Creamy Kielbasa Mac and Cheese
With its velvety smooth cheese sauce and that signature salty, smoky flavor from the Kielbasa, this oven baked casserole is the grown-up version of classic mac and cheese with hot dogs. So much better!
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta, elbow or other small shape
- 1 lb smoke sausage, kielbasa
- 1 cup small onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp dry mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 4 cups shredded white cheddar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º.
- Bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and retiurn to the pot.
- Slice sausage into ½ inch slices and add to a skillet with onions over medium heat. Cook until the sausages are browned and the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Warm milk and cream in the microwave.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour, dry mustard and salt and pepper. Cook for about a minute. Gradually add warm milk mixture whisking until it sightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon. It will not be thick, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add Worcestershire sauce and all but 1 cup of the cheese, whisking until smooth. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix to coat. Stir in the sausages and onions.
- Pour into a casserole dish and bake for 18-20 minutes until the cheese has melted and it is bubbly on the sides.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- Under cook the pasta a little so that it doesn't get mushy while it bakes.
- Make sure to cook the flour for about a minute so that it doesn't have that raw flour taste.
- Warm the liquid before adding to make a smoother sauce in less time.
Nutrition
Calories: 788kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 1126mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 970IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 569mg | Iron: 2mg
