Equipment
- 1 Large pot
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Frypan
Ingredients
- oil spray
Veggies
- 1 leek
- 1 zucchini
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 broccolini or broccoli
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml olive oil
- 1 bunch fresh thyme or dried thyme
Sauce
- 2 tbsp / 26 g flour or gluten-free flour
- 1 cup / 250 ml milk or plant-based milk
- 1 cup / 250 ml vegetable stock
- 1 cup / 1 cup baby spinach
Pasta
- 250 g macaroni pasta or gluten-free pasta
Finish
- 30 g parmesan cheese or dairy-free cheese
- 30 g cheese or dairy-free cheese
- 1 cup / 140 g frozen peas
Bake
- 30 g cheese or dairy-free cheese
- ½ cup / 30 g panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
To serve
- 1 cup / 80 g mixed green salad optional
Instructions
Before you start
- Bring a large pot of salted hot tap water to a boil. Spray a baking dish with oil spray.
Cook veggies
- Slice 1 leek in half lengthways, then thinly slice. Grate 1 zucchini. Peel and mince 4 cloves garlic. Thinly slice the 1 broccolini into florets, including the stalks. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frypan on medium-high heat. Add the leek, zucchini, garlic, broccolini and its stalks and 1 bunch fresh thyme and cook for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly.
Make sauce
- Stir in 2 tbsp flour, then gradually pour in 1 cup milk and 1 cup vegetable stock then simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring regularly. Then stir through 1 cup baby spinach.
Cook pasta
- Meanwhile, cook 250 g macaroni pasta in the pot of salted boiling water according to packet directions, then drain.
To finish
- Preheat the oven grill. Grate 30 g parmesan cheese and 30 g cheese into the veggie mixture, and stir to combine. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth (you may need to work in batches). Season with salt and pepper, then stir through the pasta and 1 cup frozen peas, loosening with a splash of milk, if needed.
Bake
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish, grate over 30 g cheese and sprinkle over ½ cup panko breadcrumbs. Grill for 5 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
To serve
- Divide the veggie loaded macaroni & cheese with crispy crumb between plates and serve the salad on the side.
Nutrition
Calories: 548kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 605mg | Potassium: 1082mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 12g | Calcium: 417mg | Iron: 4mg
Dietary note: Be sure to check the label and ensure the ingredients match your dietary requirements/preferences.
Ingredients note: Nutritional information is an estimate based on average ingredients by all brands.
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