Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Broccoli Shells and Cheese
Broccoli nestled in a creamy cheese sauce makes a bowl of shells especially inviting. Sharp cheddar gives the sauce a savory bite, with Parmesan deepening the flavor underneath. A spoonful that catches a little broccoli with the pasta brings those familiar flavors together nicely.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 10 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Lunch
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Smooth the milk in
Whisk the milk into the butter and flour mixture until no lumps remain before simmering.
2. Watch the sauce texture
Let the sauce simmer until it coats the back of a spoon before adding cheese.
3. Cheese off the burner
Turn the burner off and whisk in cheddar a handful at a time until melted.
Get to know the ingredients
Broccoli
Partly thaw the frozen florets, chop them into bite-sized pieces and let them finish thawing before combining.
Onion
Finely dice the onion before softening it in butter for the base of the cheese sauce.
Cheddar
Use shredded sharp cheddar so the handfuls can melt into the warm sauce as you whisk.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 7 steps completeMake room for Broccoli Shells and Cheese
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Coat and serve hot
Stir the drained pasta and chopped broccoli with the cheese sauce until coated, then serve hot.
A little more help as you go
Cook the flour briefly
Whisk the flour and butter paste over medium heat without scorching before adding the milk.
Taste after both cheeses
Add Parmesan after the cheddar melts, then taste before adjusting salt, pepper or optional hot sauce.
A few questions you might have
Can I use fresh broccoli?
Yes, add small fresh florets to the pasta water during the final minute, then drain together.
Should frozen broccoli go into the pasta water?
The frozen broccoli thaws separately and joins the drained pasta when the cheese sauce is added.
When do I add Parmesan?
Stir it in after all the shredded cheddar has melted into the sauce off the heat.
Can I make the sauce while pasta cooks?
Yes, begin softening the onion in butter while the pasta cooks in its separate pot.
What tells me the roux needs milk?
After the flour and butter have cooked briefly without scorching, whisk in the milk until smooth.
Any more cooking tips?
To use fresh broccoli in this recipe, cut two broccoli crowns into small florets. Add the cut florets to the boiling pasta water during the pasta’s last minute of cooking. This will blanch the broccoli, but leave it just firm enough to add texture. Drain the broccoli along with the pasta in the colander.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: budgetbytes.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
