Baked mac and broccoli with breadcrumb top
This frozen box gets a crisp, browned crust in the oven and tastes like you made a real sauce. A handful of breadcrumbs and butter, toasted on top while the mac heats through, turns a weeknight shortcut into something worth sitting down for.
About 200 calories a serving, 4 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.
To buy
- 1/3 cup [30 grams] panko breadcrumbs
From your shelf
- 1 box (Birds Eye) pasta and broccoli with white cheese sauce
Staples
- 2 tablespoons [28 grams] butter
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- Heat the oven to 400°F [200°C]. Empty the box of frozen pasta and broccoli into a baking dish, breaking up any large clumps with a fork. Let it sit while the oven heats; no need to thaw.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in 1/3 cup of panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Toast, stirring often, until the crumbs turn golden, about 3 minutes.
- Spread the warm breadcrumb mixture over the pasta. Bake until the top is brown and crisp and the contents are heated through, about 15 minutes. The edges will bubble slightly. Let rest 2 minutes before serving.
Note Swap the panko for finely grated Parmesan or a mix of both if you have it. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 3 days; reheat gently in a 350°F [175°C] oven. Serve with a side salad or a simple green vegetable.
On the label
ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WATER, SEMOLINA WHEAT, WHEAT GLUTEN, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), BROCCOLI, SAUCE (WATER, PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), NONFAT MILK, BUTTER CONCENTRATE [BUTTER (CREAM, SALT), FLAVOR], MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SALT, GARLIC, SEASONING (MALTODEXTRIN, WHEY, SALT, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, DRIED ONIONS, YEAST EXTRACT, DRIED RED PEPPERS, NATURAL FLAVORS, SOYBEAN OIL, GARLIC POWDER, SPICES, DRIED PARSLEY, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, TURMERIC POWDER, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SAFFLOWER OIL, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM CASEINATE, CHICKEN FAT, GUM ACACIA, SUGAR, DRIED CHICKEN BROTH, SUNFLOWER OIL, ROSEMARY), ONION POWDER, XANTHAN GUM, SPICES).
Birds Eye, frozen dinners & entrees, serving 221 GRM, package 10 oz/283 g. Ingredients as printed on the label.
More from Birds Eye
- Birds Eye mashed sweet potatoes & carrots
- Birds Eye french cut green beans
- Birds Eye california blend a premium mix of sweet carrots, garden broccoli and cauliflower, california blend
- Birds Eye white meat chicken and white rice in a sweet & sour sauce with julienne carrots, bell peppers, onions and diced pineapple, sweet & sour chicken
- Birds Eye white meat chicken and pasta with carrots, broccoli and red peppers in a sesame garlic stir-fry sauce, chicken stir fry
- Birds Eye seasoned chicken flavored rice with broccoli, carrots & onions, chicken
- Birds Eye original mashed cauliflower, original
- Birds Eye sauced mushroom & green bean risotto, sauced
- Birds Eye lightly sauced roasted red potatoes with chive butter sauce, lightly sauced
- Birds Eye garlic parmesan peas, garlic parmesan
Other cheese
- Heinen's creme cheese swirl authentic brioche loaf, creme cheese swirlHeinen's
- Kraft original macaroni&cheese sauce mix, originalKraft
- Kraft original gluten free brown rice and corn pasta & cheese sauce mix, originalKraft
- Signature Select cheese & pepperoni mini pizza bagels, cheese & pepperoniSignature Select
- Hempler's andoville smoked sausage with jalapeno & cheeseHempler's
- La Fe pizza filled with tomato sauce, cheese, and flavorful seasoning empanadas, pizzaLa Fe
- Smart Ones mini cheeseburger flame broiled beef patty and cheese on a mini-bun, mini cheeseburgerSmart Ones
- Forte's stromboli, steak & cheeseForte's
- H-E-B southwest style green cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrot, white chicken meat, roasted corn, four cheese blend, tortilla strips, green onion, cilantro with cilantro pepita dressing chopped salad bowl, southwest styleH-E-B
- H-E-B neufchatel cheese, neufchatelH-E-B
Cooks as cheese, broccoli, pasta. Half of it left? Use up the cheese.