I feel like it’s mac and cheese season.
Is it mac and cheese season? Maybe not officially, but I’m declaring it so. With winter dragging on and only a few weeks left, I’m ready for comfort food — and that means mac and cheese.
Mac and cheese season it is.
After trying many variations, here’s one of my favorites: a rich, blue cheese mac and cheese. I love blue cheese — usually crumbled on top of a dish or mixed with fresh herbs like scallions, chives, cilantro and parsley — but in this recipe the blue cheese plays the starring role.
I used a mix of gorgonzola and buttermilk blue, but you can choose whichever blue cheeses you prefer. Use your favorites and embrace the bold flavor.
That was embarrassing.
Picture this piled high next to a perfect filet — irresistible.
I need to make that happen this weekend.
If you’re considering this recipe, a warning: you really have to like blue cheese. This is unapologetically blue. If blue cheese isn’t your thing, it’s better to choose a different mac and cheese recipe rather than trying to substitute here. For those who want other ideas, there are plenty of alternative mac and cheese styles to explore that highlight milder cheeses or different flavor profiles.
And yes, I have a soft spot for mac and cheese — who doesn’t?
Blue Cheese Mac and Cheese.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound whole wheat mini elbow noodles
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 8 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 8 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- 8 ounces buttermilk blue cheese, crumbled
- salt + pepper
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup seasoned fine bread crumbs
- chopped fresh herbs for topping
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.
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Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions, reducing the cooking time by 1–2 minutes so the noodles remain slightly firm.
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While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly to make a roux; cook until golden and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and continue stirring until the sauce begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low and stir in 6 ounces of the fontina, all of the gorgonzola, and about 6 ounces of the other blue cheese. Stir until the cheeses melt and the sauce is thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Add the drained noodles to the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the remaining fontina and blue cheese over the top, then cover with panko and seasoned bread crumbs. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the top is golden and crunchy. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs before serving.
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P.S. I practically ate the entire crispy top by myself. Worth every bite.