Green Mac and Cheese | Jamie Oliver Recipe
Vibrant and creamy mac ‘n’ cheese filled with broccoli and spinach. Which technically, make it pretty healthy, right?
Mac and cheese is undoubtedly one of the top family favourites. It’s hard finding anyone who would disagree. In this recipe taken straight from Jamie Oliver’s Veg cookbook, we take that classic yellow dish and turn it green with the addition of broccoli and spinach!
There's just something so fun and inviting about a big bowl of macaroni and cheese that’s bright green. So fun and vibrant. Not to mention delicious! The one thing that gets me about mac N’ cheese is that yes, it’s bloody delicious, but for the most part it can be a bit lacklustre in terms of flavour.
This simple addition of leek, broccoli and spinach just gives the whole dish another layer of flavour. And with all those vegetables, it almost tricks you into thinking it’s healthy.
As a vegetarian, Jamie Oliver’s veg cookbook has been something of a bible for me. Helping me cook exciting meals that aren’t just curry and bland vegetables. But something about this dish has always excited me, other than the fact it’s mac N’ cheese, something which I used to live off in my younger years.
Let’s be honest, it’s probably because it’s bright green.
The perfect family meal
One thing I would like to point out about this recipe is just how perfect it is for families. Cooking up large portions of this macaroni and cheese is easy to do. Once you’re done just leave it in the middle of a dining table and let the family take their own portions.
Got kids?
Great! This recipe is perfect for kids. What’s one thing kids hate to eat? Veg. What’s one thing kids love to eat? Mac N’ cheese.
The perfect way to sneak those pesky vegetables into your kids meal is through making this green mac N’ cheese. They will be cleaning of their plate before they even realise that they have just gobbled down leeks, broccoli and spinach.
Also, have I mentioned it’s green? Something about a large bowl of green mac N’ cheese just makes kids glee with happiness. It’s unusual, kids like unusual. Heck, when I first made this I gleed with happiness at the site of bright green macaroni cheese.
About Jamie Oliver’s Veg Cookbook
Veg is Jamie Oliver’s flavour-packed, easy to follow, delicious vegetarian cookbook released earlier this year. From simple suppers to family favourites this cookbook is packed with amazing meal recipes, all of which are vegetarian.
As the big man himself says “It's all about celebrating really good, tasty food that just happens to be meat-free.” Jamie Oliver
You can pick the book up on Amazon here to try out all the recipes for yourself.
Jamie Oliver Veg Cookbook from Amazon.
Disclaimer, those links for the cookbook are affiliate links. Which means if you purchase from those links I earn a small commission at no extra cost to yourself. You can read more about that here.
Step by step Green Mac and Cheese instructions with photos
1) Preheat the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. Trim, halve and wash the leek and peel the garlic, then finely slice with broccoli stalks, reserving the florets for later.
2 )Place the sliced veg in a large casserole or frying pan over a medium heat with the butter, then strip in the thyme leaves and cook for 15 minutes, or until softened. Stirring regularly.
3) Stir in the flour, followed slowly by the milk, then simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened while stirring regularly.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then drain.
4) 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 to ensure a smooth cheese sauce.
5) Season with salt and pepper, then stir through the pasta and broccoli florets, loosening with a splash of milk, if needed.
6) Transfer to a baking dish, grate over the remaining cheddar and scatter over the almonds. Bake for 30 minutes, or until beautifully golden and bubbling and you’re ready to serve!
Green mac and Cheese Recipe
Jamie Oliver’s Vegetarian Greens Mac N’ Cheese
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. Trim, halve and wash the leek and peel the garlic, then finely slice with 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 with salt and pepper, then stir through the pasta and broccoli florets, loosening with a splash of milk, if needed.
- Transfer to a baking dish, grate over the remaining cheddar and scatter over the almonds. Bake for 30 minutes, or until beautifully golden and bubbling.
Notes
Top tips
Swap spinach out for any exciting fresh or frozen greens, discarding any tough stalks. You can also add breadcrumbs on top for extra crunch!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
542.95Fat
20.9Sat. Fat
9.68Carbs
68.16Fiber
5.92Net carbs
62.23Sugar
4.29Protein
22.16Sodium
287.45Cholesterol
42.74The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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