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While most people choose the classic macaroni noodle for a great mac and cheese recipe, did you know that you can use other pastas just as well? But you can’t just choose any old noodle for the best mac and cheese. When choosing pasta for mac and cheese, you want something that will trap as much of the creamy pasta sauce in all of the nooks and crannies.
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Garlic Parmesan Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
While most kids love macaroni and cheese, they typically like the kind that comes in a blue box with powdered, artificially flavored cheese. However, as one grows up, mac and cheese should take on a more sophisticated style. This recipe for Garlic Parmesan Macaroni and Cheese is a grownup version of the children’s favorite. Chances are good that the adults as well as the kids will be asking for seconds of this favorite pasta dish.
Equipment
- Large pan
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Colander
Ingredients
- 8 Ounce Macaroni or Another Pasta Variety of Your Choice
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Flour
- ½ cup Milk (Plus 2 tablespoon per 1/2 cup)
- 1 ½ tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- ½ cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ Salt
- Dried Parsley
- Pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions by boiling it in a pot of salted water until it is al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander and set it aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the milk and the garlic. Warm the milk over medium heat until simmering. Simmer the milk for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the garlic to infuse into the milk. Set this saucepan aside.
- Using the medium sized saucepan that you used to cook your pasta, melt the butter over medium low heat. When the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk until a smooth paste forms.
- Strain the milk through a tea strainer to remove the garlic.
- Pour the milk into the flour and butter mixture, whisking to keep any lumps from forming. Add in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, garlic powder, and dried mustard.
- Turn the heat up under the saucepan to bring it to medium heat. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted and the cheese sauce is thick and smooth.
- Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce, stirring to coat the pasta evenly in the cheese.
- Sprinkle the mac and cheese with dried basil and freshly ground black pepper for garnish. Serve.
Notes
Conchiglie is a pasta that you have probably already seen in a mac and cheese dish. These shell-shaped pastas act like small cups that capture cheese sauce in small amounts so that every bite is perfectly coated in cheese. These delicately curved shell pastas come in varying sizes, so the choice is up to you whether you want large ones, medium ones, or tiny ones.
Penne and ziti are two tube-shaped pastas that are like the upsized version of traditional macaroni. These pastas are thicker so they won’t get as soggy in a baked mac and cheese dish as traditional macaroni.
Rotini is a spiral shaped pasta that has lots of craggy crevices where the pasta sauce can settle. If you like adding herbs or toasted breadcrumbs to your macaroni and cheese, rotini gives these toppings lots of places to cling.
Whatever kind of pasta that you choose for your macaroni and cheese, this recipe for Garlic Parmesan Mac and Cheese will work perfectly. The flavors are subtle but still sophisticated. The cheese blend features creamy, mild mozzarella mixed with the tangier Parmesan cheese. Of course, if you want, you can switch out other varieties of cheese. A sharp cheddar would be a good substitute for the Parmesan, while Provolone cheese makes a good substitute for mozzarella. If you do this, your macaroni and cheese will have more of an orange-yellow color to it, rather than the white color of Parmesan and mozzarella.
One reason that macaroni and cheese is so popular is that it is the perfect dish to which you can include add-ins. Of course, the General Mills people found this out when they began manufacturing things like Hamburger Helper, but you don’t have to buy a boxed mix to turn your mac and cheese into a main dish. You can add chopped, cooked meat like shredded chicken, ground beef, bacon, ham, or other vegetables to make this delicious side dish into a whole meal.
You can even add seasonings like herbs and spices to change the overall flavor profile of your mac and cheese. Mexican seasonings like chili pepper, cumin, and onion powder can give you a Mexican mac and cheese. Adding tomatoes and Italian sausage can give you an Italian twist to your pasta.
With all of these flavor and texture options, it is no wonder that macaroni and cheese is such a popular dish. We are sure that you will love our take on traditional macaroni and cheese in our recipe for Garlic Parmesan Macaroni and Cheese.
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