If you are looking for a comforting, cozy all-in-one dinner, this Baked Macaroni Casserole with Sausage and Broccoli is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. It upgrades traditional macaroni and cheese by folding in savory, smoky sausage rounds and tender green broccoli florets into a rich, velvety white cheese sauce.
Topped with a heavy blanket of shredded cheese and baked until deeply blistered and bubbling, every single scoop delivers an epic, dramatic cheese stretch that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
Prep time, Cook time, & Servings
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Servings: 6-8 hearty servings
Ingredients
For the Pasta Base & Mix-ins:
- Macaroni or Cavatappi (Spiral) Pasta: 1 lb (16 oz) box
- Smoked Sausage or Kielbasa: 14 oz, cut into circular rounds
- Broccoli: 2 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
The Velvety White Cheese Sauce:
- Unsalted Butter: 1/4 cup
- All-Purpose Flour: 1/4 cup
- Whole Milk: 2.5 cups (warmed)
- Heavy Cream: 1/2 cup
- Garlic Powder: 1 tsp
- Onion Powder: 1/2 tsp
- Salt & Black Pepper: To taste
The Cheese Shreds (For Mixing & The Blistered Crown):
- Shredded Mozzarella: 2 cups (divided—gives that ultimate elastic cheese pull)
- Sharp White Cheddar or Gruyere: 1.5 cups (divided—adds an amazing sharp flavor depth)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat and Boil
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a large orange or ceramic 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with butter or cooking spray.
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the macaroni noodles until just under al dente (about 2 minutes less than the package directions).
- Steam the broccoli: Toss the fresh broccoli florets straight into the boiling pasta water during the final 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain the pasta and broccoli together in a large colander and set aside.
2. Brown the Smoked Sausage
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear: Add the sliced circular sausage rounds and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until a beautiful light brown crust forms. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Whisk the Luxurious Cheese Sauce
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until a smooth, bubbling paste (roux) forms.
- Stream in the liquids: Slowly pour in the warm whole milk and heavy cream, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Melt the cheese: Turn off the heat. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella and 1 cup of the white cheddar, stirring continuously until the sauce turns into a smooth, glossy, and gooey cheese blanket.
4. Combine and Assemble
- Fold: In a large bowl (or right inside your pasta pot), combine the cooked macaroni noodles, steamed broccoli florets, and browned sausage slices.
- Smother: Pour the hot white cheese sauce completely over the ingredients, folding gently until everything is heavily coated.
- Transfer: Pour the loaded mixture into your prepared ceramic baking dish, smoothing out the top evenly.
5. Bake to Blistered Perfection
- Top off: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of white cheddar uniformly across the top surface to build a dense cheese crown.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until the internal cheese is melting fiercely and bubbling around the edges.
- Blister: Turn your oven broiler on for the final 2-3 minutes, watching closely until the cheese top forms gorgeous charred, bubbling dark golden-brown spots just like the photo.
6. Serve Pipe Hot
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes so the creamy sauce sets up slightly.
- Serve: Dive a large flat spoon deep into the casserole, pull up a massive steaming scoop with a gorgeous cheese stretch, and enjoy!
Chef’s Tips for Success
- Don’t Overcook the Noodle/Broccoli: Because the pasta and broccoli finish cooking inside a hot oven smothered in heavy cream sauce, keeping them firm during the initial boil ensures they hold their perfect bite-sized structures instead of turning mushy.
- Shred from a Block: Avoid buying pre-shredded cheese bags for your top crust. Pre-packaged cheeses are dusted in starchy powders that prevent the shreds from binding seamlessly. Shredding blocks of low-moisture mozzarella and cheddar yields those incredible elastic strings.
- Mix Up the Meat: If you want a sweeter profile, try using maple smoked sausage, or add a pinch of smoked paprika to your white sauce base to inject a wonderful warmth into the cream texture.