Green Monster Macaroni and Cheese

20 min prep50 min total

A creamy, cheesy macaroni baked with a vibrant green spinach sauce, finished with a crispy breadcrumb topping and black olive slices arranged as eyes. This playful comfort food brings a spooky costume to dinner any time of the year.

Vegetarian

Ingredients

6 servings

Contains Gluten, Dairy, and Mustard

Pasta & Greasing

Spinach Cheese Sauce

Topping & Decoration

Directions

  1. Mark step 1 done

    Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni (400g) according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

  2. Mark step 2 done

    In a blender, combine the fresh spinach (150g) and the whole milk (2dl). Blend on high speed until completely smooth and bright green.

  3. Mark step 3 done

    In a large saucepan, melt the butter (50g) over medium heat. Whisk in the all-purpose flour (50g) and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.

  4. Mark step 4 done

    Gradually whisk in the whole milk (4dl), followed by the blended fresh spinach (150g) mixture. Cook, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens and comes to a gentle simmer.

  5. Mark step 5 done

    Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the vegetarian cheddar cheese (200g), vegetarian mozzarella cheese (100g), salt (5ml), black pepper (2.5ml), garlic powder (5ml), and mustard powder (5ml). Stir until the cheeses are completely melted and the sauce is smooth.

  6. Mark step 6 done

    Fold the cooked pasta into the green cheese sauce until every noodle is evenly coated. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.

  7. Mark step 7 done

    Sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs (50g) evenly over the top of the macaroni (400g). Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly and the panko breadcrumbs (50g) topping is crisp and lightly toasted.

  8. Mark step 8 done

    Remove from the oven and carefully arrange the black olives (20 slices) in pairs across the top to look like monster eyes peering out of the dish. Let cool slightly before serving. Cool any leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Leftovers keep for up to 4 days; reheat to an internal temperature of 74°C before eating.

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DifficultyMedium
LabelsBaked and Dinner
CreatedOctober 10, 2026·Edited October 10, 2026