Cajun Mac and Cheese
User Reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
8 people
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Calories
641 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Main Course
Cajun Mac and Cheese
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Spice up your pasta with the best recipe for Cajun Mac and Cheese! It's got everything you could want, a seriously creamy, cheesy sauce with a kick of spice and a delicious breadcrumb crust!
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni noodles
- 8 ounces Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 8 ounces Cabot Pepper Jack Cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup diced green onions
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Instructions
- Heat the oven boiler to high.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove over high heat.
- Add the macaroni noodles and cook according to package directions.
- Drain and set aside.
- Use a cheese grater to grate the seriously sharp cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. Place the grated cheese in a bowl in the refrigerator until you need it.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, red bell pepper and green bell pepper, saute 4-5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and saute for an additional minute.
- Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set them aside.
- Place the skillet back on the stove and melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk constantly for 2 minutes, until the butter and flour are combined.
- Whisk in the whole milk and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, salt and shredded cheeses, whisk until smooth.
- Gently stir in the cooked macaroni noodles and sauteed peppers and onions.
- Transfer the mac and cheese to an oven-safe baking dish.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the mac and cheese, then drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs start to turn golden brown.
- Top with the diced green onions and serve.
Notes
- Baking the mac and cheese: Be sure to watch the mac and cheese while it’s under the broiler in the oven. Broilers tend to run different temperatures in different ovens and you definitely don’t want to burn the top of your mac and cheese. As soon as the breadcrumbs begin to turn brown, go ahead and remove the mac and cheese from the oven.
- Servings: this recipe will serve 6-8 people as an entree, or 12 people as a side dish.
- Protein: chicken, shrimp or sausage can be added to the mac and cheese for extra protein. See the blog post above for how to season, cook and add each of the proteins to this dish.
- Leftovers: leftover cajun mac and cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, sealed in an airtight container.
- Reheating: The mac and cheese can be reheated in the oven or microwave. To reheat it in the oven, transfer the mac and cheese to an oven-safe baking dish, cover it loosely with foil and heat at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until warm throughout. To reheat it in the microwave, place a single serving portion of the mac and cheese in the microwave for 2 minutes.
- Make-ahead: the cheesy sauce and macaroni noodles can be cooked ahead of time. Toss everything together in the baking dish, then store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake the dish, sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and drizzle with the olive oil, then place in the oven to bake. If the mac and cheese is cold, coming out of the refrigerator, I recommend baking it at 400°F covered loosely with foil for 15-20 minutes. Then turn the oven broiler on to high, remove the foil and allow the breadcrumbs to crisp up for 3-5 minutes.
- Spice level: This mac and cheese does have a kick to it, from the pepper jack cheese, hot sauce and cajun seasoning. If you’d like to take it down a notch, you can use double the cheddar cheese and omit the pepper jack cheese. You can also reduce the hot sauce by half.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
641kcal
(32%)
Carbohydrates
57g
(19%)
Protein
26g
(52%)
Fat
34g
(52%)
Saturated Fat
19g
(95%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
11g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
87mg
(29%)
Sodium
942mg
(39%)
Potassium
431mg
(12%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
2135mg
(43%)
Vitamin C
23mg
(26%)
Calcium
553mg
(55%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 641 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 641kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 57g | 19% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 34g | 52% |
| Saturated Fat | 19g | 95% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 87mg | 29% |
| Sodium | 942mg | 39% |
| Potassium | 431mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 2135mg | 43% |
| Vitamin C | 23mg | 26% |
| Calcium | 553mg | 55% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
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