Another Thanksgiving-appropriate recipe coming at ya. Mac & Cheese has never been a Thanksgiving staple at my family table, but it is in the South and has been gaining popularity up North as well. Don't get me wrong - we love the cheesy carb-filled dish year round, but for whatever reason haven't included it for our the turkey/mashed potatoes/stuffing-dominated holiday. And I have absolutely no idea why not. Thanksgiving is about overindulging and this dish is the definition. So this year that changes and I've created a cheesy pasta dish with three types of cheese, lots of butter and flavor over spiral noodles rather than plain old macaroni.
For this dish you will need: Gemelli pasta (or any spiral), butter, yellow onion, garlic, dry mustard, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, flour, whole milk, sharp cheddar cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese, fresh Parmesan, panko breadcrumbs and fresh chives.
Preheat oven to 375. Cook pasta al dente. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for about five minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
Stir in seasoning.
And flour.
Stir frequently until flour as combined.
Add milk and bring to a slight simmer. Cook for a few minutes allowing sauce to slightly thicken.
Stir in cheeses reserving some Parmesan. Turn off burner heat and stir until cheese has melted and combined with sauce.
Drain pasta but do not rinse. Transfer to a baking dish.
Pour cheese sauce over pasta. Stir to combine thoroughly.
Mix together the rest of the Parm, breadcrumbs and the rest of the pepper in a small bowl. Pour over the top to cover. Bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Dish up in a bowl and top with fresh chives. Enjoy and here's to a carb-filled Thanksgiving!
- 12 oz gemelli pasta
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (grated or cubed)
- 8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese (grated or cubed)
- ½ cup fresh Parmesan, grated (divided)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- fresh chives, chopped
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Cook pasta al dente. Drain but don't rinse.
- Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté another minute.
- Stir in spices reserving ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Add flour and stir until combined.
- Stir in milk. Bring to a soft simmer for a few minutes to slightly thicken.
- Add cheese reserving ¼ cup Parm. Turn off heat and stir until melted.
- Transfer pasta to a baking dish and pour cheese sauce over the top. Stir to combine.
- Mix panko, rest of Parm and pepper in a small bowl. Pour over the top to cover.
- Bake for 35 minutes.
- Allow to cool then sprinkle chives over before serving.
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