This creamy Cajun Mac and Cheese packs a punch of taste from andouille sausage and a customized mix of greens that type the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking. Serve it as an entrée or a facet dish for weeknight meals and entertaining.
What’s Cajun Cheese?
Cajun cheese is cheese that’s been seasoned with Cajun spices like smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, granulated garlic or garlic powder and onion powder. It’s often discovered within the type of cheddar cheese curds which can be seasoned to present them a spicy taste.
Elements to Make Cajun Mac and Cheese Recipe
Elements to make creamy Cajun Mac and Cheese: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)
- Pasta – One pound jumbo elbow macaroni. This often has ridges which actually clings to the cheese sauce.
- Cheese – Sharp cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese shredded, then tossed collectively to mix.
- Sausage – Andouille sausage is traditional in Cajun cooking, including authenticity.
- Holy Trinity – Onion, bell peppers and celery type the bottom in Cajun and Creole cooking.
- Contemporary Garlic – Minced garlic enhances the flavors of the vegetable mix.
- Oil – Olive oil for sautéing the greens and andouille.
- Roux – Salted butter mixed with all goal flour and entire milk types the bottom of the do-it-yourself cheese sauce.
- Seasonings – Creole mustard, Cajun seasoning and seasoned salt.
- Onion – Sliced inexperienced onions for garnishing and sizzling sauce for serving.
Tips on how to Make the BEST Cajun Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Warmth Oven and Put together the Dish – Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Boil Pasta – Cook dinner the macaroni in a big pot of salted water per the instructions on the package deal till al dente. Drain and put aside.
- Shred the Cheese – Toss collectively the cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese. Reserve 3 cups for the sauce and one cup for the topping.
- Cook dinner Andouille and Greens – Sauté the andouille sausage, onion, inexperienced bell pepper, purple bell pepper and celery till the sausage has browned. Take away from the pan.
- Make a Roux – Soften butter then add the flour to the pan. Whisk within the milk.
- Season – Add Creole mustard, Cajun seasoning and seasoned salt together with the cheese to the milk combination. Stir effectively.
- Mix Pasta and Sausage Combination – Stir in cooked pasta and sausage combination.
- Pour into Ready Dish – Switch the macaroni combination to the ready baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Oven – Bake till golden and bubbly per the prepare dinner time within the recipe.
- Serve – Serve instantly garnished with inexperienced onions.
Ideas for Making Creamy Mac and Cheese
- Kitchen Gear You’ll Want: Pasta pot, giant skillet, 13×9-inch baking dish, sharp knife and chopped board, cheese grater, measuring cups and spoons and enormous nonstick spatula or spoon for stirring all the things collectively.
- Use Freshly Grated Cheese: I at all times advocate grating your personal cheese for macaroni and cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking components that may trigger the sauce to be grainy and never fairly as easy. Contemporary is finest. You’ll want two cups of cheese in every taste.
- Aspect Dishes to Serve with Cajun Macaroni and Cheese: Serve this recipe as a facet dish with Cajun shrimp and roasted greens or as an entrée with a wedge salad and garlic knots.
Recipe Variations
- Protein: Andouille sausage is traditional in Cajun cooking. You might use chorizo or smoked rooster sausage, kielbasa or turkey sausage instead.
- Pasta: I actually love utilizing jumbo elbow macaroni for this dish, however you possibly can use twisted macaroni, cavatappi or traditional elbow macaroni, as a substitute.
- Cheese: You might make your personal cheese mix utilizing colby jack cheese, smoked gouda or monterey jack cheese for rather less spice. Once more, you’ll want 4 cups whole.
- Milk: You might use mild cream or half and half instead of milk. You might additionally exchange one cup of milk with heavy cream.
Storage and Leftovers
- Leftovers: Retailer leftover Cajun Mac and Cheese in an hermetic container chilled within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in single servings within the microwave or in a 350°F preheated oven simply till heated by means of.
- Freezer: You possibly can freeze leftovers for as much as 2 months. Thaw within the fridge and reheat simply earlier than serving.
Extra Straightforward Pasta Casseroles to Make
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Useful Kitchen Objects:
Cajun Mac and Cheese
Servings: 8 servings
Energy: 589kcal
Stop your display from going darkish
- 1 lb field jumbo elbow macaroni
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese shredded
- 1 16 oz package deal andouille sausage chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1/2 cup diced inexperienced bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced purple bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 giant garlic cloves minced
- 6 Tbsp salted butter
- 6 Tbsp all goal flour
- 4 cups entire milk
- 1 Tbsp creole mustard
- 1 Tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning i.e. Zatarain’s, Tony Chachere’s or Slap Ya Mama
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 bunch sliced inexperienced onions for garnishing
- sizzling sauce for serving
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Pasta: Cook dinner the macaroni in a big pot of salted water per the instructions on the package deal till al dente. Drain and put aside.
Make the Cheese Mix: Toss collectively the cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese. Reserve 3 cups for the sauce and one cup for the topping.
Cook dinner Sausage and Greens: Warmth oil in a big 12-inch skillet over medium-high warmth. To the pan add the andouille sausage, onion, inexperienced bell pepper, purple bell pepper and celery. Cook dinner, stirring typically, till the sausage has begun to brown and the onion, peppers and celery are tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, and prepare dinner, stirring always, 1 minute. Switch sausage combination to a plate. Use paper towels to wipe skillet clear.
Make the Roux: Soften butter in skillet over medium warmth. Whisk in flour, and prepare dinner, whisking always for two minutes. Regularly whisk within the milk. Enhance warmth to medium-high and bringing to a delicate boil. Instantly decrease the warmth and let gently bubble on low warmth for five minutes to thicken.
To the roux add Creole mustard, Cajun seasoning and seasoned salt. Stir to mix, then add 3 cups shredded cheese stirring till melted and the sauce is easy. Take away from warmth. Gently stir in cooked pasta and sausage combination.
Switch the macaroni combination to the ready baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining one cup of cheese.
Bake till golden and bubbly, 35-40 minutes. Enhance oven temperature to broil; broil till prime is golden brown round, 3 to five minutes longer.
Let stand 5 minutes then serve instantly garnished with inexperienced onions.
- Protein: Andouille sausage is traditional in Cajun cooking. You might use chorizo or smoked rooster sausage, kielbasa or turkey sausage instead.
- Pasta: I actually love utilizing jumbo elbow macaroni for this dish, however you possibly can use twisted macaroni, cavatappi or traditional elbow macaroni, as a substitute.
- Cheese: You might make your personal cheese mix utilizing colby jack cheese, smoked gouda or monterey jack cheese for rather less spice. Once more, you’ll want 4 cups whole.
- Milk: You might use mild cream or half and half instead of milk. You might additionally exchange one cup of milk with heavy cream.
Serving: 1serving | Energy: 589kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 26g | Fats: 31g | Saturated Fats: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 9g | Trans Fats: 0.3g | Ldl cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 461mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1747IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 588mg | Iron: 2mg
