Not Your Kid’s Mac & Cheese

CAUTION: You are about to consume an ultra-cheezy post…

There is a famous slogan out there…Porsche, there is no substitute. Well, I believe it could be altered to read Mac & Cheese, there is no substitute! I don’t mean out of the box, orange powder mix mac and cheese. I’m talking about a fresh, gourmet dish. Once you make your noodles and your cheese sauce (mind you the cheese sauce is made with freshly grated robust cheese), you can add a huge variety of “mix-ins” to create a very grown-up version of mac and cheese. I recently brought crispy bacon, sautéed leeks and garlic Mac & Cheese to a pot luck dinner. A few nights later my kids wanted me to make mac and cheese for dinner and I kept it vegetarian by adding a sautéed mixture of peas, wild mushrooms and scallions combined with a medley of fresh herbs. I even drizzled a little truffle oil over my serving though my youngest daughter thought that was too rich for her liking…kids!! The variety of mix ins are endless — let your imagination and taste buds guide your way! In any event, you need to give mac and cheese another try. Hey, you loved it as a kid, why can’t you enjoy it as an adult?

Begin by cooking the pasta according to package’s directions. While the pasta is cooking,  grate both the cheddar and gruyere cheeses and set aside.
In a medium-sized pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat.  Quickly whisk in 2 tbsp flour and heat for 1 minute.  Next, add 2 cups of milk.  Whisking often, heat the sauce until the mixture thickens, roughly 10-15 minutes.

Once thickened, remove the sauce from the heat and blend in the shredded cheese until thoroughly melted. Season with 1 tsp of sea salt and 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper.

Your basic cheese sauce is now ready. Here comes the fun part…what are you going to mix in to make your mac and cheese “grown-up”? Perhaps sautéed shallots, garlic, fresh tomatoes and chopped spinach? Oh, but fresh peas, scallions and ham sound delicious too. You can always keep it simple and make it a four cheese sauce. However, if you really want to make your mac and cheese all grown up, simply mix in chunks of fresh lobster meat…makes for an amazingly exotic dish!! Like I said before, the ideas are endless and totally up to you.

Once you have made whatever it is you are going to mix in to your mac and cheese, it’s time to assemble the dish. Begin with adding the noodles to a 9 x 13 baking dish. Next, stir in the cheese sauce and mix to coat the noodles. Now add your mix ins and stir to evenly mix all the ingredients. Top the noodles with a sprinkling of paprika, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and finally a few pinches of parsley. Cover with tin foil and put in a 375º pre-heated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove the tin foil for the last 10 minutes of baking so the topping gets nice and browned. Let sit for a few minutes before digging in…if you can!!

Ingredients:

Package of noodles (penne, elbows or the like)
2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk (I use skim milk)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper

Your ‘mix in” ingredients

For topping: 2 tsp paprika, ½ cup bread crumbs, ¾ cup parmesan and 2 tsp parsley.

Tips for the Creamiest Cheese Sauce

• Grate your own cheese. Freshly grated cheese melts smoothly. Pre shredded cheese has coatings that can make the sauce grainy.
• Warm the milk first. If you have a minute, warm the milk before adding it. It helps the sauce come together without lumps.
• Take it off the heat. Always stir the cheese in off the heat. Very hot sauce can make the cheese separate and turn oily.
• Undercook the pasta slightly. Since the noodles keep cooking in the oven, pull them a minute or two before the package says they are done so they do not turn mushy.

Make Ahead and Storage

This is a great dish to bring to a pot luck because you can assemble it a day ahead. Mix the noodles, sauce and mix ins in the baking dish, add the topping, cover with foil and refrigerate. Bake it straight from the refrigerator, adding about 15 minutes to the covered baking time, until it is bubbling and hot in the center. Leftovers keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions with a splash of milk stirred in so the sauce turns creamy again. If you used a meat or seafood mix in, reheat until it is steaming hot all the way through.

What to Serve With It

A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette is the perfect partner for something this rich. Roasted broccoli or green beans are great too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use other cheeses?

Yes. Fontina, white cheddar, smoked gouda or Monterey Jack all melt well. Just keep the total amount about the same.

Can I skip the oven?

You can stir the sauce and mix ins into the hot noodles and serve it right from the pot for a creamy stovetop version. You will just miss that golden topping.

How much pasta should I use?

One pound of pasta is a good match for this amount of sauce and fits nicely in a 9 by 13 dish.

Mandy

Not Your Kid's Mac and Cheese

A grown up baked mac and cheese with a creamy gruyere and extra sharp cheddar sauce, your favorite mix ins and a golden bread crumb and parmesan topping.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Mac and Cheese

• 1 package noodles penne, elbows or similar
• 2 cups Gruyere cheese shredded
• 2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk skim works fine
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• mix in ingredients of your choice cooked as needed

For the Topping

• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup parmesan
• 2 tsp parsley

Method

 

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. While it cooks, grate the cheddar and gruyere and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3. In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the milk and heat, whisking often, until the mixture thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove the sauce from the heat and blend in the shredded cheese until completely melted. Season with the sea salt and cracked black pepper.
6. Prepare whatever mix ins you have chosen.
7. Add the noodles to a 9 by 13 baking dish, stir in the cheese sauce to coat, then stir in the mix ins until evenly combined.
8. Sprinkle the top with the paprika, bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley.
9. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes so the topping browns.
10. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Mix in ideas include crispy bacon with sauteed leeks and garlic, peas with wild mushrooms and scallions, spinach and tomatoes, ham and peas, or chunks of lobster.