Chipotle Cheddar Mac and Cheese
by Cheesemonger Carolyn
adapted from Martha Stewart’s “Macaroni and Cheese 101,” from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics
Freezing temps and heavy snow call for some cozy comfort carbs…ideally with a little bit (or a lot) of heat. Macaroni and Cheese, meet Kickaas Chipotle Espresso Cheddar. Martha Stewart’s classic baked mac gets an upgrade from some flavorful TCP favorites, plus a can of chipotle chiles in adobo for extra spice. This dish is great on its own for an easy batch of WFH lunches or alongside a simple protein and green veg for a full feast—in my household, we served it with chile-rubbed pork chops and roasted Brussels sprouts.
INGREDIENTS
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for baking dish
6 slices good white bread (see notes)
5 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste and for pasta water
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 oz Kickaas Chipotle Espresso Cheddar, grated
8 oz Applewood Smoked Gouda, grated
8 oz Aged Asiago, or Aged Parmesan grated
1 7-oz can chiles in adobo, chopped, with their sauce
1 pound short pasta such as elbow macaroni, fusilli, or cavatappi (my favorite!)
Cilantro and your favorite hot sauce, to garnish as desired
PREPARATION
Let’s get started! Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Butter a large casserole dish (at least 3 quarts) and set aside. Fill a large stockpot with water (about 5 quarts), salt it generously, then cover and place it on a back burner so it’s boiling by the time you’re ready to cook the noodles.
Prep your bread crumbs: Remove the crusts from the bread and cut or tear into about half-inch pieces. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large-ish microwavable mixing bowl, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds or so. Then add the paprika and the bread crumbs, tossing well.
3. It’s roux time! Warm the milk in a saucepan set over medium heat. Then, melt the remaining 6 tbsp butter in large high-sided skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter begins to bubble, add the flour. Cook, stirring with a whisk, for one minute.
4. Slowly add in the hot milk a little at a time, whisking as you pour to keep the mixture smooth. Continue to cook and whisk constantly until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.
5. Remove the roux from the heat. Set aside about 1/4 cup of each cheese with the bread crumbs for topping. Then, stir in the remainder of each cheese along with the chopped chiles, their sauce, and 2 tsp kosher salt. Taste your sauce—it should be rich and creamy and delicious and just a little bit spicy and smoky. Adjust salt and heat to your preference, adding more seasonings if you like (see notes). Set aside.
6. Prep your noodles: Ideally your water is now boiling! Cook pasta about 4-5 minutes less than your package suggests, so the outside of the noodle is cooked but the inside is underdone. Transfer the pasta to a colander, rinse under cold water, and drain well. Stir the pasta into the reserved cheese sauce.
7. Pour the cheesy pasta into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and remaining cheeses over the top. Bake until the cheese is bubbling, bread crumbs are golden brown, and the entire thing looks (and smells) irresistible, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
8. Garnish as desired with cilantro and/or hot sauce, then serve and enjoy! Leftovers, should you have any, can be reheated in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes or microwaved.
NOTES
For maximum success with grating semi-firm cheeses like the chipotle cheddar and smoked gouda, use the large holes of a box grater and grate ‘em up when they’re nice and cold from the fridge.
You might want more breadcrumbs—I used 6 slices of bread a la Martha but when I make it again, I’ll use at least 8 or maybe even double it (!) for extra crunch.
I have a low-ish spice tolerance and was surprised to find that the full can of chiles provided the perfect amount of heat—and even more surprised that the hot sauce junkies in my pod agreed! But you can absolutely adjust the sauce to your preference…skip the chiles, use half the can, add a second can, throw in a few pinches of cayenne pepper, follow your heart! If your household is divided on matters of spice, thrill-seekers can simply kick up their own servings with extra hot sauce.
If you’ve got a spare half pound of Great Grand Cheddar lying around, it’s an excellent sub for the Gouda—you’ll get a bolder Cheddar flavor and lovely orange color, with the only trade-off being a slightly less creamy/cohesive sauce. I tested one version with Cheddar and one version with Gouda and loved both, but found the Gouda to be slightly easier to use for melting purposes.
If needed, you can totally make this gluten-free! Use slices of your favorite GF bread for the topping (or skip the bread crumbs), chickpea- or rice- based pasta, and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure flour. Note that the tapioca starch in the flour blend will result in a much thicker roux/cheese sauce (not a bad thing) and that GF pasta generally takes longer to cook, so you’ll probably need 7-8 minutes to get it to the level of doneness we’re after.