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Veggie loaded macaroni & cheese with crispy crumb & salad recipe

Veggie loaded macaroni & cheese with crispy crumb & salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Appliance/Function:

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 olive oil
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme or dried thyme

Sauce

  • 2 tbsp flour or gluten-free flour
  • 1 cup milk or plant-based milk
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 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 frozen peas

Bake

  • 30 g cheese or dairy-free cheese
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs

To serve

  • 1 cup 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