Greens mac 'n' cheese | Jamie Oliver vegetarian recipes (2024)

  • Healthy recipes
    • Healthy snacks
    • Healthy lunches
    • Healthy chicken recipes
    • Healthy fish recipes
    • Healthy vegetarian recipes
  • Main Ingredient
    • Chicken
    • Pasta
    • Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Beef
    • Eggs
    • View more…
  • Special Diets
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian ideas
    • Gluten-free
    • Dairy-free
    • Budget recipes
    • One-pan recipes
    • Meals for one
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Quick fixes
    • View more…
  • Baking recipes
    • Cakes
    • Biscuit recipes
    • Gluten-free bakes
    • View more…
  • Family recipes
    • Money saving recipes
    • Cooking with kids
    • School night suppers
    • Batch cooking
    • View more…
  • Special occasions
    • Dinner party recipes
    • Sunday roast recipes
    • Dinner recipes for two
    • View more…
    • 5 Ingredients Mediterranean
    • ONE
    • Jamie’s Keep Cooking Family Favourites
    • 7 Ways
    • Veg
    • View more…
  • Nutrition
    • What foods are good for gut health?
    • Healthy eating tips
    • Special diets guidance
    • All about sugar
    • Learn about portion size
    • View more
  • Features
    • Cheap eats
    • Healthy meals
    • Air-fryer recipes
    • Family cooking
    • Quick fixes
    • View more
  • How to’s
    • How to cook with frozen veg
    • How to make the most of your oven
    • How to make meals veggie or vegan
    • View more
  • More Jamie Oliver

Greens mac 'n' cheese

Leek, broccoli & spinach, toasted almond topping

  • Vegetarianv

Leek, broccoli & spinach, toasted almond topping

  • Vegetarianv

“A Friday-night favourite, this is a twist on a comfort classic that uses broccoli in two ways – the blitzed-up stalks add colour and punch to the sauce, while you enjoy the delicate florets with your pasta. Join the green team! ”

Serves 6

Cooks In1 hour

DifficultyNot too tricky

SpinachPasta Bake

Nutrition per serving
  • Calories 619 31%

  • Fat 25.1g 36%

  • Saturates 12.4g 62%

  • Sugars 12g 13%

  • Salt 0.9g 15%

  • Protein 29g 58%

  • Carbs 75.1g 29%

  • Fibre 6.4g -

Of an adult's reference intake

recipe adapted from

Veg

By Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

  • 1 large leek
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 400 g purple sprouting or tenderstem broccoli
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • ½ a bunch of fresh thyme , (15g)
  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
  • 1 litre semi-skimmed milk
  • 450 g dried macaroni
  • 30 g Parmesan cheese
  • 150 g mature Cheddar cheese
  • 100 g baby spinach
  • 50 g flaked almonds

Tap For Method

The cost per serving below is generated by Whisk.com and is based on costs in individual supermarkets. For more information about how we calculate costs per serving read our FAQS

recipe adapted from

Veg

By Jamie Oliver

Tap For Ingredients

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
  2. Trim, halve and wash the leek and peel the garlic, then finely slice with the broccoli stalks, reserving the florets for later.
  3. 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.
  4. Stir in the flour, followed slowly by the milk, then simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring regularly.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then drain.
  6. 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.
  7. Season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper, then stir through the pasta and broccoli florets, loosening with a splash of milk, if needed.
  8. Transfer to a 25cm x 35cm baking dish, grate over the remaining Cheddar and scatter over the almonds. Bake for 30 minutes, or until beautifully golden and bubbling.

Tips

EASY SWAPS
– Support our British cheeses! Use Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire in place of the Cheddar here. Mrs Kirkham’s is one of the best cheeses around for melting – sprinkle on top of a baked gratin dish like this to take it to the next level.
– You could use 2 onions instead of the leek.
– Switch out the spinach for any kind of exciting fresh or frozen greens, discarding the tough stalks. For example, in springtime, spring greens or baby chard work well. And in winter, why not try some cooked savoy cabbage, cavolo nero or even turnip tops if you can find them!

GO VEGGIE
– Substitute the Parmesan for vegetarian hard cheese.

BOOST YOUR BREADCRUMBS
I sometimes add breadcrumbs to the top for bonus crunch:
– Try blitzing garlic and fresh or dried herbs, like rosemary, oregano or thyme, into your crumbs.
– Finely grating in a little lemon zest will add a hint of freshness.
– Chuck in some nuts for extra crunch – think almonds, cashews or pine nuts.
– A couple of anchovy fillets would be delicious.
– Add a pinch of dried red chilli flakes if you like some heat.

Related recipes

Indian-style chip butty

Allotment cottage pie

Related features

11 beautiful budget-friendly pasta recipes

Five ways with pappardelle

recipe adapted from

Veg

By Jamie Oliver

Related video

© 2024 Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited

© 2024 Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited

Greens mac 'n' cheese | Jamie Oliver vegetarian recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is veggie mac and cheese made of? ›

What is veggie mac and cheese made of? This simple dish is made with cooked pasta, and a cheesy sauce blended with steamed veggies, sharp cheddar cheese, milk, butter, a bit of flour, and spices.

How to make Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

What makes mac n cheese so good? ›

Great mac n' cheese needs one or more cheeses that melt well, and one or more cheeses that bring the flavor. The best melters include monterey jack, fontina, baby swiss, asiago, provolone, mozzarella, and alpine-style.

What to eat with mac and cheese vegetarian? ›

Serve the vegan mac and cheese with a simple veggie side dish like roasted broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts, lemony green beans, or roasted cauliflower. Enjoy!

How do you make mac and cheese taste better? ›

Here are five tips to elevate your next dinner to include extra flavor and texture.
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
May 21, 2022

What's in Bob Evans mac and cheese? ›

Cooked Enriched Pasta (Water, Elbow Macaroni [Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]), Milk, Water, Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less than 2% of ...

Why add flour to mac and cheese? ›

Both the flour and the cheese help thicken the sauce.

Can I use sour cream instead of milk for mac and cheese? ›

Sour Cream

There are a couple of reasons this is such a good substitute. For one thing, since sour cream is thicker than regular milk, it doesn't thin out the cheese sauce as much. That means that you can add more sour cream and still get a creamy finish.

What thickens mac and cheese? ›

You can thicken cheese sauce further by adding more flour or even using a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch or flour with a cup of water. The cold water will create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the cheese sauce over medium heat, and let the sauce boil and thicken.

Why do people put mayo in mac and cheese? ›

The oil in the mayonnaise helps to prevent the cheese sauce from becoming too thick or clumpy. Mayonnaise also offers a pleasant tang to macaroni and cheese. The vinegar or lemon juice in the mayonnaise provides a subtle acidity that balances out the richness of the cheese sauce, resulting in a more complex profile.

Can you put too much cheese in mac and cheese? ›

Use the right kind of cheese

Try not to use too much of the grated hard cheeses like pecorino Romano or Parmesan. A little of either is great for flavor, but too much and the sauce can become grainy and dry.

What are the three best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

What is the best cheese mix for mac and cheese? ›

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

Is mac and cheese vegetarian? ›

If you are preparing it yourself from scratch, ie noodles, white sauce and cheese, yes, it is vegetarian. But it is not vegan. If you are preparing a packaged, processed, 'Macaroni and Cheese' product, again, it is more than likely vegetarian (but not vegan), but do check out the ingredients list for assurance.

Is all mac and cheese vegetarian? ›

Kraft macaroni and cheese is not vegetarian, because they use rennet derived from the stomach's of slaughtered cow, sheep, and goat. The good news is that today there are many great vegetarian alternatives that are also vegan and readily available in the stores!

Where is mac and cheese considered a vegetable? ›

The south is a magical wonderland where the okra is fried, the gravy is plentiful, and even mac and cheese is considered a veggie.

What is mac and cheese cheese made of? ›

This homemade mac and cheese recipe uses a classic mixture of sharp Cheddar and Parmesan. Cheddar is a fantastic base, while Parmesan adds a more complex and salty flavor. Of course, you can adapt this recipe to suit your taste: Gruyere, Monterey Jack, and Gouda are all great options for macaroni and cheese.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Allyn Kozey

Last Updated:

Views: 6345

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Allyn Kozey

Birthday: 1993-12-21

Address: Suite 454 40343 Larson Union, Port Melia, TX 16164

Phone: +2456904400762

Job: Investor Administrator

Hobby: Sketching, Puzzles, Pet, Mountaineering, Skydiving, Dowsing, Sports

Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.