Broccoli Mac and Cheese Cups
Who doesn’t love mac and cheese?
We’ve taken classic mac and cheese and made it a bit healthier with a lighter cheese sauce and loads of broccoli (but equally delicious). We also baked them up in a muffin tin to make them into portion-sized cups, perfect for school lunches!
You could easily use other vegetables if you’re not a fan of broccoli. I like to swap in asparagus, mushrooms and cauliflower – but anything goes!
Also, you can swap in different cheeses or pastas depending on what you have on hand or what your family likes.
Basically what I’m saying is – there are so many ways to enjoy these little mac and cheese cups!
Now tell me – what will you put in yours?
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Broccoli Mac and Cheese Cups
- Prep Time: 10-15 mins
- Cook Time: 25-30 mins
- Total Time: 35-45 mins
- Yield: Makes 24 cups 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Easy baked mac and cheese cups with broccoli.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole grain shaped pasta (penne, elbow, bow tie, rotini)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 cups chopped cooked broccoli
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In the same pot, melt the butter at medium heat. Whisk in the flour until bubbly, increasing the heat if needed. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a low simmer, then reduce the heat. Whisk frequently 3-4 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
- Whisk in the salt, black pepper, ground mustard and cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in ¾ of the cheese until melted. Fold in the cooked pasta and broccoli.
- Coat two 12-cup muffin tins with cooking spray. Fill each cup with the mac and cheese and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Allow to slightly cool, then use a spoon to remove the mac and cheese cups from the muffin tin.
Notes
Storage Tip: Serve immediately or place cups in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or the freezer up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 121
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 148mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 16mg
Keywords: pasta, macaroni and cheese, mac and cheese, kid, kid-friendly