Cheesy Broccoli Baked Pasta with Thyme Breadcrumbs

Cheesy Broccoli Baked Pasta

with Thyme Breadcrumbs

50 MIN
4 Servings
Wellness at Blue Apron
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Vegetarian
These recipes don’t contain meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.* They’re made with fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. *Select artisanal cheeses may contain animal-derived rennet.
Carb Conscious
These meals have 48g or less of net carbs (total carbs minus dietary fiber) per serving. They replace refined carbohydrates from sources like white flour, rice, and cane sugar with high-fiber foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
600 Calories Or Less
Coming in at 600 calories or less per serving, these recipes are ideal for those choosing to monitor their caloric intake without sacrificing flavor. The US Food & Drug Administration uses 2000 calorie daily intake for general advice. The 600 calorie cap equates to 30% of the total 2000 calories per day based on 3 meals per day with 200 calories remaining for snack or beverage.
Wellness Grain
These recipes feature grains such as barley, quinoa, farro, orzo, couscous and more, handpicked by our Culinary team in collaboration with our Registered Dietitian.
Pescatarian
These recipes feature a wide array of nutritious seafood options like salmon, cod, tilapia, crab, and shrimp. While these dishes never contain meat, pork or poultry, they may contain animal derived ingredients such as milk, butter, cheese and/or honey.
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From the Test Kitchen

In tonight’s crowd-pleasing baked pasta, the classic duo of broccoli and cheese is combined with spirals of fusilli bucati. For layers of flavor, we’re making a delectable cheese sauce with sharp cheddar, then folding in the pasta and roasted broccoli. Added just before baking, a layer of breadcrumbs mixed with woodsy thyme completes the dish with crispy texture.

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  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    690 Cals (est.)
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fresh
ingredients
time-saving
tips & techniques
Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem. Cut the broccoli into small pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Grate the cheddar cheese on the large side of a box grater. Pick the thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Grate the Pecorino cheese on the small side of a box grater.

Roast the broccoli:
2 Roast the broccoli:

Place the broccoli on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Leaving the oven on, remove the roasted broccoli from the oven.

Cook the pasta:
3 Cook the pasta:

While the broccoli roasts, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water; cook 8 to 9 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and set aside in a warm place.

Make the cheese sauce:
4 Make the cheese sauce:

While the broccoli continues to roast, in the same pot, heat the butter on medium-high until melted. Add the garlic and flour. Cook, whisking constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until golden brown and fragrant. Add the milk and pasta cooking water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, whisking frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheddar cheese. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until melted and thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat. (If the sauce seems too thick, stir in up to 2 tablespoons of water to achieve your desired consistency.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Finish the pasta & season the breadcrumbs:
5 Finish the pasta & season the breadcrumbs:

Add the roasted broccoli and cooked pasta to the pot of cheese sauce. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a baking dish. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, thyme, and half the Pecorino cheese. Stir in enough olive oil to moisten the mixture; season with salt and pepper. Evenly top the finished pasta with the seasoned breadcrumbs.

Bake the casserole & serve your dish:
6 Bake the casserole & serve your dish:

Bake the finished pasta, rotating the baking dish halfway through, 9 to 11 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly around the edges. Remove from the oven; immediately top with a drizzle of olive oil and the remaining Pecorino cheese. Let stand at least 2 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

1 Prepare the ingredients:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem. Cut the broccoli into small pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Grate the cheddar cheese on the large side of a box grater. Pick the thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Grate the Pecorino cheese on the small side of a box grater.

2 Roast the broccoli:

Place the broccoli on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Leaving the oven on, remove the roasted broccoli from the oven.

Roast the broccoli:
Cook the pasta:
3 Cook the pasta:

While the broccoli roasts, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water; cook 8 to 9 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and set aside in a warm place.

4 Make the cheese sauce:

While the broccoli continues to roast, in the same pot, heat the butter on medium-high until melted. Add the garlic and flour. Cook, whisking constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until golden brown and fragrant. Add the milk and pasta cooking water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, whisking frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheddar cheese. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until melted and thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat. (If the sauce seems too thick, stir in up to 2 tablespoons of water to achieve your desired consistency.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Finish the pasta & season the breadcrumbs:
5 Finish the pasta & season the breadcrumbs:

Add the roasted broccoli and cooked pasta to the pot of cheese sauce. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a baking dish. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, thyme, and half the Pecorino cheese. Stir in enough olive oil to moisten the mixture; season with salt and pepper. Evenly top the finished pasta with the seasoned breadcrumbs.

6 Bake the casserole & serve your dish:

Bake the finished pasta, rotating the baking dish halfway through, 9 to 11 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly around the edges. Remove from the oven; immediately top with a drizzle of olive oil and the remaining Pecorino cheese. Let stand at least 2 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Bake the casserole & serve your dish:
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