Veggie Mac and Cheese (Laura Vitale)

  • 8
  • 25 mins
  • 60 mins

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt
  • 12 ounces corkscrew pasta (or any shape of pasta you like)
  • 2 cups broccoli florets, 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets, 1-inch pieces
  • 2 large carrots, coarsely shredded
  • 7 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus for greasing
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard powder
  • Pinch freshly grated nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus for sprinkling 1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Preparation

Step 1

Special equipment: 9-inch by 13-inch casserole dish (2-inch in depth)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with butter.

Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta along with the broccoli and cauliflower. Boil for 7 minutes, adding the carrots for the last minute. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta and veggies are cooking, make the sauce.

Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour; cook, stirring, to cook off the raw flour, 1 minute. Add the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard powder, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

Add the drained pasta and veggies to the prepared casserole dish. Pour over the sauce, sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella and the Parmesan and Gorgonzola. Give everything a good mix. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and a little more Parm over the top.

Melt the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the breadcrumbs, toss to combine and then evenly scatter over the mac and cheese.

Bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, about 25 minutes.