Can you think of anything more comforting than a big bowl of pasta and creamy cheese? I can’t either, so bundle up inside with the ultimate comfort food of Stove-Top Four Cheese Mac and Cheese for dinner this week.
The bitter, biting cold has returned with a vengeance and I for one am not a happy camper. Between the wind tunnels hiding between tall Manhattan buildings and slipping and sliding down sidewalks that are iced over, I’d really prefer to stay inside until it’s warm again.
It’s not something I can legitimately get away with though, is it?
I didn’t think it was, but on the bright side after surviving a day out in the cold I can at least come home to a piping hot, cheese covered meal that’s on the table before I have time to completely thaw out.
When I think gooey melty cheese for dinner there are so many possibilities and a lot of them come in the form of a casserole. Are you a fan, did you grow up eating them?
We really had three that we rotated with growing up but since lasagna, baked ziti and mac and cheese didn’t end with the word “casserole”, it never stuck out in my mind as being one. However, it’s cooked in a deep dish, it’s comforting, and it gives you leftovers for days. I’m pretty sure that’s the trifecta you need to make a successful one and #SundaySupper has a great selection of ideas today.
Why up the ante to four cheeses instead of one? Well mac and cheese isn’t complete without cheddar, gruyere adds to the melty factor and I love the funkiness brie gives off with the tangy taste of goat.
I’m no stranger to this cheese and carb love-fest and I confess that blue box made more than one appearance on my dinner table in college.
However as adults, you need to toss it away, because once you realize how easy this stove-top version is, no boxed type will ever enter your home again. I promise by the time the water is boiling and the pasta has finished cooking your cheese sauce will be ready to go. Toss a little salad together and dinner is on the table.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces gruyere cheese, grated
- 5-6 ounces brie, outer rind removed and cut into small pieces
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 4 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 16 ounces rigatoni
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the rigatoni according to the packages directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour to create a roux. Cook the roux for 3-4 minutes or until it starts to brown lightly.
- While whisking, very slowly pour in about 1/4 cup of the milk, the roux and milk will thicken into a paste. Continue to slow pour in the milk, while whisking, making sure no lumps form.
- Whisk in the heavy cream, salt, mustard, nutmeg and pepper.
- Let the milk come to a simmer, at this point the sauce should be thick.
- Turn off the heat and start to mix in the cheese one type at a time until each variety is completely mixed in. If you are having trouble getting the cheese completely melted, return the bechamel to very low heat until the cheese is melted.
- At this point you can add the rigatoni to the cheese sauce or pour the cooked rigatoni in your serving dish and the sauce on top. Stir to make sure the pasta is completely covered with sauce.
- Serve immediately.
Captivating Breakfast Casseroles
- Boozy Baked French Toast from Brunch with Joy
- Orange & Date Wife Saver Breakfast Casserole from A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
- Spinach, Sausage and Polenta Breakfast Casserole from The Redhead Baker
Appetizing Casserole Sides
- Baked Cauli-Tots Casserole from Cupcake and Kale Chips
- Savory Sweet Potato and Sausage Bread Pudding from Nik Snacks
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts Casserole from Take A Bite Out of Boca
Main Event Casseroles
- Artichoke and Spinach Macaroni and Cheese Casserole from Ruffles & Truffles
- Baked Penne with Roasted Cauliflower and Italian Sausage from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Bison Meatloaf Casserole from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Cheesy Chicken Corkscrew Casserole from Recipes Food and Cooking
- Cheesy, Creamy, Cauliflower and Sausage Casserole from Eating In Instead
- Chicken Enchiladas from Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
- Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Bake from Alida’s Kitchen
- Chicken Ramen Mini Casseroles from The Ninja Baker
- Chicken with Whole Grains Casserole from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Chinese Noodle Casserole from Momma’s Meals
- Crab Casserole for Two from Magnolia Days
- Homemade Poppy Seed Chicken from Food Done Light
- Fully Loaded Tater Tot Casserole from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- King Ranch Casserole from The Texan New Yorker
- King Ranch Mac and Cheese from The Weekend Gourmet
- Baked Ziti with Meatballs from Curious Cuisiniere
- Mexican Lasagna from MealDiva
- Mom’s Taco Casserole from Lifestyle Food Artistry
- Moroccan Polenta Casserole from Pancake Warriors
- Moussaka from Nosh My Way
- Neeps & Tatties Casserole from Happy Baking Days
- Quick No Boil Tuna Pasta Bake from Mess Makes Food
- Sausage Peppers and Onion Pasta Casserole from Family Foodie
- Southwestern Spaghetti Pie from The Messy Baker
- Cheesy, Layered Italian Pasta Torta from La Bella Vita Cucina
- Stove-top Four Cheese Mac and Cheese from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Supreme Pizza Strata from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Sweet Corn and Green Chile Chicken Tamale Pie from Simply Healthy Family
- Taco Casserole from Peanut Butter and Peppers
Decadent Dessert and Sweet Casseroles
- Baked Lemon Dessert from Food Lust People Love
- The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls from Pies and Plots
- Butterscotch Bread Pudding from The Foodie Army Wife
- Classic Apple Crisp from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Ultimate Deep Dish Brownies from Recipe for Perfection
- Vegan Oreo Rice Krispie Treats from Killer Bunnies, Inc
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
Pingback: Orange & Date Wife Saver Casserole for #SundaySupper! - A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
Pingback: Captivating Casseroles for #SundaySupper
Pingback: Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Bake #SundaySupper - Alida's Kitchen
Pingback: Artichoke and Spinach Macaroni and Cheese Casserole for #SundaySupper - Ruffles & Truffles
Pingback: Sausage Peppers and Onions Pasta
Pingback: King Ranch Casserole #SundaySupper | The Texan New Yorker
Pingback: Mexican Lasagna #SundaySupper — MealDiva
Pingback: eating in instead - Creamy, Cheesey, Cauliflower Casserole with Sausage
Pingback: Baked Cauli-Tots Casserole - Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Pingback: Homemade Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole (Low Fat, Low Calorie) #SundaySupper | Food Done Light
I am again reminded at how easy it is to make stovetop mac ‘n cheese! Need to get back on this and stop buying the boxed version!
Pingback: The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls | Pies and Plots
Pingback: Ultimate Deep Dish Brownies Recipe
Pingback: Spinach, Sausage and Polenta Breakfast Casserole by The Redhead Baker
Pingback: Vegan Oreo Rice Krispie Treats Recipe for #SundaySupper | Killer Bunnies, Inc
Ah, that looks like my kind of mac ‘n’ cheese. So rich and comforting 🙂
This is exactly my kind of macaroni and cheese. Ooey, gooey, and melty. I’m not a fan of baked versions. You think NYC is cold, try Michigan, where it was below 0 a lot of the week. Yuck!
Pingback: Baked Penne with Roasted Cauliflower and Italian Sausage #SundaySupper - Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Pingback: Chinese Noodle Casserole for #SundaySupper | Momma's Meals
Looks so easy, don’t know why I bother with boxed!
I am loving your combo in cheese in the sauce. Yum!
I love the combination of the cheeses! 😉
You had me a “four cheese”…..
Brie!! I love it, that is so clever and unique! Yeah, I agree with you, NYC is rather unpleasant right now. I was really not prepared for it either, for whatever reason. We need recipes like yours right now!
I totally want to make this…I adore mac and cheese, and your combo of cheeses is perfect!
Holy wow, Susan! Four cheese and THOSE cheese to boot? This is definitely #onthemenu!!
This cold weather is for the birds. It was 8 degrees last week. It was so cold that I refused to leave the house. I’m loving the cheese combo! So creamy.
These four cheeses work for me!
There is way too much yummy cheesiness in one dish! …Wait, that’s impossible. There can never be too much cheese!
Pingback: Shredded Brussels Sprouts Casserole #SundaySupper
Wow! Gruyere is my new favorite must have cheese for mac and cheese! It makes the whole mac and cheese for dinner a little more adult. Great recipe and peeeerrrrrfect photos!
you used 4 of my faaaavorite cheeses! It is so cold and snowy and all I want is a big bowl of this mac n cheese!
I am 33 weeks pregnant and all I want is mac and cheese or grilled cheese. I need some of this.
Just added to my to-do list: get these ingredients on the way home tonight. YES.