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A close-up of a bowl filled with Healthy One Pot Broccoli Mac & Cheese, showing creamy pasta and vibrant broccoli florets.

Healthy One Pot Broccoli Mac & Cheese

This one pot broccoli mac and cheese recipe is easy to customize with your favorite veggies or proteins and always turns out so creamy and cheesy!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Mac & Cheese
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound uncooked pasta recommend a shape that lists a 7-8 minute cooking time
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 12 ounces broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces about 1 large head of broccoli
  • 2 cups freshly-shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

Equipment

  • Large stockpot
  • Heatproof measuring cup

Method
 

  1. Heat butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until most of their liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add pasta, water, half and half, Dijon, crushed red pepper flakes, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring the pasta to a boil, stirring occasionally to break up the pasta. Once the pasta reaches a boil, stir in the broccoli. Reduce heat to medium to maintain a low boil and continue cooking the pasta uncovered until it is just al dente.
  3. Check to see how much liquid remains in the pot. If it seems that there is more than ½ cup or so, dip a heatproof measuring cup in to remove and save the excess liquid, and set it to the side.
  4. Stir in the cheeses until melted and combined. If the pasta seems too dry, stir some of the reserved liquid back in as needed.
  5. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
  6. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

If the pasta shape you have requires more or less cooking time, adjust the cooking water as needed. You should have about 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water remaining in the pot before mixing in the cheese; remove any extra.

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