Creamy mac and cheese gets a hearty update with broccoli and bacon.
Broccoli Mac and Cheese Gratin
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1¼ cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese, divided
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta, cooked according to package directions
- 2 cups broccoli florets, blanched
- 2 tablespoons panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon; let drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet.
- Add onion and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt, mustard, and pepper.
- Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan and 1 cup Cheddar until melted. Add bacon, cooked pasta, and broccoli, stirring to combine. Top with bread crumbs, remaining ¼ cup Parmesan, and remaining ¼ cup Cheddar.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
KITCHEN TIP
If you can’t find cavatappi, elbow macaroni is a great substitute.
[…] like to thank Southern Cast Iron for this recipe. While they used bacon in their recipe and I went the vegetarian route and used mushrooms, they […]