American · main

Broccoli Cheddar Baked Pasta

Broccoli Cheddar Baked Pasta reads richness 6.6, umami 5.9 and salinity 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 43 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 6.6 · Umami 5.9 · Salinity 5.1 · Heat 2.7 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Nutty 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Sourness 2.0 · Bitterness 1.9 · Sweetness 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.8 · Earthy 1.5 · Floral 0.9

What's in it (13)

• dusting kosher salt — 15 g
• cavatappi pasta — 340 g
• broccoli florets — 454 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g
• all-purpose flour — 30 g
• regular milk — 710 g
• dijon mustard — 5 g
• freshly ground nutmeg — 1 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• sharp white cheddar — 227 g
• parmesan cheese — 28 g
• bread crumbs italian style — 237 g
• olive oil — 27 g

Time & effort: about 43 min (38 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 234.4 kcal, 16.5 g protein, 3.5 g fat, 38.8 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then stir in 1 tablespoon of the salt.
2. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente, about 8 minutes. In the final 2 minutes, add the broccoli to the same pot to blanch until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain both together, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
3. In the same pot, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until it smells toasted and turns pale gold, about 2 minutes.
4. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, starting with just a splash to work out any lumps, then adding the rest in a steady stream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking often, until the sauce thickly coats the back of a spoon, 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the dijon, nutmeg, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the cheddar and parmesan in two additions, whisking until each is fully melted and the sauce is smooth before adding the next.
6. Fold the drained pasta and broccoli into the cheese sauce, thinning with reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time if the sauce looks tight. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
7. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
8. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil in a small skillet over low heat, about 1 minute, then toss with the panko until evenly coated. Scatter the panko evenly over the pasta.
9. Bake until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the topping is deeply golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Three-Cheese Baked Mac and Cheese with Broccoli — American
• Macaroni and Cheese (Baked) — Southern
• Baked Mac and Cheese with Crispy Breadcrumb Top — American
• Welsh Rarebit — British
• Provoleta — Argentine

Keep reading: what richness, umami, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.