One Pot Pesto Shells + Cheese

- Vegetarian
Why we love it:
Ingredients
- 31⁄2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 pound Shells Pasta (medium size, or pasta of your choice)
- 1 bunch Broccolini
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 3 Tablespoons Flour
- 11⁄2 cups Whole Milk
- 11⁄2 cups Cheddar Cheese (grated)
- 1⁄4 cup Pesto (store bought is fine here)
- 1⁄4 teaspoon Black Pepper
Cooking Instructions
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1. PASTA
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a good amount of salt - for pasta, at least 1 Tablespoon of salt goes in. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Add the broccolini to the boiling pasta pot when there are about 6 minutes left to cook (your pasta will likely call for 11 - 14 minutes, so add the broccolini after the pasta gets a 6 - 8 minute head start).
Drain. Pluck out the broccolini and set aside on a separate plate.
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2. SAUCE
To use one pot, cook the sauce after the pasta is done. To go faster, use a second pot and start the sauce while the pasta is boiling.
Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until completely combined; the mixture will look like wet sand. Cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in a little bit of the milk until smooth, then whisk in the remaining milk and continue whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 - 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, a little bit at a time until melted and smooth. Stir in the pesto, salt, and pepper, if using.
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3. TOSS
Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir gently until the pasta and sauce are evenly combined.
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4. SERVING
Plate a scoop of shells and cheese with broccolini on the side. Top the pasta with more pesto sauce if you like and salt the broccolini to your taste.
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