There’s nothing wrong with regular mac and cheese, but it simply cannot compare to this Ultimate Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese! It is the cheesiest and the creamiest, with a crispy, crunchy crumb topping. Make no mistake, this cannot be found in a box at the grocer!
ULTIMATE SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE MAC AND CHEESE
My Ultimate Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese brings all the boys to the yard. Well, it would if I had a yard! Maybe it’ll bring them to my balcony? No, wait, that’s creepy. Never mind! I will, however, boldly state that my recipe is the best! It is a grown up version of the childhood classic.
Since John.e and I started living together, I have heard many times that he would like macaroni and cheese for dinner. But, I refused to make it because, to be completely honest, I cannot stand the texture of macaroni noodles! They tend to feel slimy and overcooked in my mouth.
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INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Butter – You can use either salted or unsalted butter here.
- Pasta – Macaroni is the quintessential pasta shape of choice in mac and cheese, however you can use other shapes as well. Fusilli, penne, or rotini will all work well.
- Cheese – I love old cheddar cheese in this recipe, because it has a sharp flavour. Use any good melting cheese here.
- Milk – Whenever I use milk in recipes, it is always whole milk.
- Flour – Regular, all-purpose flour will do the trick.
- Salt & Ground Black Pepper
- Spinach – I’m using frozen chopped spinach. You can use fresh spinach. Just cook it enough to wilt it first.
- Artichokes – Canned artichokes are always present in our pantry. Drain them well and gently squeeze the excess water out of them before roughly chopping them.
- Breadcrumbs – I prefer Panko, because it has better texture. You can use regular breadcrumbs too, but don’t use the Italian seasoned type – plain is best.
CHILDHOOD MAC AND CHEESE TRAUMA
I blame it on a babysitter my parents left us with when we were kids. Okay, she wasn’t actually OUR babysitter, but she was babysitting our two friends, Matthew and Jonathan. My parents had gone shopping with their parents. It was decided that we would spend the afternoon with our two friends. Even though my brother and I were old enough to be left on our own!
The babysitter was a nightmare of a woman; she did nothing but talk on the phone and chain smoke. And as all little boys know, playing Nintendo is hard work, so we got really hungry really quickly!
She offered to make us Kraft Dinner. She served a bowl of orange macaroni which was wet, slimy, and crunchy. No matter how much ketchup I put in that bowl, I could not swallow it!
ADULT MAC AND CHEESE TRAUMA
Fast forward a few years later, and, I will admit, I did eat Kraft Dinner occasionally. My ex wife used to make a casserole with mushroom soup, cheese, and Kraft Dinner. It was actually very good! Actually, I have a recipe for a Homemade Canadian Kraft Dinner that will knock your socks off!
All was good until my ex wife’s sister, (I love you, Natasha!) prepared Kraft Dinner one day for lunch. One bite was all it took. We all questioned what she did to make it taste like we were drinking from the Red Sea. It was so damn salty!!! And guess what!? To me, it was still slimy!
(We later learned that while she was salting the water, the lid fell off the salt shaker, and rather than change out the water, she used it anyway!)
My love… no, not love… acceptance(?) of Kraft Dinner died. I never again ate it! And, that, my friend, is where my distaste for macaroni and cheese came from – those two innocent episodes of grossness.
COOKING PASTA
Let me talk to you a bit about how to get the pasta just right without overcooking it. Someone once told me that I prepare pasta like an old Italian grandma. That has stuck we me for so many years. You see, Dear Reader, I’m far from perfect, but cooking pasta is one thing I can certainly do perfectly. I don’t care what the back of the pasta package says, cook your pasta according to taste and texture. Ignore everything else. Here are my 4 steadfast rules:
Rule #1: Say no to oil!
Do you add oil to your pasta water before adding the pasta? Stop that right now! I don’t know who’s responsible for that, but I have seen some TV chefs do it! If you add oil to your pasta water, do you know what happens when you put the sauce on it? The sauce won’t stick as well as it should. It will slide off, because the oil prevents it from sticking.
Rule #2: Add extra salt!
Salt the water. I used to be so afraid of salting pasta water, because I thought it would be too salty to eat. Salting the water, before you add the pasta, is the only chance you get to season that pasta. Let the water come to full boil before adding your salt. The water should taste like the ocean. Don’t dump the salt in; stir it in. Preventing the salt from settling at the bottom of your pot will keep your pot looking shiny and new. If you have pots with what looks like a tarnished or unpolished interior bottom, it’s because salt sat at the bottom of your pot.
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Rule #3: Get that pasta moving about immediately!
Stir the pasta for a good minute when you first add it to the water. This helps to wash off some of the starch and prevents the pasta from sticking to the pot and to itself. I always pull out a piece of pasta 4 minutes before the package says it will be ready. Taste it. Chew it. It shouldn’t be completely soft. If it has a bit of bite left in the center, get it out of the water and drain it immediately. You can thank me later!
Rule #4: Do not rinse!
So many of us are tempting to rinse pasta under running water after it’s been drained. I think it comes from the notion that it gets rid of starch. Well, it does in a way. But, when pasta begins to cool off and dry, it becomes a little sticky. That stickiness soaks up pasta sauce, so don’t flush it out! A quick drain is all you need.
MY OWN KIND OF THERAPY
One evening, I decided to surprise John.e with mac and cheese for dinner. And, that’s how this recipe came to be, and my love of mac and cheese has been reborn.
I wanted to develop a grown up version of this dish. I had tried a little of the homemade stuff from time to time, but never acquired a taste for it. The only two ingredients in the stuff I ate was boiled macaroni and grated cheese. It was baked in the oven with bread crumbs on top. Now, if that’s how you like it, I won’t judge you. Who am I kidding? Of course I will judge you! But, I will reserve judgement until after you have tried this recipe. And, only if you can tell me honestly that it’s not a million times better!
Do You Like This Recipe?
You should consider trying these other delicious recipes too!
Ultimate Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 450 grams macaroni, cooked
- 6 cups old cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 300 gram package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and very well drained
- 2 14 ounce cans artichokes in water, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the salt and pepper and stir them into the sizzling butter. Next, add the flour and whisk until the flour is absorbed by the butter and the entire mixture turns an amber colour. This process is cooking off the flour taste and creating a roux.
- Next, pour in the milk and whisk until thickened.
- Set aside your whisk and get a large wooden spoon. Add 5 cups of the cheese, spinach, and artichokes. Stir until completely combined, and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Continue to stir otherwise the cheese mixture might burn while the pan is cooling.
- Add the cooked macaroni and stir well into the cheese sauce. Once incorporated, transfer to a large baking dish.
- Top with the remaining cup of cheese and the bread crumbs.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Nutrition
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heather @ new house new home says
Hi Byron – This sounds delicious! I have to admit that plain old mac n cheese is one of my favourites, but I’ve never really mastered it. This sounds so fancy you could serve it when entertaining at lunch. Pinned!!
By the way, I’ve been reading you since you joined the Canadian bloggers group on FB and am thoroughly enjoying your writing. Keep it coming!!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks for the lovely comments, Heather. It’s great to hear that you’re reading my posts. Cheers!
swell conditions says
Ooooooh that looks SO good!! I’m going to Pin this one – thanks Byron!
Jen @ freshcrush says
Umm, where has this been all my life?! Can’t wait to try… thanks for sharing!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Right! That’s what I’ve been asking myself!
Prash @ YummilyYours says
the crusty layer looks just amazing! and to think it has better stuff underneath, the spinach and artichoke! Yum!
john.e says
This ranks as the supreme Mac + cheese – I didn’t even need ketchup!!! I am sooooo lucky.
adawnpaxton says
My mom hated mac n cheese, homemade and kraft, growing up so I never ever got to eat it! Once I moved out, my husband began asking for homemade mac n cheese for dinner and I had no idea what to do since I had never had it! I actually am guilty of sprinkling shredded cheese over boiled noodles! Luckily, my cooking skills are much better now and I make a mean mac n cheese, my favorite is with roasted cauliflower! I love the idea of spinach and artichokes in it and am going to try this version soon!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
We can compare notes on making mac and cheese as adults. 🙂 I thought it was a right of passage for college students, but I guess we both missed that day’s lecture. 🙂 Drop back and let me know how my spinach and artichoke version compares to the “sprinkling shredded cheese over boiled noodles” method. Cheers!
Meredith says
This combines all of my favorite things! Perfect for a cold fall night.
The Chunky Chef says
Ooooooh it’s like spinach and artichoke dip and macaroni and cheese had a baby! A delicious baby! Hmm, that sounded a little creepy huh? Anyway, this. looks. incredible!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hahaha! Amanda, it’s not creepy at all – well, maybe just a little. 😉
Madiha Nawaz says
I love spinach and artichoke and since I am not a fan of Mac and cheese myself, but for the love of these two veggies, I hope to be converted to be one of the likers after trying your recipe ?
On a more serious note, great recipe and really enjoyed reading the story as well!
Thanks very much for sharing!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks, Madiha! I’m glad you took the time to read the story. 🙂
Howie Fox says
Haha, good move getting away from Kraft dinner! This looks 10 times more delicious. And you could consider it almost healthy if not eaten all day 😉
Love it!
Mira says
This is one of the best spins on mac and cheese I’ve ever seen! Love it! Pinned!
Paul Storey says
That looks so good. The addition of the spinach and artichoke makes it sound delicious
homemadefoodjunkie says
I completely agree about yucky Kraft macNcheese. I’ve made it time or two for grandkids and felt like NEVER again. That said my Grandma baked it from scratch like your is and I LOVED it. Your crunchy topping is a perfect foil to the noodles. It looks very yummy!
Marissa @ OMG FOOD says
OMG YES. Mac and cheese will surely be the death of me because I could eat it all the time if given the choice. The addition of spinach and artichokes is amazeballs. Well done!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Marissa!
Laurie @ Vin'yet Etc. says
Okay, so you know that a recipe is ahhhhmazing when your mouth is watering just reading it! Wow, pinning and MAKING this!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Laurie. I really appreciate it!
Sharee @ Savory Spicerack says
looks great! I have to try this!
Lorry Vanden Dungen says
I am trying this tonight! My son and his gf are coming home to attend our local production of “Two Heads are Better then One!” and I need to make dinner before hand. This is perfect. I am planning on a shrimp skewer alongside… wish me luck!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks for the comment, Lorry. Did your son and his girlfriend enjoy the dinner you prepared for them?
Bette Harley says
I don’t think you can compare the boxed version of mac and cheese to this ultimate recipe!
This version of mac and cheese is definitely in a class of it’s own! The flavours of spinach, artichoke and sharp cheddar blend very well together.
Thanks for the recipe!
Anne Carruthers says
This recipe is delicious! I cut the ingredients by 1/3 and it was a good thing because it filled up my largest casserole dish. Also I cut the cooking time by 10 minutes because I was afraid the (gluten free) bread crumbs would burn. I love recipes with lots of vegetables in them and have tried several mac & cheese recipes, adding broccoli or tomatoes, along with different kinds of cheese, but this is really the best. Thank you,