Nif's Cajun Macaroni and Cheese

Submitted by Nif_H

"Yummy Mac and Cheese with a bit of a kick! A delicious and creamy side dish to compliment other spicy Cajun dishes. Enjoy!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 17
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• For Macaroni and Cheese

• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon (do not need to use but boy it adds flavour!)
• 1 lb macaroni (or other shaped pasta)
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk (can use 3 cups of whole milk instead of milk and cream but I prefer this combination)
• 1 cup half-and-half (can use 3 cups of whole milk instead of milk and cream but I prefer this combination)
• 2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded (can use Pepper Jack but I'm not a fan of the flavour)
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

• For Topping

• 1⁄4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F Spray or butter a 9 x 13" baking dish.
2. To make macaroni: Add bouillon to large pot of water and bring to boil. Once water is boiling, add macaroni and cook until al dente (not quite fully cooked), usually about 4-5 minutes. Drain macaroni in colander.
3. To make sauce: While the water is heating and pasta is cooking, melt butter In a large saucepan, over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute, until the flour starts to brown a bit. While whisking constantly, add milk and then cream in a steady stream. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer but keep whisking so it doesn't burn!
4. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, stir in the 2 cups Jack cheese and 2 cups cheddar (don't use the cheese for the topping!), adding about a cup at a time. Stir constantly making sure each addition of cheese is melted before adding the next. Add 2 tsps Cajun seasoning, dried parsley, salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
5. Add the cooked, drained pasta to cheese sauce. Stir until macaroni is fully coated. Pour the cheesy mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
6. Prepare the Topping: In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with the Panko bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning and black pepper, mixing with a fork until bread crumbs are evenly coated.
7. Sprinkle the macaroni and cheese with the remaining 2 cups shredded cheeses. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the cheese.
8. Bake until browned and bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving. Hot stuff!

Reviews

[diner524]

I have been making homemade mac and cheese since I was about 12 yo and this is a yummy addition!! I made this as written, although only 1/2 of it. This was great for my lunch and wonderful as leftovers too!! Thanks for sharing the recipe, made for Susie's World Tour 2018.

 

[adopt a greyhound]

This is perfect. Both of us loved it and is now our go to for mac and cheese. Loved the spice and the crust. WOW! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe for Meatless Mon.

 

[lazyme]

Awesome! I made 1/2 of the recipe and stuffed myself silly. Easy and so good. Thanks for sharing, Nif.

 

[DailyInspiration]

Yummy macaroni and cheese. : ) Made just as directed and we loved the panko bread crumbs and cheese on top. It turned out great and the crumb topping was so nice and crunchy. I'm shocked to be saying this, but I could have used more Cajun seasoning. : ) This mac & cheese went really well with some crockpot creole chicken and steamed cauliflower with parmesan cheese. Made for SWT 2018 - Cajun/Creole.

 

[jkoch960]

Oh my was this delicious!!! I cannot wait to make this for my son who is the KING of Macaroni and Cheese! That topping makes the dish! If I changed anything, I might add a little more salt and pepper. Will make over and over again!!