Four Cheese Baked Mac
Forget the main dish. Forget all the other sides. This four-cheese baked mac is all you need for the best holiday dinner ever.
Cook Time: 45 MINUTES
Serves: 6 PEOPLE
INGREDIENTS: 11
Ingredients
- 2 boxes Banza cavatappi
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- ¼ tsp dried mustard
- 8oz sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 8oz Gruyère, freshly grated
- 4oz Asiago cheese, freshly grated
- 4oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- Small handful of fresh chives, thinly sliced
- Optional: 1 tbsp truffle oil
Directions
- Cook Banza: Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add Banza cavatappi and cook for 4 minutes. Strain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Build Sauce: Add butter to pot from pasta and return to medium heat. When butter is melted, add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Add milk, nutmeg, dried mustard, cayenne and ½ tsp salt. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until sauce thickens.
- Make Cheese Mixture: In a large bowl combine cheddar, Gruyère, Asiago and Parmesan and mix to combine. Add half of cheese mixture (and truffle oil, if using) to pot with sauce, off heat, and whisk until sauce is smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Gently fold in Banza cavatappi.
- Layer Mac & Cheese: In a baking dish, layer half of Banza, then top with half of remaining cheese mixture, then remaining Banza and finish with an even layer of the remaining cheese mixture.
- Bake Mac & Cheese: Bake until cheese is melted and light golden, 15-20 minutes. Garnish with chives.