A delicious leek and cheese sauce binds broccoli and pasta in this simple and delicious pasta bake. Broccoli mac and cheese is 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 mac and cheese 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 baked broccoli mac and cheese 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 – packed with vitamins, fibre and healthy plant polyphenols
- Leeks – add depth and deliciousness to the sauce
- Butter (or dairy-free spread) – to sauté the leeks and make the basis for the sauce
- Flour – to thicken the cheese sauce
- Milk or plant-based alternative – to make the sauce creamy and delicious
- Cheddar or other hard cheese, or a dairy-free alternative – both for the tasty, savoury flavour, and a boost of protein
- 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 broccoli mac and cheese pasta bake extra 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
Tarted up mac and cheese – or macaroni cheese as we like to properly call it here in the UK – 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.
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📖 Recipe
Cheesy broccoli pasta bake with leeks
Ingredients
- 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).
- 2 medium leeks, 45 g (3 tbsp) butter, 45 g (6 tbsp) flourTrim 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.
- 450 ml (2 cups) milk, 175 g (1 ½ cups) grated cheddar cheese, Salt and pepper to tasteGradually 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.
- 200 g (7 oz) pasta, 250 g (9 oz) broccoli floretsMeanwhile, 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
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
- vibrant and zingy beetroot pasta with yogurt
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.
Kare6
Really good but I felt it need nutmeg and so.e red pepper flakes.
Helen
Glad you enjoyed it! Your additions sound delicious 🙂
Jo
This is now our favourite meal! Wow, it was so scrumptious. I upped the amount of pasta to 250g, dropped the cheese to 100g and added a stock cube to the pasta water, it turned out perfectly. Definitely be making this regularly.
Helen
Thanks Jo, that’s so great to hear!
AliceK
Lovely recipe, but wow, the fat was a little high for me. I am trying to watch my weight and fat intake. Did you use whole-fat milk? If I used low fat milk, do you think it would work? The 3 tablespoons of butter doesn’t seem excessive, so I don’t think I’d reduce that.
Helen
Hi Alice. I don’t think this recipe is excessively high in fat, but a cheesy pasta dish is never going to be a low fat food! You may prefer to try this salmon and broccoli pasta bake instead, which is lower in fat and higher in protein than the cheesy one. I hope this helps. All the best, Helen x.
AliceK
Well, I made it, I ate it, and it was delicious! I increased the pasta and the broccoli, and had a big helping. I guess tomorrow is another day for my diet! The salmon and broccoli recipe looks good.
Helen
So glad to hear you enjoyed it Alice! Food like this, cooked from scratch using ‘real’ ingredients rather than ready-made or processed foods, will always be healthier and more nutritious. A well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet will be good for your health, and focusing on these kinds of foods should help you to achieve a healthy weight in the long term.
Take care and all the best, Helen x.
Terry Haas
Can this dish be frozen?
Helen
Hi Terry. Yes! I’ve successfully frozen individual portions of this but see no reason why you couldn’t freeze the whole thing too. Just make sure that it’s thoroughly thawed and heated right through before serving. It needs to be piping hot which always takes longer than I think it will! Take care and all the best, Helen x.
Donna Acott
Great recipe, thank you. Was looking for a way to use up some leeks and found this. It’s easy, with clear instructions. I added a teaspoon of mustard powder with the flour. The whole thing was a big hit with my husband, and good enough for guests!
Helen
Thanks Donna, that’s great to hear! The mustard sounds like a delicious addition. So glad you enjoyed it.
Gina
So cheesy! And love the leeks in here, they don’t get enough attention and can bring such lovely flavor.
Helen
Thanks Gina, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Dannii
You can’t beat a pasta bake for comfort food and broccoli and leek are my favourite vegetables to add.
Helen
Thanks Danii. They’re some of my favourite veg too. Especially leeks, which give such a lovely flavour.
Jane Saunders
The smoked cheese is a fantastic idea. Can’t wait to pull this one out of the oven at the weekend.
Helen
Thanks Jane – it’s a great weekend recipe.
Claudia Lamascolo
I love comfort food like this and it sure looks wonderful I know everyone will love it!
Helen
Thanks Claudia. I hope you all enjoy it!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
This sounds like proper comfort food – so tasty and perfect for the whole family!
Helen
Thanks Bintu. It is REAL comfort food – just what we want to eat at this time of year.
ARin
Helen, this recipe is so delicious! Thank you for sharing. I added bacon for a little something extra.
Helen
Glad you enjoyed it! Bacon isn’t so great for a kosher vegetarian diet, but whatever works for you 🙂
Fuss Free Helen
Thank you so much for sending this to #ExtraVeg! Two for the price of one is excellent!
FFF
Oops, sorry. I think it is fixed now! I will tweet at you too – I’m @fuelledbytea
Thanks for hosting #extraveg 🙂
Sharolyn
I googled leek and broccoli and your recipe came up. Perfect way to us e up some delicious veg with a creamy sauce. I happened to have smoked cheddar and also added some smoked sea salt and mustard to the cheesy sauce. Subtle still but great. Easy and delicious. Thanks!
Helen
Thanks Sharolyn! So glad to hear you enjoyed this, and your additions sound delicious 🙂
JuggleMum, ⌚Nadine Hill (@businessmum)
Hi there, thanks for linking up to #extraveg this month on my blog! I have to just let you know though that the link to JuggleMum doesn’t work! I think it is missing a colon (:) from the URL. Perhaps you could amend this if you get a moment? Also, are you on Twitter as I’ll give your recipe a shout out if you let me have your twitter handle. I’m @Businessmum