If you think mac and cheese is just pasta and cheese, think again. Our chefs managed to sneak tomato and spinach into this super speedy comfort dish. But don’t worry—your kids will be too distracted by the crunchiness of the panko breadcrumbs and creaminess of the cheddar cheese to even notice.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
12 ounce
Gemelli Pasta
(Contains Wheat)
1.5 cup
Cheddar Cheese
(Contains Milk)
2 ounce
Cream Cheese
(Contains Milk)
5 ounce
Spinach
1 unit
Roma Tomato
1 unit
Yellow Onion
1 box
Milk
(Contains Milk)
¼ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains Wheat)
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains Milk)
2 teaspoon
Olive Oil
unit
Salt
unit
Pepper
Wash and dry all produce. Preheat broiler to high or oven to 500 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Halve, peel, and finely dice onion. Core and dice tomato.
Add pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain when finished.
Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large tall-sided pan over medium heat. Add onions and toss until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and toss until broken down, another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Wilt the spinach: Stir spinach into pan to wilt. (HINT: You may need to work in stages.) Season with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat.
Add drained pasta, 3 Tablespoons cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon butter, and 2 packages cheddar cheese. Thoroughly combine to melt cheeses. Slowly add milk 1 Tablespoon at a time to reach a creamy consistency (we used roughly ½ cup). Season with salt and pepper. TIP: If pasta isn’t hot enough to melt cheeses, place pan over low heat.
Broil and serve: Sprinkle with Panko and remaining cheddar cheese. Transfer to oven and broil until melted and golden brown, 2-3 minutes. (TIP: Keep a close eye on it!) Serve the mac and cheese divided between bowls and enjoy.