Roasted Broccoli Macaroni & Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Toss the broccoli florets with half of the olive oil. Spread the broccoli in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the broccoli starts to take on a roasted, golden color.

While the broccoli is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling add the macaroni and boil it for 6 minutes. You don’t want to cook it all the way since it will finish cooking in the oven after it is combined with the cheese.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and set aside. Once the macaroni has boiled, drain it and set it aside

Put the freshly grated cheddar and Gruyere cheeses into a large bowl. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the top of the grated cheese and toss to combine. Set aside.

In a large pan (I used a 3.5 quart pan) over medium heat, melt the butter with remaining half of the olive oil. Once melted slowly whisk in the flour. Cook the butter and flour for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Slowly add the milk and cream, about a cup at a time, while whisking continuously. Once all the milk and cream is added, turn up the heat and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Turn off the heat and add all but ¼ cup of the cheese, one handful at a time, while whisking. Once the cheese has been added and the sauce is smooth, stir in the chopped parsley. Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Finally, add in the roasted broccoli, salt and pepper and stir. Pour the macaroni and cheese into an 8×8 square baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of cheese over the top. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 F or until the cheese has melted on top.

Recipe adapted from Country Living.