Nope, it’s not vegan (but it is vegetarian). Nope, it’s not healthy, either.
You see, sometimes comfort foods shouldn’t be messed with. Everyone is always on a mission to find “healthy” alternatives for food that we all love. But, why? The outcome is never as satisfying and typically not much healthier. I think there is something to be said for letting yourself truly indulge sometimes. This is the recipe for that.
It combines four different types of cheese, hot sauce, heavy cream and almond milk, and a few other surprises. It yields a 13×9 inch pan worth of mac n cheese and it’s pretty rich, so a little goes a long way.
Using quality cheese is imperative. It melts best produces the least amount of oil after baking. I never measure my spices, so make sure you taste the cheese sauce once it’s all mixed. You may want to amp up the onion powder or hot sauce. Completely up to your taste.
What can I guarantee? That it’s pretty easy and pretty tasty.
INGREDIENTS
Mac n cheese:
- 5 c. pasta (I used shells)
- 4 T. butter, unsalted
- 4 T. flour
- 1.5 c. heavy cream
- 1.5 c. unsweetened original almond milk (or regular milk)
- 6 oz. extra sharp Vermont white cheddar, shredded
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded
- 3 oz. havarti, shredded
- 1/4 c. parmesan
- 1 T. hot sauce (or more to taste)
- 1 T. dijon mustard (or more to taste)
- Garlic powder (to taste)
- Onion powder (to taste)
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
Topping:
- 1.5 c. bread crumbs
- 2 T. parmesan
- 1 jalapeno, sliced in rings
DIRECTIONS
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
- Cook pasta to al dente.
- Melt butter and slowly whisk in flour creating a roux. Slowly mix in milk and cream, followed by seasoning, hot sauce, and dijon mustard. When liquid is warm, melt in half the cheese. Whisk until fully melted. Add remaining cheese and continue to whisk until fully melted. Keep warm.
- Combine pasta and cheese sauce in greased 9×13 pan. Top with breadcrumbs, parmesan, and jalapeño.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
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Sam Siman
Sam works in advertising/marketing by day and moonlights with startup consulting, dating profile overhauls, and event planning. She lives in Columbus with her two dogs and spends her free time writing, drinking coffee and local beers, getting zen with yoga, catching a good concert, and laughing with friends. She doesn't give a shit if you're offended by lewd language, so #dealwithit.