Green Goddess Mac and Cheese

By zhanghengshuo

6 Person

60 Minutes

0 Calories

Get your power greens in this macaroni cheese! With loads of baby spinach, parsley, garlic, white sharp cheddar, Parmesan, and macaroni pasta. It’s an unapologetic homage to vibrant green veggies (in this case spinach and parsley), wrapped in silky sharp cheddar bechamel, tossed with elbow macaroni pasta.

Ingredients

1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
2 finely chopped anchovies
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. herbs
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded white sharp cheddar cheese
2 1/2 cups milk
3 tbsp. flour
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. cream
Salt
1/2 pound dry elbow macaroni pasta
1 bunch parsley, tough stems removed
8 oz. baby spinach

Method

01

Blanch spinach and parsley: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and parsley and blanch for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove the wilted spinach and parsley to a bowl of ice water. (Do not discard the blanching water, you will use it to cook the macaroni.)
02

Strain the spinach and parsley. Wrap in paper towels and squeeze out excess moisture.
03

Use blanching water to cook macaroni: Return blanching water to a boil. Add salt to the pasta water, 1 Tbsp salt for every 2 quarts of water. Add the macaroni pasta and cook until very al dente. Drain the macaroni, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and set aside.
04

Puree spinach with cream: While the macaroni is cooking, in a food processor, puree the cooked spinach mixture with the tablespoon of cream until smooth. Set aside.
05

Make a roux with butter, garlic, flour: Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a thick-bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 25 seconds. The butter should bubble and foam. Add the flour and whisk to form a paste. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes.
06

Slowly add milk: Slowly add the milk, whisking as you add it to break up any clumps of flour. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the mixture come to a simmer, continue to whisk. Lower the heat to medium-low and let cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
07

Add dry mustard, pepper, herbs, Worcestershire: Stir in the dry mustard, black pepper, herbs, and Worcestershire sauce if using.
08

Add the cheeses: Whisk in the 1 1/2 cups of grated white sharp cheddar and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
09

Add pureed spinach and parsley: Stir the pureed spinach and parsley into the sauce. If using finely chopped anchovies, you can add them in now. Taste the sauce for salt. Add more if needed.
10

Add cooked macaroni: Stir in the cooked drained macaroni pasta. The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits in the sauce, so don't be alarmed if the mac cheese seems loose (the macaroni will continue to absorb moisture as it sits). Stir in lemon juice.
11

At this point, you can eat as is, or you can put into a casserole, top with a little more cheese and broil it for 5-10 minutes.

Related Tags

Mac and Cheese Recipes

Green Goddess Mac and Cheese

4.6

( By zhanghengshuo )

01 Information

Grade easy
Serving 6 servings
Prep Time 15 Mins
Cook Time 45 Mins
Total Time 60 Mins

02 Ingredients

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

2 finely chopped anchovies

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. herbs

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded white sharp cheddar cheese

2 1/2 cups milk

3 tbsp. flour

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. cream

Salt

1/2 pound dry elbow macaroni pasta

1 bunch parsley, tough stems removed

8 oz. baby spinach

03 Method

Step 1

Blanch spinach and parsley: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and parsley and blanch for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove the wilted spinach and parsley to a bowl of ice water. (Do not discard the blanching water, you will use it to cook the macaroni.)

Step 2

Strain the spinach and parsley. Wrap in paper towels and squeeze out excess moisture.

Step 3

Use blanching water to cook macaroni: Return blanching water to a boil. Add salt to the pasta water, 1 Tbsp salt for every 2 quarts of water. Add the macaroni pasta and cook until very al dente. Drain the macaroni, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and set aside.

Step 4

Puree spinach with cream: While the macaroni is cooking, in a food processor, puree the cooked spinach mixture with the tablespoon of cream until smooth. Set aside.

Step 5

Make a roux with butter, garlic, flour: Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a thick-bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 25 seconds. The butter should bubble and foam. Add the flour and whisk to form a paste. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes.

Step 6

Slowly add milk: Slowly add the milk, whisking as you add it to break up any clumps of flour. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the mixture come to a simmer, continue to whisk. Lower the heat to medium-low and let cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Step 7

Add dry mustard, pepper, herbs, Worcestershire: Stir in the dry mustard, black pepper, herbs, and Worcestershire sauce if using.

Step 8

Add the cheeses: Whisk in the 1 1/2 cups of grated white sharp cheddar and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.

Step 9

Add pureed spinach and parsley: Stir the pureed spinach and parsley into the sauce. If using finely chopped anchovies, you can add them in now. Taste the sauce for salt. Add more if needed.

Step 10

Add cooked macaroni: Stir in the cooked drained macaroni pasta. The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits in the sauce, so don't be alarmed if the mac cheese seems loose (the macaroni will continue to absorb moisture as it sits). Stir in lemon juice.

Step 11

At this point, you can eat as is, or you can put into a casserole, top with a little more cheese and broil it for 5-10 minutes.

04 Author