Southern Mac & Cheese with lemon-garlic broccoli

the broccoli made my family swoon

Stovetop mac and cheese is delicious, but there’s just something about a custardy baked mac that really does me in. This is the kind my grandma used to make— a gorgeous recipe that comes out gooey inside, crispy outside, with toasted breadcrumbs on top.

I’ve elevated my grandma’s version a little bit by swapping out the Velveeta for a blend of sharp cheddar and Gouda (sorry Grandma!)

And the lemon-garlic broccoli? To die for. The flavor is all in the method— the broccoli is pan-seared first, then doused in lemon juice and garlic just when it needs to absorb some moisture. The end result is juicy and tender, savory and a little sweet. Noah ate more broccoli than macaroni & cheese, if that tells you anything!

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Southern Macaroni & Cheese with Lemon-Garlic Broccoli
Total time: 50-60 minutes (30 minutes active time)
Serves: 6-8

For Dietary Restrictions

• Gluten free: use gluten-free pasta and GF crackers

• Dairy free: DF Mac & cheese has come a long way! This area isn’t my forte, so I’ll refer you to one of the many excellent dairy-free recipes the internet has to offer: this one looks delish!

Kids Can Help

• Measure & mix ingredients; break apart broccoli florets; peel garlic

Ingredients

For the macaroni & cheese:

• 3 cups uncooked macaroni

• 1 ½ cups whole milk

• ½ cup heavy cream

• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 8 slices Gouda cheese

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 cup crushed crackers (Ritz or Club brand)

For the broccoli:

• 3 large broccoli crowns

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided (1 tsp x 3)

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 3-5 garlic cloves

• 1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice

Tools

• Large pot with lid (for pasta)

• Colander

• Large skillet with lid

• Cutting board

• Paring knife

• Chef knife

• 9x9 glass pan (or similar size)

• Large mixing bowl

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Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375. 

Step 2

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni until al dente (just a bit undercooked). While the pasta is cooking, do steps 3 & 4.

Step 3

Crush the cracker crumbs (it’s easiest to do this in a closed ziplock bag) and butter a 9x9 glass baking dish (or similar size). 

Step 4

Mix the milk, cream, shredded cheese, eggs, salt, and paprika in a large bowl until eggs are well incorporated. Once the macaroni is cooked, drain it well; then add the macaroni to the milk mixture and stir well to combine. 

Step 5

Pour half of the macaroni mixture into the 9x9 pan and top with 4 slices of Gouda, then repeat with the remaining macaroni and Gouda.

Step 6

Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly on top and bake for 35-45 minutes until it reaches an internal temp of 160 degrees (don’t overbake!) Allow the mac and cheese to set up while you make the broccoli.

Step 7

Wash the broccoli crowns, cut off the thick stem from each broccoli crown, and break the broccoli into florets. Peel and mince the garlic.

Step 8

Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a large saute pan with a lid until quite hot but not yet smoking. Add the broccoli florets and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and toasted but not yet tender; add 1-2 additional teaspoons of oil as needed whenever the pan gets dry. 

Step 9

Add the garlic and saute 1-2 more minutes. Add the lemon juice and stir well, then cover; cook 1-2 more minutes until broccoli is just fork-tender. Serve immediately with the macaroni and cheese.