Roasted Veggie Mac and Cheese

Name: Roasted Veggie Mac and Cheese
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 cup onions, cut into thin strips; 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick; 1 cup mushrooms, cleaned and halved or cut into 1-inch pieces; ½ cup red bell pepper, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces; ½ cup green bell pepper, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces; ½ cup yellow squash, cut into ½ to 1-inch pieces; ½ cup zucchini, cut into ½ to 1-inch pieces; ¼ cup canola oil, divided; 1 tablespoon dried thyme, divided; Salt and ground black pepper to taste; For the Mac &amp; Cheese:; 16 ounces dry penne, large elbows or shells; 8 tablespoons (1 stick) Cabot Salted Butter; ½ cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour; 4 cups hot milk; 16 ounces Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 4 cups); 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon dried dill weed; 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Servings

8

While traditional mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food dish, it never hurts to make this meal more nutritious by adding in some vegetables. Even picky eaters and those who don’t love veggies will appreciate how well the carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, yellow squash and zucchini complement the flavor of the Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar and seasonings. Make this roasted veggie mac & cheese on your next pasta night and share the recipe with friends and family on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Begin by roasting the vegetables:

Preheat your oven to 450ºF. Place vegetables in a large bowl, add about half of the canola oil and gently toss vegetables until evenly coated. Add about 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, season with salt and pepper and toss again. Then add the remaining oil and thyme, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss once again.

Transfer vegetables to a roasting pan or a large shallow baking dish. Bake uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until carrots are tender. Set vegetables aside and reduce oven temperature to 375ºF.

To finish mac and cheese:

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook pasta until almost tender (al dente). Drain well, transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Melt Cabot Salted Butter in a heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour a little at a time until well blended. Continue stirring for a minute or two longer. Gradually whisk in milk and continue stirring until sauce is thickened. Add Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddarcheese, stirring until melted and blended. Reduce heat to low, add dried basil and dill weed and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 more minutes.

Remove sauce from heat and add about half of sauce to the reserved pasta, mixing well. Add reserved roasted vegetables and remaining sauce and mix again.

Spread mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with Panko breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

If you love veggie mac & cheese, be sure to check out our Grilled Vegetable Mac & Cheese too. As a co-operative of over 800 farm families, Cabot is dedicated to creating the highest quality products and recipes that best showcase the fresh flavors of our products. Please share your thoughts on this vegetable mac & cheese recipe after you’ve made it by rating and reviewing it.

Ingredients

For the Roasted Vegetables:

1 cup onions, cut into thin strips
1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
1 cup mushrooms, cleaned and halved or cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup red bell pepper, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup green bell pepper, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup yellow squash, cut into ½ to 1-inch pieces
½ cup zucchini, cut into ½ to 1-inch pieces
¼ cup canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon dried thyme, divided
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
For the Mac & Cheese:
16 ounces dry penne, large elbows or shells
8 tablespoons (1 stick) Cabot Salted Butter
½ cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
4 cups hot milk
16 ounces Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

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Directions

To roast vegetables:

PREHEAT oven to 450ºF.
PLACE vegetables in large bowl. Add about half of oil and toss vegetables gently until evenly coated. Add about 1 teaspoon of thyme, season with salt and pepper and toss again.
ADD remaining oil and thyme, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss again.
TRANSFER vegetables to roasting pan or large shallow baking dish. Bake uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender.
SET vegetables aside and reduce oven temperature to 375ºF.

To finish mac and cheese:

BOIL large pot of salted water, cook pasta until almost tender (al dente); drain well, transfer to large bowl and set aside. Lightly grease 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
MELT butter in heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour a little at a time until well blended. Continue stirring for a minute or two longer. Gradually whisk in milk and continue stirring until sauce is thickened.
ADD cheese, stirring until melted and blended.
REDUCE heat to low. Add basil and dill weed and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes. longer.
REMOVE sauce from heat. Add about half of sauce to reserved pasta, mixing well. Add reserved roasted vegetables and remaining sauce and mix again.
SPREAD mixture in prepared baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.