I’m still de-toxing (ish), but this cooler weather has my family craving comfort food. Especially my 16-year old, whose favorite food in the world is pasta with basil pesto. He has requested it weekly since he was maybe six? Five?
So when I told him I was thinking of testing out a Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese recipe, he looked at me pleadingly and said, “Please make that this week, Mom. Please.” So I moved it up on the schedule. I can’t resist my kid begging me to cook him something homemade, especially when he agrees to help with one of my top five most-despised kitchen chores: grating cheese.
This sauce is so delicious. Super rich and creamy. But guess what? There’s no cream in it. Just a little butter, some flour, and plain milk. This is also known as bechamel, a foundational white sauce that sounds fancy but is in fact very easy to make. My trick for a perfect, lump-free sauce is Wondra flour. I know I’ve talked about Wondra before, (here,and here), and no, the company does not pay me to push their product (though they probably should. Hi, Gold Medal. Call me!). But I just really like the way it dissolves perfectly into sauces with no raw flour taste. Its my go-to thickener. Use it!
And then there’s cheese, of course. Plenty of cheese. I used a mix of fontina (for meltiness), parmesan (for a zing to match the pesto), and sharp cheddar (which I wasn’t sure would work, but is so delightfully sharp and nutty). You can try other cheeses you like, too, though I’d steer clear of mozzarella, which can get a little rubbery as it cools.
Swirl in some pesto – you can use store-bought or my recipe – tumble in some al-dente pasta, and that’s it. You’re done.
I predict this is the weeknight dinner your family will begin to request weekly. My kid took the (tiny container of) leftovers for lunch, and is already asking when we can have it again. I’m not complaining. Moms need comfort food, too.
Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
Savory, nutty pesto and creamy bechamel sauce transform basic mac & cheese into gourmet comfort food.
Ingredients
1 lb dry pasta – cavatappi, elbow macaroni, penne, or other small/short variety
3 TB unsalted butter
3 TB flour (Wondra recommended)
1.5 cups milk (I use whole but any variety will work)
1/2 cup basil pesto* (prepared or homemade)
7 oz (about 2 cups, shredded) cheese – mix of sharp cheddar, fontina, and parmesan
Instructions
In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook mixture, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes, until it begins to turn golden and is sandy-textured. Pour in milk in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly, until sauce is smooth and uniform. Continue to cook until thick and bubbly. If the sauce gets too thick and gloopy, add a little more milk to thin it out.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in pesto, then fold in grated cheese. The residual heat should melt the cheese, but if it needs a little boost, return the sauce to low heat to melt it fully.
Add drained pasta to sauce and mix until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Serve hot, straight out of the pan, with an extra sprinkling of parmesan and, if you want to get fancy, garnish with basil leaves.
Notes
… *I strongly recommend using homemade pesto for this recipe. I have never found a prepared version – even in Italy! – that was as flavorful as freshly made, and it really makes a difference in this dish.
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