Cheesy Broccoli Mac and Cheese Lasagna
Imagine if you could combine all of your kids favorite dishes into one. I imagined that. I thought, my kids always want cheesy broccoli, and they would eat mac and cheese everyday if I let them. So, I made this. Creamy cheddar cheese sauce, layered with fresh broccoli and lasagna pasta. Cheesy Broccoli Mac and Cheese Lasagna... If I could only get a salad in there!
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 9 each lasagna noodles, cooked
- 1 pound chopped broccoli, blanched until tender
- 12 ounces ricotta or cottage cheese
- 1 quart cheese sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Melt butter over medium heat in 2 quart sauce pan.
Add flour and stir to blend, cook 2 minutes while stirring.
Slowly pour in 1 cup of milk while stirring continuously.
Repeat until all milk is added.
Add shredded sharp cheddar cheese and bring to simmer while stirring.
Continue to stir on light simmer until cheese is fully incorporated and sauce is smooth. (Be sure to scrape corners of pot)
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Spread 1 cup of cheese sauce on the bottom of a buttered 9 x 13 casserole.
Lay 3 lasagna noodles into sauce.
Cover with half of the blanched broccoli, season with salt and pepper.
Ladle 3 strips of cheese sauce across broccoli.
Sprinkle with 2 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Place 6) 1 ounce scoops of ricotta cheese evenly across casserole.
Repeat steps for second layer.
Top with remaining 3 lasagna noodles, ladle remaining cheese sauce over pasta and sprinkle with 2 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Cover with parchment and aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove parchment and foil and continuing baking, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
This recipe works best if the cheese sauce is warm when assembling and the pasta is fully cooked. If the sauce is chilled the broccoli will lose its color before the lasagna is fully heated and bubbly.