bill. It was loved by everyone in the house. Thank you for another winner!
P.S. This was very affordable to make! I think it will be a regular in our house!
This is a wonderful variation of my family’s favorite comfort food. The broccoli adds a different (healthy!) dimension, and we like the crunchy topping. I did a half recipe which is a perfect 4 servings. I didn’t have any reduced fat cheese on hand, and I used 1% milk, so we consumed a few extra calories, but since I served it with fresh sliced tomatoes only, the total calories were reasonable. This recipe will go into my notebook of “regulars” for sure!
This is simply delicious.
Actually made this but used wholemeal pasta shells instead of Macaroni. Broccoli and Cheese. Simple and absolutely gorgeous! Going to experiment with getting this as healthy as possible.. Thanks!
Do you have a cooking spray you can recommend ?
I like bertolli olive oil spray
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All I can say is YUMMY1
Very nice recipe and I made the vegetarian version for my husband and he loved it.
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Made this many times. Love putting sauteed chicken sausage slices in it. Cooked chicken also works well. Sometimes I will use other veggies. Very versatile….great to use up leftovers!
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What was the old recipe directions ? The last time I made this with the new direction my pasta came out way over cooked but the old directions always worked out great every time
That’s weird, I haven’t updated this recipe. I would make sure that your pasta is al dente prior to the oven.
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My family LOVES this recipe. Over the years, I’ve made some changes, as this is an AWESOME base to start with. I use “Mexican Style” shredded cheese (so it has a few different varieties of cheese in it), then I’ve added cooked, crumbled breakfast sausage & everyone took seconds! I’ve also used penne pasta, and subbed half of the cheese for swiss cheese (and still added the sausage). SO YUM!
When my husband asks what I’m making for dinner, I tell him “grownup mac & cheese” 🙂
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I have never had much luck with baked mac&cheese recipes – they always come out either too creamy or not creamy enough. This recipe is perfect! I added some smoked sausage to it – it will definitely become part of my meal rotation.
🙂
This recipe was great! It was fast and easy to make since all of the ingredients were already in my kitchen. It definitely satisfied my pregnancy cravings for Mac and cheese!
Glad to hear it Cassie!
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I modified the recipe a bit. I used whipped butter instead of regular butter. I also switched out the broccoli and used frozen spinach instead and added pancetta.
It still tastes good.
This recipe sounds like one that had chicken in it. Is it the same recipe? I have been searching for the one with chicken but cannot find it. I think I could just add chicken to this one and it would be yummy!
I made this and it dried out during the bake cycle, I didn’t see that I was suppose to cover it but I am wishing I would have.
Sorry.
This was delicious, I made it tonight and will make it a million more times! I used whole milk because it was all I had in the house and regular cheddar cheese so a bit more calories for me, but so good.
Leave it to my husband to not get the right kind of noodle. He got penne pasta…anyone made it with that and have it still work out okay or should I get the elbow noodle?
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This is great for my toddler — I use whole milk instead of skim — and a treat for the rest of the family! I use a little less cheese, more broccoli and store bought breadcrumbs. Tonight I served it with homemade chicken nugguets! Yum. 😉
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Is this freezeable? We love it and I’d love to stockpile it!
I think it would be!
I too make this but with a few different items.. Tonight, I made it with shrimp and spinach so it’s a main course. I use the same pasta but use two jars of Lite Alfredo sauce, low sodium chicken broth and a pack of Laughing Cow garlic and herbs triangles. So good!!!
Just made this for dinner. Husband and 2 of the 3 kids got seconds. The ONLY modification I made was to only add the broccoli for the last half of the cooking time so it wouldn’t get mushy. Definitely adding this to the rotation.
This was delicious. I used some Mexican shredded cheese and it was so tasty.
This was just ok. The sauce was a nice consistency, but was very bland. Barely tasted cheesy. I used a store brand shredded 2% sharp cheddar. Even visually when I put the cheese in, it didn’t look like enough cheese for that amount of sauce, and that’s how it tasted as well. I almost felt like it needed less milk and more cheese.
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Curious why on this post it lists 8 SP but on the cookbook conversion to SmartPoints it says 10SP. I thought it was delicious but not sure I would spend 10 of my 30 on it. I thought about adding some shredded chicken for a one dish meal.
I was thinking that this could be creamier with fat free cream cheese or fat free sour cream but I'm not sure how to balance the moisture. I think I would leave out the chicken broth at first, then see. The difficulty in not being sure, is that the pasta drinks up some of the moisture, but broccoli or mushrooms add some. Any expertise on this matter here? this looks like a great idea, by the way, thanks!
We always replace half the pasta with broccoli and cauliflower dropped in the boiling pasta water for one minute before draining, but real cheese is non-negotiable. 50% reduced fat is NOT real cheese. Try the Modernist Cuisine cheese sauce to reduce calories. You eliminate the butter and flour, and can even use water instead of cheese if you want.
They loved it!
This is a great recipe. Tasty and comes together pretty easy. The added broccoli helps you feel healthier. My kids weren't too terribly excited to see Brocoli in their favorite dish but they ate it. This recipe is a keeper and I would make it again!
My daughter made this recipe for New Year's Eve and it was delicious! Second helpings for all! Next time a little more broccoli (she think she skimped on it) and will add some garlic. Definitely going to be our go to recipe for mac and cheese!
I was low on broccoli, so added a bit of cauliflower. I was still a cup shy on veggies, so I added half a can of rinsed/drained chickpeas. I only had medium cheese so used that, but sharp would definitely work better, as it was missing some zing!
This blog over the past 5 years has been my go to for recipes. I was a amateur cook and needed help! My husband now raves to all of his friends and family about how good of a cook I have become. Thank you for the great recipes Gina! This one is my VERY favorite!!!!
Just made this and it was absolutely perfect! The only change I made was to use 2% milk, because that is what I had on hand. I am sure it would taste the same with skim. Delicious… will be making again!
This is DELICIOUS! All the flavor and creaminess of regular broccoli mac and cheese. I added a little bit of dry chopped basil and will try adding a teaspoon or less of nutmeg next time for a little extra flavor.
My boyfriend and I just made this for dinner tonight! We both have your cookbook and are loving trying your recipes! Keep them coming please!
Not bad but not my favorite. I don't think I will make this again as I agree with an above comment that it was pretty bland 🙁 . On a positive note this is the first recipe of yours that I was not a fan of. I have made many others that are delicious! Love your website and just got your book last week and I love that too!! 😉
I just made this. I loved the broccoli in it. Since I hardly ever eat pasta (too many points and carbs ) I find pasta tasteless. The broccoli really made this dish in my opinion. It makes alot! Quite yummy and worth the points.
I made this recipe exactly but added ground turkey (1lb) froze one half before baking and only baked the other half.
Love this recipe! It has become a regular go-to meal here since the leftovers are so good.
Do you know this person? It almost looks like they copied your recipe.
http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2014/01/skinny-baked-broccoli-macaroni-and-cheese.html#comment-32637
Its a little hard to catch but If you look at the bottom of her recipe she said it was adapted from ginas recipe and provides a link……She exercised the correct blog etiquette.
This receipt is not all that unusual. I have made it many times for my fam. It is nice to have someone pull ideas together for us for healthier eating. I make something dif for myself; no sauce but added cheddar cheese, also tomatoes & onions topped w/ fried canned onion rings. Fam gets creamy & I get cheese, sometimes more than 1 or 2 kinds of cheese.
I tried this recipe with Quinoa pasta……amazing!!
As a broke college student who tries to eat healthy this truth is the perfect recipe! My roommate and I are always making this and we enjoy it as much as we did when we first tried it!
This is an excellent dish…even better reheated the next day and the next! We make it often at our house. Thanks Gina!
We add a pound of chicken and 6tbsp of precooked bacon pieces, it ads 3 points but makes it such a hearty comfort food, and a little garlic with the onion and some red pepper flakes because my husband like a kick, but we LOVE this meal
We love this dish! Can it be frozen after baking? I made way too much last night 🙂
Wow! This is an amazing recipe! I love it – the flavors are lovely and it doesn't TASTE skinny. It tastes sinful and fattening! 🙂 (in a good way)
This is recipe 4 out of 5 that I've tried and loved over the last week and absolutely loved. I haven't tried the 5th recipe yet but I'm pretty sure by the smells wafting from your Salisbury steak simmering on my stove, I'm gonna love that one too!
OH! best part- I ate your asian meatballs and cauliflower tots all last week (and your PB powder brownies)… and I'm down 1.2 pounds! Thanks for your recipes!
great recipe…only thing I found was new item 150 calories Ronzoni with high fiber and I used it. I also used butter light ( I can't believe it is not butter ) due to high cholesterol problems that runs in my family. I also added bit more flavor as garlic powder. Turned out very very good!! I am waiting for your book to come out missy G!! I kept printing out your recipes and I love them! Even my hubby enjoys it…..amazing what we can do to cheat on a recipe and men eat it LOL
I made this last night and me and my husband LOVED it. I love the skinny comfort food recipes. Can't wait for your cookbook!
I made this tonight. Had some naysayers in the household because there is no meat in it. lol So I also made chicken tenders. I found the casserole to be very filling by its self. A+ on this recipe. Everyone loved it!
I told my husband that I was making mac & cheese (he was not expecting a "skinny" dish. HE LOVED IT!! Thanks so much for posting such wonderful recipes on your site and including the point value from Weight Watchers.
This is a regular meal in my house! I always try to have a portion in the freezer as it's the only thing I want after long, stressful days! Thank you!
Made this last night and it was a HUGE hit!! I used frozen broccoli because it's what I had available and it works!! Thank you so much for sharing all that you do!!
I really love your recipes. It's just that in Germany, we don't have all the less fat products you use. There's no low fat cheddar – we're lucky to find cheddar at all. 🙂 I still really like your food.
It's a freaking miracle!! My son ate this even though he could see there was broccoli in it. You are officially my hero.
Hubby made this for me for dinner since we're both trying to eat better! He added some ranch chicken to it and it was to die for! Thanks for helping me stay healthy, Gina!
I love mac and cheese and have tried many healthy versions but have never been pleased. I made your baked broccoli mac and cheese last night and it was Fantastic!! Thanks!!! Looking forward to leftovers for lunch today 🙂
Jana
Yum! I steamed then pureed cauliflower (using a little stock) to use in the sauce instead of the three cups of liquid. I added milk as needed to thin it out. Really creamy and made the entire dish "feel" cheesier than it is! Plus, I was able to sneak in some extra veggies.
Pureed cauliflower is my secret weapon in (a) getting more vegetables into a meal and (b) offering creaminess without all of the added fat and calories! Will definitely use this trick when trying out this recipe. Thanks for the reminder/idea!
love it!
I love this! I got lazy and now make it with a jar of alfredo sauce instead of the milk flour and broth. I also make it with pepper jack cheese to spice it up. Delish!
Made this for Thanksgiving this week – everyone loved it 🙂
I am trying to find some yummy gluten free recipes. I stumbled across this one but I can't figure out how this one is gluten free with the pasta, flour and breadcrumbs. Is there a variation of it that I'm missing?
I use Gluten free pasta (prefer quinoa based), GF all purpose flour, and they do have GF breadcrumbs and/or GF Panko. I find most of it at Kroger’s here locally ( I live in the middle of no where) or at a natural food store. Hope that helps!
Made this tonight. I made it using brown rice noodles, gluten free all purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill), soy free margarine (Earth Balance), daiya cheddar cheese and Ian's panko bread crumbs and unsweetened almond milk. Super yumalishes! Your recipes are always easy to convert to my diet! Love it!
I added chicken to this to make it an all in one dish. It is in the oven now and looks yummy!!