Southern Style Baked Mac and Cheese with Pimentos
Combine Southern pimento cheese with a creamy mac and cheese recipe and you get an easy side dish that you can prep in 15 minutes. It's baked in the oven for an ultra cheesy casserole with just a touch of hot sauce for a zesty kick. Chopped pimentos add that classic pimento cheese flavor to a creamy sauce made with a touch of cream cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups cream
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (4 cups shredded)
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 8 oz pimento peppers ((2 x 4oz jars), drained and chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º.
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute.
- Warm milk and cream in the microwave and gradually add to the butter mixture, whisking constantly until the milk mixture is incorporated. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook until it slightly thickens, about 2 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. It will not be thick. Remove from the heat.
- Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Add all but 1 cup of the shredded cheese and whisk until melted.
- Pour over the cooked macaroni and stir until coated. Add the chopped pimentos and stir again. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until it is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- Make sure you drain the pimento peppers really well before chopping them. Excess moisture from the peppers can make it watery. You can use a paper towel to remove any moisture.
- Take your time when making the roux. Whisk it constantly so it doesn’t burn. When you whisk in the milk add it a little at a time until it incorporates so you don’t end up with lumpy sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 605kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 617mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1423IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 433mg | Iron: 1mg
