This insanely creamy Stovetop Broccoli Mac and Cheese with cavatappi pasta is classic comfort food that comes together fast! A simple but delicious dinner that your family will request again and again.
Don't get me wrong, I love a baked mac and cheese dish as much as the next person. But sometimes there is nothing better then that bite of creamy mac and cheese right out of the pot. When you are looking for comfort food perfection in a pinch, this is the recipe y'all.
This Stovetop Broccoli Mac and Cheese comes together in well under half an hour and is just so incredibly creamy and cheesy. And the addition of broccoli really only adds to the experience! It's a great weeknight meal when you want to feed the family a crowd pleaser with a little extra nutrition. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
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Equipment
For this recipe you will need:
- Large pot: To boil the pasta in.
- Another large pot of Dutch oven: This is to make the cheese sauce in. You can absolutely use the same pot that you boil the pasta in. I just prefer to use two so that I can make the sauce while the pasta is cooking and speed up the proces.
- Cheese grater or food processor: I highly, highly recommend using freshly grated, full fat cheese in this recipe. It really makes a world of difference for the texture and flavor. I love my Oxo Good Grips Box Grater. But if I'm in a hurry or doubling the batch I always grate the cheese in my Cuisinart Food Processor with the grater attachment.
Ingredients & Variations
- Pasta: I recommend using cavatappi if you have it. It retains a great al dente texture and the ridges allow the cheese sauce to coat every inch. If you can't find cavatappi then any of the traditional mac and cheese pasta shapes will work. Macaroni, rotini, gemelli, shells, rigatoni, etc. All will work for this recipe.
- Broccoli florets: I like using fresh broccoli for this recipe. If you use frozen you can thaw and then throw into the pasta water for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to warm up before draining.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted works. Just adjust the seasoning at the end as needed.
- Flour: All-purpose or plain four will work.
- Cheese: I highly, highly recommend using freshly grated cheese for this recipe. The pre-shredded stuff you buy at the store usually contains an anti-caking agent which can negatively impact the texture of this dish. As for the kind of cheese, I like using a mix of cheddar and monteray jack, but you can absolutely incorporate your favorite cheeses.
- Dijon mustard (optional): I like a kick of dijon but feel free to leave it out if preferred.
- Garlic powder (optional)
- Salt & pepper
Variation: Add a few diced jalapenos for an extra kick!
I love seeding and chopping up a few jalapenos and adding them into the pasta and broccoli after draining. They'll steam a little in the colander and then continue to cook once mixed in with the cheese sauce. They add a little bit of spice that we absolutely love.
Did you know you can grate cheese in your food processor?
Up until about a year ago I always grated cheese with my old school box grater. And while this old school kitchen tool is incredibly reliable, I was absolutely amazed by how quickly I could grate mass amounts of cheese using my food processor. I'm talking piles and piles of shredded cheese in about 30 seconds.
I have a 14 cup Cuisinart Food Processor which came with the shredder attachment, but I'm sure similar brands work the same. If you are pinched for time or making mac and cheese for a crowd this is definitely a game changer!
Serving Suggestions
Looking to add a little more protein? I love serving this with easy Air Fryer Kielbasa or pulled pork!
Made this Stovetop Broccoli Mac and Cheese recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Stovetop Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- 2 Large Pots
- Cheese grater
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 lb Cavatappi pasta Or other short pasta of choice
- 5 cups broccoli florets
- 5 tablespoon butter
- ⅓ cup flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 3 cups freshly grated cheese I recommend a mix of Cheddar and Monterey Jack
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a full rolling boil. Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. When there is about a minute left of cooking time at the broccoli florets to the boiling pasta water. Once they are bright green and the pasta is tender but still firm drain in a colander in the sink. Set aside.
- In the same pot (or in a separate pot while the pasta is cooking), make the cheese sauce. Melt butter over medium heat and then add flour. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then slowly stream in the milk while whisking continuously until no lumps remain. Add dijon, garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a low simmer then cook over medium/low heat for 8-9 minutes, whisking frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Turn the heat off but leave the pot on the warm burner. Add in the shredded cheese and stir until melted. Taste and add additional salt & pepper as needed. Add in the pasta and broccoli and stir to combine. Serve hot and enjoy!
Agnieszka
I made this with gouda and cheddar and my kids absolutely loved it! I'm trying to add more veggies to my kids' meals and this mac and cheese did the trick.
Paula
I've never seen my kids so willing to eat broccoli! This mac and cheese was a big winner!
jamjarkitchen
Yay! Love that!
Nora
This broccoli mac and cheese was pure comfort food! The sauce was so creamy, and the cavatappi pasta with the broccoli made it extra satisfying. My family loved it!
Krystle Smith
The cheesy sauce was perfectly creamy, while the broccoli added just the right amount of crunch and freshness. Plus, it came together so quickly, making it ideal for a busy weeknight.
jamjarkitchen
So glad you liked it!
Ashley
This mac and cheese is so creamy--it's a great way to get my family to eat broccoli too!