Mac and cheese is my hubby’s comfort food, and there are days when we simply crave the high-carb goodness it brings, and that’s perfectly fine. Recently, we visited a cheese boutique, and my fridge is now stocked with a unique combination of cheeses, including Gruyère, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Irish Kerrygold Dubliner aged cheese. Each of these cheeses offers a distinctive flavour profile that elevates the mornay sauce—a classic béchamel sauce, one of the five French mother sauces, enriched with ripened firm cheeses. This dish is an absolute staple in our household, and it’s one that the whole family loves to enjoy.

Scrumptious Mac and Cheese

By Zosia Culinary Adventures | Date: August 16, 2024

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Boiling Pasta Time: 5-6 minutes (half of the recipe time as per package)

Baking Mac & Cheese: 30 minutes

Yield: 12 x 1 cup servings

Ingredients:

• 410g macaroni pasta

• 1 litre 2% milk

• 3 tablespoons avocado oil

• 2 large cooking onions, peeled and sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

• 100g Gruyère Cheese, shredded

• 100g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded

• 100g Irish Kerrygold Dubliner cheese, shredded

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tsp Dijon Mustard

• 1 tsp turmeric powder for color (optional)

• to make topping (optional): 2 tablespoon avocado oil, 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 cup turkey bacon, diced; 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions:

1. In a nonstick saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Once shimmering, add sliced onion and minced garlic, stirring to coat. Cook gradually, watching as the onions soften and caramelize to a golden brown, enhancing flavors and infusing the oil. This gentle cooking brings out the onions' natural sweetness and prepares a rich base for bechamel sauce.

2. In the meantime, boil the macaroni pasta for only half of the required cooking time, which should be around 5 to 6 minutes, as you will want to further cook it in the oven. This method allows the pasta to absorb the rich cream instead of merely soaking up water. Before you strain the pasta, be sure to save about 1 cup of that flavorful pasta water, as it will be a crucial addition to enhance the sauce’s consistency and richness.

3. Add flour to the mixture and gently mix it in with the caramelized onion until everything is well combined and evenly blended. Then, gradually add the milk, remembering to continuously stir the mixture while it cooks to ensure that a smooth, saucy consistency is achieved without any lumps. Once everything is well incorporated, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, allowing it to thicken slightly.

4. Take the bechamel sauce off the heat and then add approximately 80% of the shredded cheese, setting aside the remaining amount of cheese for use as a topping later. Gently incorporate into the sauce the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, turmeric powder and pasta water. Mix the mornay sauce thoroughly until it achieves a smooth consistency, and then carefully stir in all of the cooked macaroni pasta until it is evenly coated.

5. Preheat oven to 400ºF or 204ºC.

6. Pour the mac and cheese mixture into a greased 30x23 cm casserole dish. Spread it evenly, then top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

7. For an extra boost of flavor, consider frying some turkey bacon (or real bacon, if you prefer that option) along with freshly chopped garlic. Once that mixture has cooked to perfection, add in panko breadcrumbs and continue to brown all the ingredients together until they achieve a delightful crispiness. Gently sprinkle this tasty concoction over your cooked mac and cheese for a delicious finishing touch. Enjoy every savory bite!

Nutrition Facts per One Serving 💖

Calories 519 | Fat 20.3 g \ Saturated Fat 8.2 g\ Cholesterol 36 mg\ Sodium 560 mg\ Total Carbohydrate 62.7g\ Dietary Fiber 7.5g\ Total Sugars 8.2g\ Protein 21.6 g \ Vitamin D 0 mcg\ Calcium 367 mg\ Iron 6 mg\ Potassium 614 mg