Decadent Mac n’ Cheese

As part of the modern update for our Midwestern potluck, my test kitchen crew and I decided we absolutely had to take on Mac n’ Cheese. Of course there are a million recipes for it out there, but hey, why not one more. In my opinion, this is where it’s at anyway. Mascarpone and good gruyère… mmmm… The funny part is, that when we tested the update for Decadent Mac n’ Cheese we originally added lobster meat for the dramatic and fancy update ingredient. Though it was good, as we sat around eating and generally enjoying the dish, we all agreed that the lobster was an example of just more, not better. Lobster is so special and delicious (and expensive, particularly when not on the East Coast) that you should probably just save it to be eaten plainish, à la my Lobster Rolls or Lobster Salad with Goat Cheese Vinaigrette. That’s not to say it wasn’t good, we just felt that we didn’t get that much bang for the extra bucks. So, if you’re trying to be extra decadent, feel free to add in a few tails of chopped meat, but in the expert opinion of Susan and Katie, it really doesn’t improve the overall dish. And this is always a good lesson to remember when cooking or dining. More, or more expensive, isn’t always better, sometimes it’s just more. Perhaps that’s also a testament to how truly decadent this Decadent Mac n’ Cheese recipe truly is; I mean, if lobster isn’t an upgrade, then what is? Turns out, the answer is mascarpone and gruyère in this Decadent Mac n’ Cheese.

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Decadent Mac n' Cheese

Decadent Mac n’ Cheese involves adding mascarpone and good gruyère to the cheese base, which makes a creamy and smooth mac n' cheese that can't be beat.

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 12

Author: Barrett Bridenhagen

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely diced onion
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 medium cloves garlic; minced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk skim, 1% are fine, the recipe is rich
• 12 ounces comté or gruyère*
• 8 ounces mascarpone
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 pound pasta I like something with lots of nooks- cavatappi, wagon wheels, fusilli
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• ¼ cup bread crumbs**

Instructions

• Put a large stock pot of water on to boil.
• Meanwhile, using a large sauce pan on medium low heat, add the olive oil, onion, and red pepper flakes.
• When the onion is very soft and translucent, add the minced garlic and saute for 1- 2 minutes.
• Add the butter and flour.
• When well combined and starting to be dry, gradually whisk in the milk in ½ cup increments.
• Add the grated or cubed cheese.
• When it’s well-melted and smooth, add the salt and whisk in the mascarpone.
• Preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Salt the boiling water heavily.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook a minute or two less than the box instructions recommend.
• Pour into the cheese sauce and mix well.
• Butter a 9 x13 pan.
• Pour the pasta into the pan.
• Top with the parmesan and bread crumbs.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden on top.
• Enjoy a very delicious and very rich version of mac n’ cheese.

Notes

*Comté is a young gruyère and is a little more mild and much cheaper, which makes it great for Mac n’ cheese. These french cheeses are the supreme melters typically used as the base in fondue.
**I like panko best as it creates the best crunch, but any will do.