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Mushroom Macaroni and Cheese

the mac and cheese in a pan.
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5 from 1 review

If you need indulgent comfort food, this mushroom macaroni and cheese is for you. It combines pasta, mushrooms, and bacon in a rich and creamy gruyere cheese sauce. It’s a wonderful side dish for holiday meals or any time you want to treat yourself.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 ounces cavatappi pasta
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 16 ounces mushrooms, chopped (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 16 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons sliced chives, plus 1 tablespoon extra for garnish

Instructions

  1. Boil the pasta according to package instructions. Drain it well and set it aside.
  2. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a large pan. Once it’s crispy, remove it from the pan and drain it on paper towels.
  3. Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir to coat them in the bacon fat. Season them with a ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the mushrooms for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and allow all of the excess moisture from the mushrooms to cook off.
  4. Add the butter to the mushrooms and stir until it’s melted. Sprinkle the flour and ½ teaspoon salt over the top and stir.
  5. Slowly add the milk to the pan while stirring. Once the milk is steaming hot, add the cheese in a few batches, stirring between each batch until it’s melted.
  6. Finely chop the bacon and stir it into the cheese sauce. Add the chives and stir again. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir until it’s evenly coated. Garnish with sliced chives for serving.

Notes

I like to use baby bella or portobello mushrooms for this recipe, but other types, such as cremini, button, shitake, or a mushroom mix, work great, too.

This mac and cheese is best when it’s made while the sauce is extra creamy. If you have leftovers, they will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, but the sauce will thicken once it cools. For the best leftovers, warm the mac and cheese in a pan with some extra milk to loosen the sauce.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/mushroom-macaroni-cheese/