This Healthy Mac and Cheese with broccoli and white cheddar is the best weeknight dinner! Make it in the Instant Pot or on the stove.
Who doesn’t love mac and cheese?! My fave childhood comfort food, elevated with white cheddar and broccoli… I hope you love it as much as I do!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Healthy comfort food: Your fave comfort food in a much healthier format.
- Easy to make: Choose from two easy methods – the Instant Pot or the stovetop.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter – margarine would also work.
- Macaroni spirals – rigatoni, macaroni elbows, or penne would all be good.
- Evaporated milk – cream or regular milk can work but won’t be as creamy.
- White cheddar cheese – try cheddar, gouda, or gruyere for a different flavour.
- Broccoli – add in any other veggie of your choice.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Cook the macaroni.
Cook oil, water, pasta, and butter on high pressure.
Step 2: Stir in the milk and cheese.
Do a quick pressure release, then stir in the milk and cheese.
Step 3: Steam the broccoli.
Microwave and drain the broccoli.
Step 4: Stir in the broccoli.
Stir in the broccoli and serve.
Recipe tips and variations
Here are some tips and tricks for making this yummy mac and cheese:
- Hand-grate the cheese: This will give you the best level of meltiness.
- Broccoli texture: For softer broccoli, steam it separately before mixing it into the mac and cheese. For a crunch, add raw florets directly to the pot.
- Boost the flavor: Add a pinch of garlic powder, smoked paprika, or a dash of hot sauce.
- Add toppings: Sprinkle with breadcrumbs or crispy fried onions for a crunchy topping.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the best type of cheese for mac and cheese?
I like using white cheddar, but regular cheddar, gruyere, mozzarella, Swiss or gouda would all be yummy.
How do I prevent the cheese from clumping?
Make sure the pasta is hot when stirring in the cheese, and add it gradually while stirring to ensure it melts evenly.
How can I add more protein?
You can stir in some cooked bacon, chicken, turkey or ham at the end of the cooking time for extra protein.
What to serve with mac and cheese
- Coleslaw, salad, or cowboy caviar
- Fresh bread or cornbread
- Brussels sprouts or spinach for extra greens
Storing and reheating
Storing: Store the leftovers in the fridge for 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 mins or in a pot on the stovetop.
More healthy pasta recipes
Meal prep tools
- The Instant Pot DUO Plus is the version I use in this recipe.
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on packing this up for lunch!
Healthy Mac and Cheese with Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb macaroni spirals (sometimes call scoobi do)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 3 cups white cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 head broccoli, finely chopped
Instructions
- Add sunflower oil, water, salt, macaroni spirals and butter to Instant Pot in that order. Set to cook on high pressure for 2 minutes. Once complete, do a quick release of pressure and open the lid when safe to do so.
- Stir in milk and white cheddar until fully blended, then add broccoli florets and stir. Replace the lid and let sit 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy! For those who like their broccoli more well done, it can be cooked in a bowl of water for 5 minutes in the microwave, then drained and added to the Mac and cheese.
Stovetop instructions
- Add macaroni to a large pot of salted boiling water on the stove. Boil for 8-9 minutes until al dente, then rinse and drain.
- Add macaroni back to pot over medium-high heat. Add butter, stirring until melted. Stir in evaporated milk and cheese until creamy and well combined. Finally, stir in broccoli and continuing cooking another 3-4 minutes until broccoli is tender. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Comments & Reviews
Judy says
will the broccoli be tender even though it’s not really cooked – just added to the pot at the end?
Taylor Stinson says
I find it tender enough for my taste but you may want to steam it beforehand if you like it softer.
Dana says
Would you need to change anything if you use protein pasta like Banza?
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Dana – unfortunately I haven’t tested this recipe with different types of pasta. You could give it a try though!
Amy says
How does this do reheated?? Any recommendations for reheating? Usually reheated pasta is no longer creamy and is dry.
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Amy – you can sprinkle some water or even some milk overtop to prevent the pasta from drying out. It’s usually good to reheat within the first 3 days!
Theresa Weileman says
414 calories per serving, is a cup a serving?
Taylor Stinson says
I don’t provide servings by weight/cup unfortunately! You will need to take the number of servings listed and divide into portions. Each portion is a serving. If I had to guesstimate, 1.5-2 cups is a serving.
Dee K says
Do you think whole wheat pasta would work?
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Dee – I have not tried it myself but I imagine it would work!
Shobee says
Hi Taylor! Can’t wait to make this for a family at church. Would I be able to make it, freeze it in a casserole dish after and they can heat it back up in the oven when they’re ready to eat it?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Shobee – for sure! I would sprinkle some water overtop and reheat in a 350 F oven from frozen for 30-40 minutes.
Mary says
Do you drain the pasta before adding the cheese? I couldn’t find the kind of pasta in the recipe and used rigatoni but the pasta doesn’t seem cooked completely; I’m hoping that putting it in the oven will finish cooking the pasta.
Taylor Stinson says
The pasta soaks up all of the liquid! Using a much larger pasta may affect the amount of liquid you need to add so that is why it may be undercooked.
Victoria S Lytton says
I’m wondering the same thing. I have water left in the pot and a few noodles that weren’t cooked. I turned the instapot back on for 3 mins and it was perfect. It’s still standing….. So I’ll post my review of it after I get to try it. 🤣 It was super easy….. I will say THAT…….. AS WELL VERY CHEAP
Dominique says
This is a great recipe! I had frozen broccoli and peas so I added those at the end and it turned out great. I used the exact same pasta shape with 4 cups of water and found the pasta to be the right consistency. It wasn’t quite al dente but still great nonetheless; definitely not mushy as some Instant Pot recipes can be.
Jessica says
Excited to try this. I’m relatively new to the instant pot. Do you think if I throw in frozen broccoli at the beginning it will hold up and not get mushy?
Thanks for posting!
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Jessica! I would not recommend that you add frozen broccoli in at the beginning – microwave it for 1-2 minutes to defrost then throw it in at the end and let it all sit for 5 minutes or so. That should do it 🙂
Aileen Day says
Hi there, the recipe show total cook time as 20 min but it says to only cook maccaroni for 2 min and then add rest of ingredients and let stand for 5min. Is this correct?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Aileen – this is an Instant Pot recipe. The Instant Pot takes about 15 min to preheat and pressure cooks for 2 min so the total cook time once factoring in the preheating is closer to 20 min. Hope that helps!