Slow cooker broccoli mac and cheese
At last, slow cooker broccoli mac and cheese that I have been waiting to make for a while now. This recipe is genius if I say so myself. A healthy new technique on how to cook broccoli and added to recipes.
Finally a couple of days ago I got around to trying the slow cooker mac and cheese I have been wanting to try for a while. It was all an experiment that I wished it did turn out a winner recipe… and so it did!
My husband raved about this recipe so many times that I don’t know if he was being nice or really the recipe was that good. He said it was a fantastic tasty recipe and he loved the fact that the broccoli was minced since it was much easier to eat that way. Perfect for the kids too!
I was surprised at how fast the recipe cooked on the slow cooker. I placed the slow cooker on high for 2 hours and that is all it took. After cooking the mac and cheese for two hours, the broccoli followed. To cook the broccoli only took another 20 minutes so all in all about 2 1/2 hours. I am sure you could cook this slow cooker broccoli mac and cheese recipe on low for 4 hours if you need it more time. Then the broccoli will also need another 30 minutes or so.
I used a couple of my favorite cheeses for my slow cooker broccoli mac and cheese but you can use combination of your choice.
I have many other recipes on my to do list for recipe development I want to try. I hope they all turn out as good as this one. Today I am attempting a gluten free lemon poke cake so lets see how that goes.
I am going to be developing other recipes using this broccoli minced method but for now I leave you with this simple recipe I hope you like.
Enjoy!
PrintSlow cooker broccoli mac and cheese
Miryam's original recipe
Yield: 8 servings
Total Time: 2 1/2 hours
Ingredients:
- 12 oz fresh broccoli
- 13-16 oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 oz gorgonzola cheese
- 4 cups organic milk
- 19 oz whole wheat elbow macaroni ( 1 1/2 containers)
- 1/2 tsp celtic salt
- 1/2 tsp arrowroot powder, or cornstarch
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker, except the broccoli and arrowroot powder, mix through and set the slow cooker on high for 2 hours. Alternatively you can place the slow cooker on low for 4 hours. (I stirred the mixture two times while cooking)
Place the broccoli on a food processor and pulse until minced, about 20 seconds. Set aside.
Add the broccoli and arrowroot powder in the slow cooker, stir and cook for an additional 20 minutes on high. Serve immediately with some extra gorgonzola cheese.
NOTE: I did stir the mac and cheese a couple of times while cooking. I don't know if this is necessary but I wanted all the elbow macaroni to get coated with the milk and cheese. You can also use any other cheese mixture of your choice.
Some people have complained that they needed less time to cook the past because theirs become to soft with 2 hours. Watch the pasta and see how it is doing after 1 hour on high and 2 hours on low!!
