Description
This Creamed Spinach Mac and Cheese is a comforting and creamy twist on the classic macaroni and cheese, featuring tender spinach blended into a rich cheese sauce made with fontina, white cheddar, and parmesan. Topped with crispy onions for extra texture, this hearty casserole is baked to golden perfection and serves as a perfect meal for family or gatherings.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound short cut pasta, cooked according to package directions
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 12 ounces fresh baby spinach
Cheese
- 12 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 6 ounces white cheddar, freshly grated
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Topping
- ½ cup crispy onions or breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat and Sauté: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a large oven-safe pot over medium-low heat and add the butter. Stir in the diced onion and minced garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have softened and become translucent.
- Cook Pasta: While sautéing, cook the pasta in another pot according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and spritz with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: Toss together the freshly grated fontina, white cheddar, and parmesan cheeses, reserving a small portion for topping later.
- Make Roux and Sauce: Stir the flour into the sautéed onions and garlic to create a roux. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns golden and emits a nutty aroma. Slowly stream in the milk while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens into a creamy sauce.
- Add Spinach: Add the fresh baby spinach to the sauce. Although it seems like a lot at first, stir continuously until the spinach wilts and softens, blending into the sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Cheese: Once the spinach is cooked down, stir in almost all of the grated cheese (reserve some for topping) and the cooked pasta. Toss everything together repeatedly until the pasta is fully coated and the cheese is melted.
- Top and Bake: Sprinkle the reserved cheese and crispy onions or breadcrumbs evenly over the top of the mac and cheese. Place the pot in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the dish is bubbly.
Notes
- Make sure to reserve some cheese for topping to create a crunchy and flavorful crust during baking.
- If you prefer, breadcrumbs can be used instead of crispy onions for the topping.
- Spritzing the pasta with olive oil after cooking helps prevent it from sticking together before combining.
- This recipe uses an oven-safe pot, but alternatively, transfer the mixture to a baking dish for baking.
- For a richer sauce, whole milk is recommended; however, you can substitute with 2% milk if preferred.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
