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This broccoli mac and cheese proves the cliché that picky eaters will eat any vegetable when it’s served with cheese sauce. Broccoli is a guaranteed hit when it’s folded into rich, creamy mac and cheese—and it all comes together in one pot, without a roux, right on the stovetop!
This incredibly easy broccoli mac and cheese is a one-pan recipe, which means you don’t have to make the sauce in one pot and boil the noodles in another—it all cooks together.
Plus, there’s no roux, and the whole recipe is cooked on the stovetop, too, so there is zero oven time. Basically, I’m saying this easy mac and cheese with broccoli is the answer to your dinnertime prayers.
Reader Review
“I tried three mac and cheese recipes before Thanksgiving to find one good enough to make it to the table. I stopped after making this one because it is so, so good. So good that my Thanksgiving plate was 2/3 this dish. Leftovers reheat beautifully with ZERO sauce separation. Witchcraft? Nope, just an amazing blogger dedicated to her craft. This has now become my go to mac and cheese recipe. And it’s one pot. Could it be any better?! I’ll answer you, no. It can’t. It’s perfection.”
Allison
PRO TIPS/RECIPE NOTES
- Shred your own cheese! It’s totally worth the extra 5 minutes. Store-bought shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent added to it (AKA the white powdery stuff) that affects the way it melts. While it will melt, it’s just not quite as smooth as freshly shredded cheese.
- If you don’t have evaporated milk, you can sub in regular milk, half-and-half, or cream. Just make sure you heat it before adding it to the hot pasta. This prevents the milk from curdling, resulting in a grainy cheese sauce.
One Pot Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb shell or elbow noodles {feel free to use any preferred pasta}
- 4 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup butter {1 stick}{cut into cubes}
- 12 oz evaporated milk {1 can}
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg {optional}
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard {optional}
- 3 cups cheese, shredded {recommend: extra sharp cheddar + mozz}
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces {steamed & well-drained, or roasted}
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring 4 1/4 cups of water to a boil.4 1/4 cups water
- Add pasta, butter, and salt to the saucepan. Stir to combine.1/2 cup butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 lb shell or elbow noodles
- Reduce the stove temp to medium-high, and occasionally stir the mixture, until almost all of the water has been absorbed by the pasta (~8 minutes).
- Add the evaporated milk, dry mustard (optional), nutmeg (optional), and cheese, and stir gently until all the cheese has melted.12 oz evaporated milk, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 3 cups cheese, shredded, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- Gently stir in the cooked broccoli.4 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
Notes
- For faster prep, roast or steam the broccoli 1-2 days ahead of time.
- Chop florets small so that they are easier to incorporate into the dish.
- Evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk are NOT the same thing. Only evaporated milk will work in this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
“Evaporated milk is not the same as sweetened condensed milk” 😂😂😂☠️☠️☠️
The amount of times I have had to explain this… 🙂
Soooo good!!
I tried three mac and cheese recipes before Thanksgiving to find one good enough to make it to the table. I stopped after making this one because it is so, so good. So good that my Thanksgiving plate was 2/3 this dish.
Having made this twice, the first time I made it exactly as written with mozzarella, cheddar, and parm cheeses. Delicious. Second time I got crazy and used american in place of parm (Sarah forgive me!) and it was still delightful.
Leftovers reheat beautifully with ZERO sauce separation. Witchcraft? Nope, just an amazing blogger dedicated to her craft.
This recipe is so good that my husband, reluctant mac and cheese eater, ate this willingly AND as part of his leftover meals. I’m almost mad that the leftovers aren’t automatically mine. It’s. That. Good.
The only thing I got nervous about when making this is the part in the recipe where it reads,”until almost all absorbed” referring to the water/butter combo being cooked into your pasta. But trust yourself. You’ll know. It’s weird and makes you really feel like a chef.
This has now become my go to mac and cheese recipe. And it’s one pot. Could it be any better?! I’ll answer you, no. It can’t. It’s perfection.
Allison, you honestly made my entire month with this kind review. I’m so honored it was part of your Thanksgiving and has become your go-to mac and cheese recipe. I’m thrilled your husband enjoyed it as well. Winning over skeptics is a fun part of this job.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, especially one as lovely as this!