Stuffed Shells

These stuffed shells are saucy, cheesy comfort food at its best. I love the contrast of the chewy pasta with the creamy ricotta filling, and marinara – store-bought or homemade – is the perfect tangy accent for both. After I eat one helping…


These stuffed shells are saucy, cheesy comfort food at its best. I love the contrast of the chewy pasta with the creamy ricotta filling, and marinara – store-bought or homemade – is the perfect tangy accent for both. After I eat one helping, I always find myself back in the kitchen, unable to resist the allure of seconds. These stuffed shells are just that good! This stuffed shells recipe is easy to make (and make ahead!), and it’s great for serving a group. If you’re hosting a dinner party or get-together this season, it would be a fantastic dish to […]

Extra Cheesy Homemade Mac and Cheese

This incredibly creamy and cheesy homemade mac and cheese is great on its own or a jumping off point for your own customization.

The post Extra Cheesy Homemade Mac and Cheese appeared first on Budget Bytes.

I have several flavored macaroni and cheese recipes on Budget Bytes already, but I realized I didn’t have one single plain, classic homemade mac and cheese recipe. Like, nothing fancy or unique, just straight up creamy, comforting, cheesy goodness! So that’s what I have for you today. It’s a classic stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe made with a classic roux-based cheese sauce that will satisfy all of your cheesy pasta cravings. It’s amazingly delicious on its own, but I’ve also included a list of fun add-ins and other ways you can customize your mac and cheese and make it unique.

Overhead view of a bowl of mac and cheese with a fork

What Makes it Extra Cheesy?

For this extra cheesy homemade mac and cheese, I did use slightly more roux and added about 30% more cheese than I generally do to my simple stovetop mac and cheese recipes. And I’m not even sorry about it. The thicker sauce and extra cheese made this mac and cheese so lusciously creamy and cheesy that I couldn’t stop sneaking forkfuls between photographs. AND the best part is that it even stays smooth and creamy when reheated in the microwave. Mac and cheese heaven! 🙌

What is a Roux?

This classic stovetop mac and cheese recipe starts with a roux, which is a cooked mixture of flour and fat (in this case, butter). The roux thickens the sauce and helps the cheese melt smoothly into the sauce instead of clumping up as it melts. While there are ways to make a cheese sauce without a roux, taking this extra step definitely creates the creamiest, dreamiest cheese sauce for your mac and cheese.

What Kind of Cheese is Best for Mac and Cheese?

Cheddar is probably the most popular cheese for macaroni and cheese and sharp cheddar provides the most pronounced flavor. But if you want to experiment outside of the confines of cheddar, there are a ton of other cheeses that are great in macaroni and cheese! You can use one or a combination of cheeses to make your mac and cheese your own.

Here are some other cheeses that work great with macaroni and cheese:

  • Parmesan
  • Gruyere
  • Smoked Gouda
  • Parmesan
  • Chevre
  • Cream Cheese
  • Brie
  • Monterey jack or pepper jack

Avoid Pre-Shredded Cheese

I know it’s convenient, but the anti-caking agents used in pre-shredded cheese will, without a doubt, affect the creaminess of your homemade mac and cheese. Or in a worst-case scenario, it will leave your sauce super grainy and chalky in flavor. Buy cheese in block form and take a few moments to grate it yourself. The cheese will not be as dried out and it will create a truly smooth and creamy sauce.

Side view of mac and cheese in a pot

What Else Can I Add to Mac and Cheese?

Here’s where mac and cheese can get really fun. In addition to changing the cheeses, you can switch up the herbs and spices, add in some veggies, or your favorite protein to make your own homemade mac and cheese creation. Here are some other fun ingredients to add to your mac and cheese:

  • Cooked chicken
  • Broccoli
  • Bacon
  • Spinach
  • Kimchi
  • Pesto
  • Sausage
  • Taco meat or taco seasoning
  • Smoked paprika
  • Sriracha
  • Peas
  • Tuna
  • Salsa
  • Rotel
  • Jalapeños
  • Sour cream
  • Cauliflower
  • Ham

Need Some Inspiration?

If the list of add-ins was a little too much to choose from, here are some other Macaroni and Cheese Recipes that I’ve already created that might help get you started:

Overhead view of homemade mac and cheese in the pot
Overhead view of homemade mac and cheese in the pot

Homemade Mac and Cheese

This incredibly creamy and cheesy homemade mac and cheese is great on its own or as a jumping off point for your own creation.
Total Cost $4.19 recipe / $1.05 serving
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 about 1.25 cups each
Calories 610kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. macaroni $0.67
  • 3 Tbsp butter $0.30
  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.03
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder $0.05
  • 2 cups whole milk $0.84
  • 1/2 tsp hot sauce* $0.02
  • 1/2 tsp salt $0.03
  • 8 oz. block sharp cheddar, shredded $2.25

Instructions

  • Cook the macaroni according to the package directions (boil for 7-8 minutes, or until tender). Drain the macaroni in a colander.
  • Place the butter, flour, and onion powder in a medium pot. Whisk and heat over medium until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to bubble. Once bubbling, continue to whisk and cook for one minute.
  • After cooking the butter and flour roux, whisk in the milk. Continue to cook and whisk over medium heat until the milk begins to gently simmer, at which point it will thicken to the consistency of heavy cream or gravy.
  • Turn the burner off. Season the white sauce with the salt and hot sauce.
  • Begin to add the shredded cheddar, one handful at a time, whisking it in until completely melted before adding more. Continue until all of the cheese has been melted into the sauce. If the sauce becomes too cold to melt the cheese, place it back over low heat only briefly to continue melting the cheese. Overheating the sauce can cause it to break and become grainy.
  • Add the cooked and drained pasta to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Serve the mac and cheese hot and enjoy!

Notes

*This amount of hot sauce does not make the macaroni and cheese spicy. It just  brightens the flavor a bit. You can also accomplish this with Dijon mustard (same amount).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 32g | Sodium: 787mg | Fiber: 2g
side view of macaroni and cheese in a bowl with a fork

How to Make Homemade Mac and Cheese – Step by Step Photos

Shredded cheddar in a bowl

Start by shredding an 8oz. block of sharp cheddar. It’s very important to shred the cheese yourself instead of using pre-shredded cheese. For more information on that, see the section above the recipe titled “Avoid Pre-Shredded Cheese.”

boiled macaroni held above the pot with a pasta spoon

Next, boil 8oz. of macaroni according to the box directions (boil for 7-8 minutes, or just until tender). Drain the macaroni in a colander. (This is the Barilla elbow macaroni, which has a slightly unconventional elbow shape and texture.)

Butter flour and onion powder in the pot

You can start the cheese sauce either while the macaroni is boiling, or wait until it’s draining and just make it in the same pot to save on dishes. Add 3 Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, and ½ tsp onion powder to the pot.

Roux being whisked in the pot

Place the pot over medium heat and allow the butter to melt. Whisk the butter, flour, and onion powder together as the mixture begins to get bubbly and frothy. Cook and whisk for about one minute after it becomes bubbly.

Milk being poured into the pot

Whisk 2 cups of milk into the butter and flour roux. Continue whisking as the milk begins to heat (keep the pot over medium heat).

Thickened white sauce on the back of a spoon

Allow the milk to come up to a gentle simmer, at which point it will thicken to the consistency of heavy cream or gravy. Turn the burner off at this point.

salt and hot sauce added to the white sauce

Season the sauce with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp hot sauce, or the seasonings of your choice (other great options are dry mustard, pepper, smoked paprika, pesto, etc.).

shredded cheddar added to the pot

Begin adding 8oz. shredded cheddar to the pot, one handful at a time, whisking until it is completely melted before adding more. If the sauce cools down too much to continue melting the cheese, you can put it over low heat briefly, but avoid allowing the sauce to simmer again. Overheating cheese sauces will cause them to break and become grainy and oily.

Finished cheese sauce dripping off the whisk

When all of the cheese is melted into the sauce, the cheese sauce is complete. You can give it a taste at this point and adjust the seasonings if you’d like. Remember, you want the sauce to be seasoned well because the flavor intensity will be diluted a bit once the macaroni is added.

Cooked macaroni being stirred into the cheese sauce

Add the cooked and drained macaroni back to the pot and stir to combine with the cheese sauce.

Finished mac and cheese in the pot

And that’s it! Your homemade mac and cheese is done. Don’t tell me you don’t want to dive right into that pot of mac and cheese and swim around a bit. 😂

The post Extra Cheesy Homemade Mac and Cheese appeared first on Budget Bytes.

When Everything’s Wrong, Only Baked Pasta Feels Right

Lasagna, like all baked pastas, is a dish that suggests being warm inside on a cold day. It is the kind of food that numbs pain and softens edges, turning a sharp and bitter world toward small, sense-based pleasures. The blurring effect of heavy carbs …

Lasagna, like all baked pastas, is a dish that suggests being warm inside on a cold day. It is the kind of food that numbs pain and softens edges, turning a sharp and bitter world toward small, sense-based pleasures. The blurring effect of heavy carbs on the nervous system is much the same as a blasting radiator. And in a certain kind of cold weather, sometimes it’s hard to know if food is actually good, or just warm. Baked pasta is almost always both, but sometimes the temperature matters as much as the taste. That warmth itself, as a key ingredient in baked pasta, points to how these dishes act as a material form of unconditional love.

I started making lasagna, mac and cheese, baked ziti, and other variations on the theme about a year ago, during an uncertain fall that chilled into an oppressive winter. I love cheese and pasta and always have, but I hadn't made them myself all that often until 2020. It seemed like these sorts of dishes required an occasion, a big family holiday with a heaving table. Dare I make one in my own home, on any normal day of the year, just because I wanted to show someone I loved them, or feel like I was loved? Just because I wanted the brain-smoothing comfort of a vat of pasta and cheese? I dared.

Read More >>

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (GF Optional)

Say hello to your new favorite pasta! This vegan mushroom stroganoff is the ultimate creamy, hearty, comforting dish, and we’re so excited to share it with you! It’s savory and classic, but with a creamy cashew twist to keep it plant-based and options …

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (GF Optional)

Say hello to your new favorite pasta! This vegan mushroom stroganoff is the ultimate creamy, hearty, comforting dish, and we’re so excited to share it with you! It’s savory and classic, but with a creamy cashew twist to keep it plant-based and options to make it gluten-free, too. 

Made with just 10 simple ingredients, it’s an easy entrée for the holidays or to enjoy any time you’re craving comfort on a plate.

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (GF Optional) from Minimalist Baker →

25 Best Dutch Oven Recipes

‘Tis the season of cozy soups, comforting stews…and holiday shopping. If you’re thinking about treating yourself or a loved one to a new piece of kitchen equipment, let me recommend a Dutch oven! This type of heavy-duty pot might seem…


‘Tis the season of cozy soups, comforting stews…and holiday shopping. If you’re thinking about treating yourself or a loved one to a new piece of kitchen equipment, let me recommend a Dutch oven! This type of heavy-duty pot might seem like a specialty item, but if you cook often, I promise, you’ll use it daily. In fact, I always have one perched on my stovetop, ready and waiting for the next time I cook a soup, pasta, sauce, or whatever other Dutch oven recipes I might have up my sleeve on a given day. Speaking of Dutch oven recipes, I’ve […]

How to Make Macaroni & Cheese Without a Recipe

Ah, macaroni and cheese. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways: We love you from a box, preferably in SpongeBob or superhero shapes. We love Grandma’s homemade version that she plunked down on the Thanksgiving table, right next to the green bean c…

Ah, macaroni and cheese. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways: We love you from a box, preferably in SpongeBob or superhero shapes. We love Grandma's homemade version that she plunked down on the Thanksgiving table, right next to the green bean casserole. And don't tell me I'm the only one with a weak spot for the Velveeta version where you squeeze neon-orange goo out of a silver packet onto your shells, best consumed while watching The Magic Schoolbus. Haters may hate—that stuff was (and, by all accounts, still is) delicious.

Let me back up: For as long as I can remember, macaroni and cheese was my birthday dinner. My mother made Martha Stewart's version, and I would always sneak some of the butter-drenched croutons before we all sat down to dig in. Over the years, I adapted it to whatever whims and ingredients I had on hand and even started to make baked mac and cheese. Blue cheese and bacon? Sure. Greens and peas? That seems healthy. A topping of crumbled Cheetos? Yes, I did—and yes, it was just as good as you imagine.

Read More >>

Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo Salad

I love roasted butternut squash, it is one of my favorite fall vegetables. I could eat it plain all day long, but I also love it in this Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo Salad. My easy orzo salad is one of the most popular salad recipes on our blog and I …

I love roasted butternut squash, it is one of my favorite fall vegetables. I could eat it plain all day long, but I also love it in this Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo Salad. My easy orzo salad is one of the most popular salad recipes on our blog and I think you will love the…

The post Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo Salad appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

The Best Mac and Cheese Recipe

This baked mac and cheese recipe is easy to make and has the creamiest texture! It uses three different cheeses (cheddar, gruyere & parmesan) in the sauce for a delicious flavour and a breadcrumb topping for that crispy crust. Ingredients for mac &…

This baked mac and cheese recipe is easy to make and has the creamiest texture! It uses three different cheeses (cheddar, gruyere & parmesan) in the sauce for a delicious flavour and a breadcrumb topping for that crispy crust. Ingredients for mac & cheese Dry pasta – see below for more info but TLDR is …

The Best Mac and Cheese Recipe Read More »

The post The Best Mac and Cheese Recipe appeared first on Izy Hossack - Top With Cinnamon.

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage

This butternut squash lasagna recipe is incredible! Ricotta, Pecorino, and sage make a stunning dinner that pleases everyone. Welcome to…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This butternut squash lasagna recipe is incredible! Ricotta, Pecorino, and sage make a stunning dinner that pleases everyone.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Welcome to your new favorite fall dinner: Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage! The flavors are impeccable: creamy ricotta, punchy Pecorino, and fresh sage envelop the sweet squash in a cozy embrace. In fact, an embrace is just what it feels like when you take a bite! It’s a bit of prep work, but we’ve simplified a few steps so you don’t need a nap once you throw it in the oven. Every bite is a bit of sweet, savory, creamy, herby, and altogether irresistible.

Ingredients in butternut squash lasagna

Butternut squash lasagna can take ages to make, especially if you roast the squash and make a béchamel sauce. This recipe is simplified: you’ll boil the squash and make a quick sauce using ricotta cheese that doesn’t require any heating on the stovetop. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

  • Butternut squash (medium)
  • Ricotta, Mozzarella and Pecorino cheese
  • Milk
  • Lasagna noodles
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic powder, nutmeg salt and pepper
  • Fresh sage
  • Lemon

This recipe comes out stunning: it’s ideal for entertaining! It’s perfect for fall dinner parties, and would be a great Thanksgiving recipe or for Christmas dinner.

Butternut Squash Lasagna Recipe

How to cut butternut squash: some tips!

The hardest part of making a butternut squash lasagna? Cutting the squash. Butternut squash is a notoriously difficult vegetable to tackle. We’ve got a few tips for cutting squash without breaking into a sweet:

  1. Watch the video! First, watch this quick video of How to Cut Butternut Squash. It’s helpful to watch the method.
  2. Use a serrated peeler. A serrated blade makes it easier to peel the tough skin than a normal vegetable peeler, which can easily slip. Don’t have one? Try this serrated vegetable peeler.
  3. Cut off the neck and chop it separately from the base. Don’t cut the entire squash together. Chop off the neck, then peel it and chop into squares! Do the same for the base. 
Butternut Squash Lasagna

A few time savers in this butternut squash lasagna

If you follow along with us, you might know we’re sticklers for simple recipes (we even wrote a cookbook about it). While lasagna is almost never easy, the concept is pretty simple. But a typical butternut squash lasagna requires quite a bit of prep work. Here’s how we simplified this recipe to save time:

  • Boil the butternut squash instead of roasting it. Roasting is our favorite technique for cooking vegetables, but it’s got a longer lead time. Roasted butternut squash takes about 45 minutes with preheat time, whereas you can whip up boiled squash in about 10 minutes with boiling time.
  • Make a quick ricotta sauce. A bechamel sauce is more traditional in a butternut squash lasagna, but that also takes time and dirties a pot. This recipe uses ricotta, milk and some seasonings to make a quick and dirty sauce.

The sauce is not a traditional cream sauce, so the lasagna has a firmer texture. It’s not as gooey as you might expect, but it’s 100% delicious.

Make ahead and storage info

Butternut squash lasagna is a bit of a project for a weeknight: it takes about 1 ½ hours start to finish. We love making this for guests: but you can also make it on a weeknight with some additional prep steps! Here are some ideas:

  • Make ahead ideas: Boil the butternut squash in advance and refrigerate it until ready to bake (or use leftover roasted butternut squash). You can also boil the noodles in advance and refrigerate: just make sure they’re coated in a little olive oil before refrigerating.
  • Or make ahead the entire pan: Make the entire lasagna prior to baking, then refrigerate overnight. Increase the bake time as needed to cook until it’s warmed through and the cheese has browned.
  • Storage info: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days. Or freeze them: it’s easiest to cut it into single servings and freeze each in separate containers. To reheat, defrost the lasagna the refrigerator, then place in a baking dish, cover with foil and reheat at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until warmed through.
Butternut Squash Lasagna

More butternut squash recipes

When squash season is upon us, it’s easy to get squash obsessed! Here are a few of our top butternut squash recipes:

This butternut squash lasagna recipe is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free noodles.

Print
Butternut Squash Lasagna

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 9
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This butternut squash lasagna recipe is incredible! Ricotta, Pecorino, and sage make a stunning dinner that pleases everyone.


Ingredients

For the butternut squash

  • 2-pound butternut squash (medium)
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

For the lasagna

  • 9 to 12 lasagna noodles (6 to 8 ounces, gluten-free if necessary)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage, divided, plus additional leaves as desired
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
  • 16 ounces (2 cups) whole milk ricotta cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded Pecorino cheese, divided
  • 8 ounces (2 ½ cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Boil the squash: Peel and cut the butternut squash into small cubes about 1/2-inch thick. (Go to How to Cut Butternut Squash for a video! A serrated vegetable peeler works best.) Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the squash and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes until fork tender (test a piece to see if it is done). Drain, then place in a medium bowl. Mix with the olive oil, kosher salt and garlic powder.
  3. Meanwhile, boil the noodles*: Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Boil the noodles until just before al dente, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Drain the noodles, then drizzle a baking sheet with a bit of olive oil. Lay the noodles flat onto the sheet, then turn them over so they become coated with olive oil to prevent sticking.
  4. Prepare the ricotta sauce: Add 1 tablespoon chopped sage to a medium bowl and reserve about ½ tablespoon for topping the lasagna. To the bowl, add the lemon zest, nutmeg, ricotta cheese, salt and pepper and milk. Stir.
  5. Layer the lasagna: In a 9” x 13” baking dish, spread ½ cup ricotta sauce on the bottom of the pan. Then top with 1 layer of noodles, ½ of the cooked squash, scant 2/3 cup cheese sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese. Repeat again: 1 layer of noodles (you may need to cut a noodle in half for the side, depending on your pan), the remaining squash, scant 2/3 cup cheese sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese. Finally, top with noodles (again, you may need to cut a noodle in half for the top layer), then the remaining ricotta sauce spread with a spatula. Sprinkle the entire top with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese, and ½ tablespoon sage.
  6. Bake the lasagna: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes, until the top is browned. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days and reheated in a 400°F oven. (See make ahead and storage notes below.)

Notes

*If you use fresh lasagna noodles, they don’t need to be boiled.

Make ahead ideas: Boil the butternut squash in advance and refrigerate it until ready to bake. Boil the noodles in advance and refrigerate, making sure they’re coated in a little olive oil.
Or make ahead the entire pan: Make the entire lasagna prior to baking, then refrigerate overnight. Increase the bake time as needed to cook until it’s warmed through and the cheese has browned.
Storage info: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days. Or freeze them: it’s easiest to cut it into single servings and freeze each in separate containers. To reheat, defrost the lasagna the refrigerator, then place in a baking dish, cover with foil and reheat at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until warmed through.

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Pasta

Keywords: Butternut squash lasagna, butternut squash lasagna recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

The Creamiest Broccoli Shells and Cheese.

These broccoli shells and cheese are better than any boxed version! Super creamy, cheesy pasta shells tossed with broccoli florets. It’s the most wonderful meal! Hello new favorite mac and cheese! These are the creamiest shells and cheese that rival the boxed version – the one that is SO creamy you don’t think you can […]

The post The Creamiest Broccoli Shells and Cheese. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

These broccoli shells and cheese are better than any boxed version! Super creamy, cheesy pasta shells tossed with broccoli florets. It’s the most wonderful meal!

Hello new favorite mac and cheese!

broccoli shells and cheese

These are the creamiest shells and cheese that rival the boxed version – the one that is SO creamy you don’t think you can beat it!

Here we are. We’re going to beat it!

up close broccoli shells and cheese

So here’s the funny thing about making mac and cheese from scratch. Specially, mac and cheese like this, which really resembled the creamy boxed kind, in a good way.

The kids still don’t always love it!

One of you told me on instagram years ago that kids tend enjoy boxed mac and cheese and things like pancakes from a box or store-bought cookies because they are always consistently the same. There is no change and they are exactly the same every.single.time.

I feel this and it made so much sense to me!

pot of pasta and broccoli

So I’ve always been on a mission to create a mac and cheese the resembles the boxed version we love.

broccoli shells and cheese

Yes, this may sound crazy! Mother Lovett made amazing baked mac and cheese – I also have tons of recipes for baked and stovetop mac and cheese varieties. They are all really good.

But this one takes the cake. Seriously. It’s so cheesy and creamy and perfect. 

broccoli shells and cheese

Ever since I fell in love with broccoli, it’s been my go-to add in for stovetop mac and cheese. It’s just so simple and the flavor is incredible. When I did baby led weaning with the kids, broccoli was one of their first foods. I added it to their mac and cheese before they knew mac and cheese without broccoli. It’s always been a staple! 

broccoli shells and cheese

How the broccoli shells and cheese goes down:

  • I boil the water for the pasta, then toss the broccoli in first. Just for a minute or so to blanch it! I then remove it and throw it in ice water to keep that gorgeous green color.
  • Throw the pasta into that same water! Boom, easy as that. The broccoli gives the pasta water a little flavor. Again, in a good way. I promise. It’s a little broccoli-ish. Ha!
  • While this is happening, I make a little cheese sauce in another pan. I know, it’s nothing new. And I probably have 50 recipes for cheese sauces like this on the blog. I do some cream and milk, a little cream cheese, and tons of freshly grated cheddar. It MUST be freshly grated!! This is what makes it extra creamy. 
  • The cheese sauce may seem slightly thinner than normal, but this is what you want. It keeps the mixture so super creamy. Just like the good boxed version. It will also thicken as it sits and gets cooler.
  • Then I toss the entire thing together and SERVE. Serve it right away for maximum creaminess. The good news is that leftovers are good too – just not as super creamy. 

broccoli shells and cheese

Now of course, you know we adore roasted broccoli. You could always just roast some on the side and toss it in here. Kind of like how I do with this skillet ricotta pasta! 

You could also add anything else you love here. Crispy onions? Chopped up chicken? Anything! Make it a clean-out-the-fridge meal. You know I love those. I talk about them constantly.

broccoli shells and cheese

This dish is absolute PERFECTION. Take your time with the cheese sauce so it’s extra smooth and creamy.

It tastes so nostalgically wonderful – I can promise it will be a huge hit! (more…)

The post The Creamiest Broccoli Shells and Cheese. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.