SPINACH MAC AND CHEESE

Spinach Mac And Cheese image

This recipe was a successful attempt at trying to feed my family more spinach. They loved it and now prefer this version to conventional mac and cheese.

Provided by Lenka McDonald

Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 teaspoon butter
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 pound frozen chopped spinach, not thawed
3 cups grated Cheddar cheese, divided
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat while macaroni is cooking. Add flour and whisk until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in a little milk and continue whisking. Pour in remaining milk and add frozen spinach. Cook, whisking constantly, until spinach softens and sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in 2 cups Cheddar cheese; whisk until melted. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Drain macaroni and spread evenly in the prepared baking dish. Cover with cheese sauce. Mix well. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese on top.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Turn on the oven's broiler and broil until a golden crust forms on top, about 3 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 425.8 calories, Carbohydrate 41.2 g, Cholesterol 59.5 mg, Fat 20 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 20.5 g, SaturatedFat 12.3 g, Sodium 466.6 mg, Sugar 5.2 g