Description
A creamy and spicy mac and cheese featuring cheddar, mozzarella, and Red Leicester cheeses with a savory kick of gochujang, garlic, and tomato paste, topped with a golden, crispy cheese crust.
Ingredients
230 g dry elbow pasta
1½ Tbsp neutral oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
40 g unsalted butter
1 heaped Tbsp all-purpose flour
350 ml whole milk
90 ml double or heavy cream
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chicken stock powder (optional)
Salt, to taste
1 heaped Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1½ Tbsp gochujang
150 g mixed cheese (approx. 50 g each cheddar, mozzarella, Red Leicester), plus extra for topping
Reserved pasta cooking water (~1 cup)
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water with a splash of oil until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
- In a pan, heat oil and sauté garlic until light golden.
- Add butter and melt. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in milk and bring to gentle boil. Stir in cream; sauce will thicken.
- Add pepper, paprika, garlic powder, chicken stock powder, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, and gochujang. Stir until smooth and colored evenly.
- Reduce heat, melt in cheeses gradually until smooth.
- Add reserved pasta water bit by bit to reach desired sauce consistency.
- Fold pasta into sauce until well coated.
- Layer half pasta in a baking dish, sprinkle cheese, add remaining pasta, then top with generous cheese layer.
- Broil at 240 °C (465 °F) for about 5 minutes until bubbly and golden. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Adjust gochujang to control spice.
- Use plant-based dairy for vegan version, ensuring gochujang and mustard are vegan.
- Add cooked bacon or veggies for extra texture and flavor.
- Breadcrumb topping can replace extra cheese for crunch.
- Store leftovers in fridge up to 2 days; reheat gently with splash of milk or pasta water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Boiling and Broiling
- Cuisine: Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
