Creamy Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese is a crowd-pleaser and kid-approved. A lighter béchamel-style cheese sauce coats corkscrew pasta and fresh broccoli. Topped with buttery panko and baked until golden, it’s cozy, comforting, and perfect for weeknights.

What you’ll need to make Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese

12 oz dry pasta (corkscrew shapes like cavatappi or cellentani work well)
2 tbsp light butter, divided
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
2 cups fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded or packed
4 slices Velveeta American cheese, chopped
4 cups fresh broccoli florets (or thawed frozen florets)
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

How to make Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta and broccoli so it will finish near the same time as the sauce.

Make a lightened-up béchamel-style sauce

In a large, deep frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the light butter. Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture forms small clumps and bubbles, about 1–2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking to break up the lumps. Continue to whisk frequently and cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens noticeably.

Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, and kosher salt. Chop the Velveeta slices into small pieces and measure the fat-free cheddar. Add both cheeses to the sauce, whisking until fully melted and smooth. Remove the pan from heat and set aside while the pasta cooks.

Cook the pasta and broccoli

When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for about 2 minutes less than the package directions (al dente). For the pasta used here, the package suggested 11 minutes, so it was cooked for 9 minutes. About two minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli florets to the same pot so they blanch and become tender-crisp.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the pasta and broccoli from the water and transfer them directly into the cheese sauce. Reserving a little pasta water is helpful if the sauce needs thinning or smoothing; add a splash as needed.

Assemble and bake

Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray and pour the mac and cheese into it, smoothing the top. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and stir in the panko breadcrumbs until they resemble wet sand. Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the casserole.

Bake in the preheated 400°F oven for 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the casserole is heated through. Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving.

Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese

A lighter béchamel-inspired sauce coats pasta and broccoli, finished with buttery panko for a classic comfort dish.

Servings: 6 | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes | Calories: 380 kcal per 1.5 cup serving

Ingredients

12 oz pasta (dry)
4 cups broccoli florets, fresh
2 tbsp light butter, divided
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups fat-free cheddar cheese
4 slices Velveeta American cheese, chopped
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until combined and lightly cooked, 1–2 minutes.
Slowly add the milk while whisking, then cook and whisk frequently for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, and kosher salt.
Add the chopped Velveeta and shredded cheddar, whisking until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 2 minutes less than package directions.
About two minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli florets to blanch.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer pasta and broccoli to the cheese sauce. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water if needed to adjust consistency.
Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray and pour in the mac and cheese, smoothing the surface.
Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter in a small bowl. Stir in panko until combined, then sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Serving size: 1.5 cups. Pairs well with a simple protein like rotisserie chicken for a complete meal. If using frozen broccoli, thaw before adding—no need to boil.

The recipe yields six 1.5-cup servings and makes a generous weeknight main. For a lighter option, swap in whole wheat pasta or reduce the breadcrumb topping.