Spinach Power Pesto Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Spinach Power Pesto Macaroni and Cheese

Spinach Power Pesto Macaroni and Cheese
  • PREP TIME
    20 mins
  • COOK TIME
    45 mins
  • TOTAL TIME
    1 hrs 5 mins
  • SERVING
    4 People
  • VIEWS
    24

Elevate your mac and cheese game with this vibrant and flavorful take on a classic comfort food! Packed with spinach, fragrant pesto, and a blend of creamy cheeses, this dish offers a delightful twist that's both nutritious and utterly delicious.

Ingridients

Adjust Servings

Nutrition

  • Carbohydrate
    55 g
  • Cholesterol
    121 mg
  • Fiber
    6 g
  • Protein
    40 g
  • Saturated Fat
    26 g
  • Sodium
    1348 mg
  • Sugar
    8 g
  • Fat
    46 g
  • Unsaturated Fat
    0 g

Follow The Directions

01

Step
0 mins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a casserole dish. (5 minutes)

02

Step
9 mins

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. Add baby spinach to the pot in the last minute of cooking; drain. (10 minutes)

03

Step
8 mins

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir garlic into onion mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk 2 tablespoons pesto, flour, black pepper, and salt into onion mixture until smooth; whisk milk in gradually. Cook and stir milk mixture until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes; stir in 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup Asiago cheese; remove saucepan from heat and stir until cheeses are melted, about 1 minute. (10 minutes)

04

Step
0 mins

Stir cheese mixture into macaroni mixture; pour into prepared casserole dish. (2 minutes)

05

Step
25 mins

Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. (25 minutes)

06

Step
0 mins

Remove casserole from oven; increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). (2 minutes)

07

Step
10 mins

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons pesto, 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup Asiago cheese, and bread cubes. Remove casserole dish from oven, uncover, and top with bread mixture. (5 minutes)

08

Step

Bake casserole with topping in the preheated oven, uncovered, until bubbly and golden, about 10 minutes. (10 minutes)

For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a pinch of nutmeg to the cheese sauce.
Feel free to substitute the cheeses with your favorites – Gruyere, Fontina, or even a touch of goat cheese would be delicious!
If you don't have multigrain bread, any crusty bread will work well for the topping.
To make ahead, assemble the casserole up to the baking step, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 10-15 minutes to the baking time when ready to cook.

Elliott Bernhard

Written by

Our recipe authors are passionate food lovers who share thousands of diverse dishes from around the world. They bring daily cooking inspiration with delicious, easy-to-make recipes for every occasion.

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RECIPE REVIEWS

Avarage Rating: 4.9/ 5 ( 8 Ratings)
Total Reviews: (3)

  • Hannah Doyle

    Jun 19, 2025

    I tried this recipe with Gruyere and it was amazing! Thanks for the inspiration!

  • Rolando Huel

    Jun 6, 2025

    This recipe is a game-changer! The pesto and spinach add such a fresh and vibrant flavor to traditional mac and cheese.

  • Chaz Marks

    Apr 27, 2025

    My kids, who are usually picky eaters, devoured this! The breadcrumb topping is the perfect finishing touch.

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