Cajun Mac and Cheese
Bring a little Southern-inspired flavor to your table with this kicked up mac and cheese.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dried elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces andouille sausage (or other smoked sausage), sliced thinly into quarter moons
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces shredded cheese (a blend of Monterey Jack or pepper jack and cheddar is nice)
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon Cajun spice blend
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano (optional but lovely)
For the breadcrumbs:
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (seasoned, if possible)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Bring a 2 quart pot of water to boil and cook the macaroni according to package directions (about 7-11 minutes, depending on the brand). Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 12" oven-safe skillet over medium until the surface shimmers.
- Saute the sausage until golden and the edges slightly crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl and carefully wipe out the skillet with a wad of paper towels.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and let heat up until shimmering.
- Add the onions, celery, and peppers and saute until soft, about 8 minutes. (Note: the pasta should be finishing up. You can stop and drain.)
- Scoot the onion mixture to one side and add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the cleared side. Let melt and then spoon the flour onto the butter. Stir to create a paste and allow the flour to darken slightly (2 minutes).
- Pour a 1/2 cup of the milk over the flour and stir to thicken. Some of the milk will run into the vegetables; that's okay. Continue pouring 1/2 cups of milk into the skillet and mixing with the flour base until creamy.
- Fully mix the creamy roux into the the vegetables.
- Add the shredded cheese and cream cheese to the skillet and stir until all is incorporated.
- Sprinkle the spice blend over the mixture and stir.
- Carefully spoon the cooked pasta into the skillet, along with the cooked sausage. Stir to thoroughly coat the pasta.
- Mix the bread crumbs and melted butter together and sprinkle over the surface of the mac and cheese, along with the Parmigiano Reggiano, if using.
- Bake for 20 minutes. The mac and cheese around the edges of the skillet should be lightly bubbly.
- If the bread crumbs have not turned golden at this point, you can place the skillet under the broiler for a minute or two (keep watch - it can burn quickly!).
- Serve immediately.