Zhuzh this up......?

[Hanitiser]

I'm hoping that a more accomplished cook than me could look at this recipe and suggest improvements that will make it palatable for the whole family. I'm keen to make but feel like it might be a bit bland?

https://recipes.lidl.co.uk/recipes/cheese-and-broccoli-pasta

My DD loves the bachelors cheese & broccoli pasta sauce and this seems like a decent, less processed, alternative but I know it's not going to be as tasty.

Help me please, if you can. Thanks!

Use a very strong cheddar, add mustard, use blue cheese. Any of those will make it much more punchy.

Add some chunky garlicky breadcrumbs on top for crunch, some halved cherry tomatoes and that should help.

Nothing for it but sweet chilli sauce

Mustard powder in the sauce
Extra mature cheddar
A single bag of cheese & onion crisps crushed and mixed with grated parmesan on the top

Crumbled streaky bacon would be a lovely addition. Cubed ham, seasoned grilled chicken pieces, even prawns would work if you like them.

I would use garlic/more garlic, Parmesan bread crumbs for a topping, some Aleppo pepper flakes would be nice, too.

The possibilities are endless, really. You could add countless things and it would be good.

Garlic and a little bit of chilli

https://www.recipetineats.com/quick-broccoli-pasta/

This one has lemon juice, herbs, garlic, dried chilli flakes… add whatever your dd will manage

You could try just making that one, but adding a little bit of MSG to bridge the gap between it and the packet stuff.

Or throw some steamed broccoli into this for something closer to the packet stuff.

https://www.seriouseats.com/ingredient-stovetop-mac-and-cheese-recipe

Worcestershire sauce

Mustard/mustard powder, and plenty of it

Or smoked paprika or smoked cheddar

More protein by way of chicken or bacon. Not sure about prawns as others have said, not much flavour and risk going hard and overcooked

but basically anything with a cheese sauce needs really really really really (you get the picture) strong flavoured cheese, cheese sauces are NEVER strong enough

I have recommended both of these many times on MN miso butter greens and broken pasta with broad beans and rocket. Both written by Meera Sodha for her vegan food column, as a non-vegan I make basic changes - vegan butter to normal butter, nutritional yeast to parmesan. I find them super adaptable and really delicious, they are regulars in my house.

Thanks all. I'll take all the helpful suggestions on board and give it a go. Experimentation is key!

I agree with all of the above - mustard, good quality cheese & chicken. (Also a pinch of nutmeg won't go amiss!)

AND would cook the pasta/ broccoli in stock!

I would also do the Jamie Oliver thing of blitzing a garlic baguette in the food processor to make a crunchy crumb topping. Such a simple idea and so delicious

That is genius!

I'd just add a veg stock cube

Oh nice idea. Is this uncooked then the crumb topping goes in the oven to crisp up . Or do you cook it then blitz it?

Uncooked, then sprinkle on and bake to crunchy garlicy yummyness

I am going to try this next time 😄

Parmesan cheese will help a lot here, freshly grated if you can manage. It's salty and adds a lot of umami.
Also you can mix it with with crisp fried breadcrumbs or crispy bacon bits for a bit of crunch. Makes a lovely topping that's generally fought over round my way.

I keep bags of blitzed up stale bread crumbs in the freezer. But using garlic bread is genius!