Goat Cheese Mac and Cheese (Easy 20-Minute Recipe)
This easy Goat Cheese Mac and Cheese is made with only 7 ingredients and ready in 20 minutes. Creamy goat cheese melts with butter and pasta water to create a silky sauce that's tossed with cavatappi and roasted broccoli for an easy vegetarian dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12-15 ounces cavatappi noodles
- 8 ounces soft goat cheese cut into small chunks*
- 4 tablespoons butter cut into small chunks (sub ghee)
- pinch kosher salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425℉.
- Roast Broccoli: Put 1 pound fresh broccoli florets on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt; massage oil into the broccoli. Place in oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until slightly charred.
- Cook Pasta (reserve pasta water!): Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 12-15 ounces cavatappi noodles to the boiling water and cook to al dente, according to the package directions. Save 1 1/2 cups of pasta water. Drain remaining pasta water and leave the noodles in the colander.
- Sauce: In the same pot that you cooked the pasta in, combine 8 ounces soft goat cheese, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 cup hot pasta water, and a pinch kosher salt and ground black pepper. Let melt and whisk until everything is melted and sauce is smooth.
- Combine: Add the cooked noodles back into the pot and stir. Then the cooked broccoli and toss again.
- Additional Water: Option to add remaining ½ cup of pasta water, as needed, to smooth out the sauce.
- Taste + Adjust: Give it a taste and add any additional salt or pepper, if desired.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- *Soft Goat Cheese: key here is to use soft goat cheese (and not a block of goat cheese) - I like brands like The Humble Goat or Montchevre - but really any soft goat cheese will do!
- Pasta: Feel free to use a different typo of pasta than cavatappi - just ensure whatever you use cook it al dente and don't forget to reserve 1 1/2 cups of pasta water before draining the rest!
- Gluten-Free: You can definitely use gluten-free noodles!
- Leftovers: Makes great leftovers! Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You might need to add a little melted butter, unsweetened almond milk or even little vegetable broth to help bring it back to life!
Nutrition
Calories: 666kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 833mg | Potassium: 563mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1292IU | Vitamin C: 101mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 3mg
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