There are a million different recipes for Mac & Cheese, and I like most of them. For Thanksgiving I will happily eat the variation my extended family prefers. Cooked macaroni is layered with slices of Velveeta cheese, butter, and salt & pepper. Then evaporated milk is mixed with eggs and poured over the whole thing. It's covered and baked, resulting in pasta that can be cut into squares. However the kind I usually crave is a creamy, multi-cheese dish with plenty of sauce, and finished with breadcrumbs on top. Bonus points if it contains truffle in some form. The indulgent version below is a combination of recipes that I have learned along the way! It is reminiscent of a steakhouse side dish and is so decadent that I only make it once or twice a year. So worth it.
First and most importantly, gather and shred the cheeses! For this recipe I used 6 oz. cream cheese, 1 cup gruyere, 1 1/2 cups white cheddar, 1/2 cup parmesan, and the secret (less commonly used)....1/2 cup GOAT cheese!
Next, make a quick roux, using 3 TBSP melted butter, and 2-3 TBSP of flour.
Whisk for 30 seconds and pour in 2 cups of 1/2 and 1/2.
Whisk until you have a white sauce.
Now add the cheese and stir over medium heat until incorporated.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta of your choice. I'm a fan of the small shells.
Season the cheese sauce with salt and pepper, and 1 TBSP of dijon mustard. If you like truffles, I recommend adding 1-2 teaspoons of truffle oil at this point.
Stir until completely smooth and taste for seasoning. If the sauce is too thick, add more 1/2 & 1/2 or milk to thin out.
Drain your pasta and add it to the sauce. You can served it just like this, or eat it straight out of the pan! If you're going for presentation, pour into a casserole dish and sprinkle with panko bread crumbs that have been mixed with a little melted butter and parsley. Broil in the oven until bread crumbs are golden brown. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!
This killer mac & cheese is very decadent!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 cup goat cheese
- 3 TBSP butter
- 3 TBSP AP flour
- 2 cups half and half or milk, may need extra
- 1 TBSP dijon mustard
- Salt & Pepper
- 3/4 lb. uncooked pasta shells or macaroni, etc.
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 TBSP melted butter
- 2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Put a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.
- In the meantime start the sauce. Begin by melting 3 TBSP of butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to cook the roux for 30 seconds.
- Add the half and half and continue whisking until you have a smooth white sauce.
- When the sauce comes to a simmer, add all of the cheeses. Stir until all the cheese is incorporated, and season with the dijon, salt, and pepper.
- When the pasta is done, drain well and add to the sauce.
- Mix well and serve. If you prefer to have it as a casserole, turn the oven to 400° and prepare the topping. Mix the bread crumbs with parsley and melted butter. Pour the pasta into a dish and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the top. Cook about 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
This looks incredible!!! I will
definitely be adding the
truffle oil for more
decadence (as if it is needed).
Thanks for sharing!!! Xoxo
I can confirm that this recipe is in fact “Killer
Mac & Cheese”. Directions were simple to
follow and the cheese combination was
awesome!! Yumm…perfect for this fall
weather!