Jamie Oliver’s Greens Mac’n’Cheese with Leek, Broccoli, Spinach and Toasted Almond Topping
Veggie comfort food doesn't get better than Jamie Oliver's Greens Mac'n'Cheese, a clever twist on the family favourite that's packed with green veg.
From the book
Veg: Easy & Delicious Meals for Everyone
Easy veg-packed recipes everyone can enjoy
Jamie's clever tips, tricks and twists for meat-free meals
Substantial recipes from one-pan wonders to family feasts
Ingredients
| 1 | large leek |
| 3 | cloves of garlic |
| 400g | purple sprouting or tenderstem broccoli |
| 40g | unsalted butter |
| ½ a bunch (15g) | fresh thyme |
| 2 tbsp | plain flour |
| 1l | semi-skimmed milk |
| 450g | dried macaroni |
| 30g | Parmesan cheese |
| 150g | mature Cheddar cheese |
| 100g | baby spinach |
| 50g | flaked almonds |
Essential kit
You will need: a blender, a large casserole pan and a 25cm x 35cm baking dish.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Trim, halve and wash the leek and peel the garlic, then finely slice with the broccoli stalks, reserving the florets for later. Place the sliced veg in a large casserole pan over a medium heat with the butter, then strip in the thyme leaves and cook for 15 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Stir in the flour, followed slowly by the milk, then simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then drain.
Grate the Parmesan and most of the Cheddar into the sauce, and mix well. Tip into a blender, add the spinach and whiz until smooth – you may need to work in batches. Season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper, then stir through the pasta and broccoli florets, loosening with a splash of milk, if needed. Transfer to a 25cm x 35cm baking dish, grate over the remaining Cheddar and scatter over the almonds. Bake for 30 minutes, or until beautifully golden and bubbling.
Cook's note: swap spinach out for any kind of exciting fresh or frozen greens, discarding any tough stalks. I also sometimes add breadcrumbs to the top for bonus crunch. Tasty!
To make vegetarian: swap Parmesan for vegetarian hard cheese.
ENERGY 619kcal • FAT 25.1g • SAT FAT 12.4g • PROTEIN 29g • CARBS 75.1g • SUGARS 12g • SALT 0.9g • FIBRE 6.4g
Please note: Moderation is enabled and may delay your comment being posted. There is no need to resubmit your comment. By posting a comment you are agreeing to the website Terms of Use.