Sausage Mac and Cheese with Peppers and Onions
A hearty Mac and Cheese recipe with Italian sausage gets an extra flavor boost from red and green bell peppers and onions. It’s rich, indulgent, and has just the right kick from a mix of hot and sweet Italian sausage. A creamy sauce made of three different cheeses adds depth and holds it all together while it's baked to perfection.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta (any type of swirly pasta like rotini)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound hot and sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 2 bell peppers (thinly sliced into rings)
- 1 onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup milk
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces American cheese (shredded)
- 8 ounces fontina cheese (shredded)
- 4 ounce parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons stone ground Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º.
- Cook Pasta per package directions in salted water to al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
- In a large skillet, add butter and cook sausage over medium high heat, breaking it up into small bits and cooking just until it begins to brown, then add sliced onions and peppers and continue to cook until the peppers have softened, about 6-8 minutes.
- Remove about a cup of the sausage and pepper mixture and set aside.
- Add flour and salt to the sausage and peppers in the skillet and cook for a minute. Gradually add cream and milk stirring until it begins to thicken. Add the mustard and all of the American cheese and parmesan and ½ of the fontina, reserving the rest for later. Stir until the cheese has melted then pour it over the cooked pasta.
- Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 casserole dish and cover with the reserved sausage mixture and reserved fontina cheese. Sprinkle the top with paprika and pepper.
- Bake until browned and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- Don't over cook the pasta or it will get mushy when it bakes.
- You can make this and freeze it before baking. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
- For leftovers, let it cool then store in an airtight container and it will stay fresh for 3-5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Calories: 868kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1718mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2361IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 733mg | Iron: 2mg
