Today was the coldest (40+ degrees Fahrenheit!) morning in Georgia since April this year. After a brutally hot Summer, Fall is finally here!
While I like the change of seasons, cold weather is not so much my favorite. All I can think of is a nice hot bowl of pasta 🙂
What better time to share my version of this Golden-topped Pasta dish? Of course I added my own twist, which I’m sharing in the recipe below. It’s really easy to make and it’s one of those one-pot meals with carbs, meat & veggies. Can’t get any easier!
Golden-topped Macaroni Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 oz cooked macaroni shells or spirals
- 4 oz chopped cooked ham beef or turkey
- 12 oz precooked or frozen broccoli (mixed veggies)
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- chopped parsley optional
- -- For the cheese sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1-1/4 cups milk
- 1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese or Cheddar
- 1 tsp mustard
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place macaroni, ham and veggies in an ovenproof dish. (I mixed everything first)
- Sprinkle the olive oil evenly.
- To make the cheese sauce, melt butter in a saucepan.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute and keep stirring.
- Reduce heat and gradually stir in the milk to a smooth sauce.
- Bring to a boil, stirring and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the mustard and half the cheese.
- Season to taste with salt & pepper.
- Spoon the sauce over the pasta mixture.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cheese (and parsley) on top.
- Bake in the oven until golden and bubbly for about 20 minutes.
- Turn the temperature up briefly for quicker golden top.
You can also layer the pasta, meat and veggies, but I “messed” the recipe up a bit, by mixing everything first before adding to the dish. That’s what happens sometimes when you don’t read the entire recipe first 🙂
The end result was still yummy, so I’m not complaining. I bet that’s how new recipes are born!
Buon Apetito!
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