Broccoli, leek and cheese pasta bake

A delicious leek and cheese sauce binds broccoli and pasta in this simple and delicious pasta bake. An easy, quick and filling vegetarian family dinner.

I must thank my friend Linda for inspiring this delicious dish. At a loss for what to make and with nothing but leeks and broccoli in the fridge, she reminded me how great broccoli and pasta is with a really good cheese sauce.

Suddenly, I was looking forward to dinner!

Smoked cheese?

I made this cheesy broccoli pasta bake with smoked cheese, but unfortunately, the cheese was the least smokey smoked cheese I’ve ever tasted. It had a vague hint of smoke when raw, but the smokey flavour had completely vanished by the time it was made into a sauce. It mostly tasted like a medium-strength cheddar, which is what I’ve written in the recipe below. If you try this with smoked cheese, do let me know what it’s like, because in my mind it was going to be terrific!

As it was, it was still pretty awesome – the cheesy leek sauce was still rich, savoury and slightly sweet, all at once. The broccoli and pasta still tasted yummy when coated in it. Maybe the smokiness would have been too much? Who knows.

What kind of cheese to use?

You can really use any well-flavoured hard cheese in this broccoli pasta bake. If you don’t have cheddar or a smoked cheese, try Gouda, Red Leicester, Emmenthal, Cheshire, Gruyere or even a hard goat’s cheese.

You should be rewarded with a tasty, creamy sauce whichever cheese you choose.

Broccoli cheese pasta bake – ingredients

We love this pasta bake because it’s full of flavour and packed with nutritious veggies. To make it yourself, you will need:

• pasta – can’t make a pasta bake without it! I used little twists, but any short pasta shape will work fine
• broccoli
• leeks
• butter (or dairy-free spread)
• flour – to thicken the cheese sauce
• milk or plant-based alternative
• cheddar or other hard cheese, or a dairy-free alternative
• salt and pepper to taste

Tasty toppings for broccoli cheese pasta

In the recipe below, I’ve simply sprinkled extra grated cheese over the pasta bake before popping it into the oven. This helps to create a gorgeous golden bubbly crust once the pasta bake is cooked.

However, you might like to add additional toppings to really make your pasta bake special. Some suggestions that you might enjoy include:

• Panko or ordinary breadcrumbs – for a really crunchy topping
• Dried herbs like rosemary, oregano or basil
• Crispy fried onions, for a delicious savoury flavour
• Sliced mozzarella to give a really ooey-gooey cheesy topping!

Broccoli pasta bake – posh macaroni cheese

I suppose, in essence, this pasta bake is really just a tarted up macaroni cheese. Which is definitely A Good Thing, in my book anyway.

The leeks give a deliciously savoury flavour, while the broccoli adds texture and a splash of colour. As much as I love macaroni cheese, it can be a bit beige, if you know what I mean. Tender florets of broccoli go a long way to brightening up the dish as well as adding extra fibre, vitamins and minerals. 

More broccoli!

My daughter Kipper, in her usual fashion, dismantled the broccoli cheese pasta bake and ate it pasta first, then broccoli. Then seconds of broccoli from my plate. (DH had sensibly scoffed his before she could get to it.)

“More broccoli Mummy!“

That’s what every pre-schooler asks for, right?!

Quick and easy broccoli pasta bake

This was quite easy and quick to make. I thought I’d made enough for 4, and had earmarked the leftovers for my lunch the next day, but in the event Kipper polished off an ENORMOUS portion, and I had to have toast instead. Make plenty, that’s my advice.

Serves 3-4.

If you want deliciously easy, family-friendly recipes like this one delivered straight to your inbox, simply click here to subscribe. (Of course, I’ll never pass on your email address to anyone.)

📖 Recipe

Cheesy broccoli pasta bake with leeks

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

A delicious baked pasta dish with broccoli and leeks in a tasty cheese sauce.

5 from 14 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine European, Italian, Vegetarian

Servings 4

Calories 604 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 2 medium leeks
• 45 g butter
• 45 g flour
• 450 ml milk
• 175 g grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 200 g pasta
• 250 g broccoli florets

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Trim the leeks and slice thinly. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and sauté the leeks until softening – about 4-5 minutes. Add the flour and stir well to combine and coat the leeks. Turn down the heat to low, and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
• Gradually add the milk, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Once all the milk has been incorporated, increase the heat slightly and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens to form a sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in two-thirds of the grated cheddar. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, and add the broccoli florets for the final 4 minutes of cooking. Drain well.
• Mix the drained pasta and broccoli with the leek sauce. Transfer to a baking dish, sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the top, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15-20 minutes, until bubbling and golden.
• Serve at once!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy broccoli pasta bake with leeks

Amount per Serving

Calories

604

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

29

g

45

%

Saturated Fat

 

17

g

106

%

Trans Fat

 

0.4

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

7

g

Cholesterol

 

82

mg

27

%

Sodium

 

435

mg

19

%

Potassium

 

612

mg

17

%

Carbohydrates

 

63

g

21

%

Fiber

 

4

g

17

%

Sugar

 

10

g

11

%

Protein

 

24

g

48

%

Vitamin A

 

2039

IU

41

%

Vitamin C

 

61

mg

74

%

Calcium

 

523

mg

52

%

Iron

 

3

mg

17

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword broccoli, cheese, pasta

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More delicious pasta recipes

If you love pasta (and who doesn’t?!) you’ll probably also enjoy

• fabulous Pasta alla Norma with it’s crispy aubergines and rich tomato sauce
• wonderful zesty tuna pasta, which is great hot or cold
• hearty and nutritious tomato and lentil pasta bake

Yum!

I’m entering this recipe in the Extra Veg challenge – I’d usually only include the broccoli in this sort of cheesy bake, so this dish has two veg for the price of one! Extra Veg is hosted by Nadine from JuggleMum, Helen from Fuss Free Flavours and Michelle from Utterly Scrummy.
I’m also putting it forward for  ‘Eat Your Greens’, hosted by Shaheen at A2K – A Seasonal Veg Table.