My family gets enough pasta, so it’s nice to take an old classic and make it healthier, yet still have that comfort-food satisfaction. 

This recipe was adapted from urbanchickpea.com  I was pleasantly surprised by this one! 

 

Happy Cooking!

~ Gena

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided **
• 2 garlic cloves, minced **
• 4 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch disks, then sliced into matchsticks (approximate size of macaroni)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted **
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan **
• salt and pepper to taste **

For the cheese sauce:

• 2 T butter **
• 2 T flour **
• 3/4 cup milk **
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• 6 ounces of gruyere cheese
• 2 ounces of sharp white cheddar (or regular cheddar) **
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste **

**  Ingredients are used in other recipes from This Week’s Menu, starred to help in your planning. (Bean types may vary)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter for the cheese sauce in a large pot and stir in the 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir over low heat for 2 minutes, then add 3/4 cup of milk, stirring constantly with a whisk to avoid lumps. Add grated nutmeg, salt and pepper and sauce will begin to thicken.  Turn off heat on cheese sauce and stir in shredded gruyere and cheddar until smooth.
• While the sauce is thickening, heat a large skillet with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add garlic and red pepper flake and saute for 30 seconds. Turn up heat to medium-high and add the zucchini batons and saute for 2 minutes. The zucchini should still be firm and retain it’s shape.
• Stir the sauteed zucchini into cheese sauce.  Pour mixture into a buttered casserole dish.    Sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan on top and broil for a few minutes or until Parmesan is melted.

Enjoy!!