Pesto Havarti Mac and Cheese
Total Time
20 mins
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars
(4)
Ingredients
6
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk at room temperature
- 2 cups shredded Havarti or mozzarella cheese
- 3 tablespoons Spinach-Basil Pesto or store bought basil pesto
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Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook just until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Step 2
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the flour to create a paste. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Increase the heat to medium and continue whisking until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the shredded cheese and continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Fold in the pesto.
Step 3
Add the pasta, stirring to combine, and cook just until the pasta is warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Step 4
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Chef's notes
This is a stovetop mac and cheese, making it the perfect EASY weeknight dinner.
Havarti cheese makes the mac and cheese SUPER creamy! It is magic cheese for mac and cheese, trust me! You can find Havarti at most grocery stores. If you can’t find it, you can use mozzarella cheese.
If you want to mix things up you can add cooked chicken, broccoli, or frozen peas.
A fun variation is to turn the mac and cheese into a crunchy-topped baked casserole:
Just pour the finished mac and cheese into a baking dish, sprinkle panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese over the top, and broil for 3 minutes, until the bread crumbs are golden brown.
