Green Mac Cheese Spinach Broccoli (Printable Version)

A creamy mac dish blending spinach, broccoli, and melted cheeses for a flavorful, hearty meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or short pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 7 oz fresh spinach, washed
03 - 7 oz broccoli florets
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
08 - 2 cups whole milk
09 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10 - 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 0.125 teaspoon ground nutmeg
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add broccoli florets. Drain pasta and broccoli together and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, approximately 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to a blender.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
04 - Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
05 - Add cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Dijon mustard to the sauce. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
06 - Add half the sauce to the blender with wilted spinach. Blend until completely smooth and bright green.
07 - Return blended spinach sauce to the skillet and stir to combine with the remaining cheese sauce.
08 - Add drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly with green cheese sauce. Heat gently until everything is warmed through.
09 - Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes decadent and creamy while quietly delivering a full serving of vegetables per bowl, no lectures required.
  • The bright green sauce is so gorgeous it makes you smile when you see it on the plate, and that matters more than we admit.
  • It comes together in 40 minutes flat, making weeknight dinner feel effortless without tasting rushed.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roux step—trying to thicken the milk with just cheese leads to a broken, greasy sauce instead of something creamy and smooth.
  • Blending the spinach with only half the sauce (not all of it) preserves the cheese flavor and prevents the spinach from diluting the richness you worked to build.
03 -
  • Shredding cheese fresh from a block rather than using pre-shredded creates a smoother sauce—the anti-caking agents in packaged cheese sometimes interfere with melting.
  • Keep the heat at medium and below once the cheese is added; high heat can cause the sauce to break and turn grainy instead of staying luxuriously smooth.
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