3-Cheese Mushroom Mac And Cheese Recipe

Mac and cheese might be known these days as a quintessentially American dish, but like many great pasta dishes, it actually has its origins in historic Europe. It's no wonder why this beloved dish is so popular — whether it be a BBQ, or a big family meal, mac and cheese is an ideal way to knock up a deliciously creamy and comfortable dish for lots of people. Who can say no to pasta and cheese?

As with all pasta dishes, it's a good idea to give some thought to the variety of pasta you're going to use, and while it might seem obvious to go for macaroni, you could just as easily opt for cavatappi, which is similar in shape, but slightly longer, making it easier to spear with your fork. In this take on the classic dish, Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye has devised a mac and cheese made of three types of cheese: cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan, and has paired it with buttery and garlicky sauteed mushrooms. Topped with a mixture of Parmesan and breadcrumbs before being oven cooked gives this mac and cheese and wonderfully crunchy topping; the perfect finishing touch.

To begin this three-cheese mushroom mac and cheese recipe, first you will need to gather the ingredients. You will want butter, chestnut mushrooms, garlic, pasta, plain flour, mustard powder, milk, cheddar, Gruyère, Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, black pepper, and fresh breadcrumbs.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a large frying pan set over a medium heat.

Add the sliced mushrooms and garlic to the pan and fry them for 5 to 10 minutes until soft. Set to aside.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the macaroni according to the packets instructions, until it is just al dente, then drain.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat.

Mix in the flour and the mustard powder using a whisk to form a roux.

Gradually whisk in the milk to form a thick smooth béchamel sauce.

Mix in the cheddar, Gruyere, ⅓ cup of Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, ground nutmeg, and black pepper.

Add the macaroni and mushrooms to a large ovenproof dish and mix them together.

Pour the hot cheese sauce over the pasta and mushrooms and then mix everything together to thoroughly coat the macaroni in the sauce.

Top the macaroni cheese with the breadcrumbs and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the top is crisp and golden, then remove and serve straight away.

One of the great things about mac and cheese is how adaptable it is, and there are a number of ways you can switch things up. If you have some cheese taking up space in your fridge, you can feel free to swap in/out different types of cheese as desired. If you like the tang of a more mature cheese, or even blue cheese, that can make for a delicious punch of flavor, or, alternately, if you prefer mild cheeses, you could substitute out the Gruyère or Parmesan with something like mozzarella or gouda. With a bit of trial and error, you will be able to create a unique cheese combo and make this recipe your own.

Another area where you can get creative is with fillings. Why not throw in some cauliflower or broccoli? Nothing makes vegetables more palatable, particularly to fussy eaters, than smothering them in a creamy and cheesy sauce. You could add in some chicken to boost the protein content, or some chorizo to add a lovely deep savory flavor to the mix. And, if you're catering to someone wanting to avoid gluten, this can be achieved with the simple substitution of gluten-free pasta and gluten-free flour.

If you're cooking this three-cheese mushroom mac and cheese recipe to cater for a large number of people, you may well end up with some leftovers — lucky you! Or, alternatively, you might be considering batch cooking this dish to sort out several meals for the week ahead. The great news is that this mac and cheese recipe is ideal for storing, just make sure that you keep it in an airtight container in the fridge, or, if you are batch cooking for individual meals, you can portion it out into separate containers and even keep a few in the freezer. 

To reheat this dish, you have a few choices. You can either put it in the microwave, a quick option that will have your dinner ready in minutes, or, if you have a little more patience, you can reheat it in the oven. It may take longer, but we prefer this option because it will help to crisp up the topping as well as heating the dish through. Alternatively, if you want to avoid the monotony of eating the same thing two nights running, you can get creative with the leftovers, by making a frittata di pasta. This is effectively a pasta omelette, and it is seriously tasty, as well as being a convenient way to make a portable meal out of leftover pasta. It's perfect for a packed lunch, and really easy to make.