Recipe Station

Here's everything you need for this savory spinach and artichoke mac and cheese. This recipe makes four servings.

Ingredients to Gather

8 ounces dried jumbo elbow macaroni or medium pasta shells
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup grated Gouda cheese
1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (no salt)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups packed baby spinach leaves (about 2 ounces)
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Directions to Follow

Heat the oven to broil. Bring a Dutch oven or large broiler-safe pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the butter to a small bowl, add the panko, and stir to combine; set aside.

Add the flour to the pot and whisk into the butter until completely combined. The mixture will look like wet sand. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to dry out, about 2 minutes.

Gradually whisk in a little bit of the milk until smooth, then whisk in the remaining milk and continue whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

Now, while stirring occasionally, simmer the mixture for between 5 and 8 minutes or until it's thick enough that it coats the back of a spoon. After this, add the cream cheese and then stir until the mixture is smooth and the cream cheese has melted. After this, remove from the heat and then add the Gouda, Gruyère, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan into the mixture one handful at a time, stirring until everything has melted and the mixture is smooth. Now, add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and stir, followed by the spinach and artichokes, stirring again. Add the cooked pasta and continue stirring until the spinach has wilted and the pasta and sauce have combined evenly. Take the reserved panko and the rest of the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle them evenly over the top of the mac and cheese, and then broil for 1 or 2 minutes or until the panko is browned and the cheese is melted.

Wow! This completely changes the way we see mac and cheese. We like that this is easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner but is still something different and a little bit fancy. Yum!

Article Source: The Kitchn