Spinach Power Pesto Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni with pesto, spinach, and three cheeses, baked with a luxurious cheese and bread cube topping, take our favorite comfort food to the next level.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 778 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 ¾ cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 ½ cups elbow macaroni
• ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 8 ounces baby spinach leaves, or to taste
• ¼ cup prepared basil pesto, divided
• ¾ cup shredded Asiago cheese, divided
• 4 slices multigrain bread with crusts, cubed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a casserole dish.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Add baby spinach to the pot in the last minute of cooking; drain.

Step 3

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir garlic into onion mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk 2 tablespoons pesto, flour, black pepper, and salt into onion mixture until smooth; whisk milk in gradually. Cook and stir milk mixture until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes; stir in 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup Asiago cheese; remove saucepan from heat and stir until cheeses are melted, about 1 minute.

Step 4

Stir cheese mixture into macaroni mixture; pour into prepared casserole dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove casserole from oven; increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Step 6

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons pesto, 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup Asiago cheese, and bread cubes. Remove casserole dish from oven, uncover, and top with bread mixture.

Step 7

Bake casserole with topping in the preheated oven, uncovered, until bubbly and golden, about 10 minutes.