Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces mild white cheddar cheese, grated and divided
- 2 ounces gruyere cheese, grated
- 2 ounces pecorino cheese, grated
- 8 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed, cored, and very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions until just al dente (about 7-8 minutes), then drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until it stops foaming.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns golden and smells slightly nutty.
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add the cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, then cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the gruyere, pecorino, and 6 ounces of the white cheddar, reserving 2 ounces for topping, until completely melted and smooth.
- Fold in the cooked macaroni and sliced Brussels sprouts until everything is evenly coated with the cheese sauce.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Mix the remaining 2 ounces of white cheddar with the Panko bread crumbs and sprinkle evenly over the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling, then let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cheese grating: Grate your own cheese from blocks rather than buying pre-shredded. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy.
- Pasta cooking: Don’t overcook the macaroni since it’ll bake for another 25-30 minutes. Slightly underdone pasta will have better texture in the final dish.
- Scaling up: This recipe doubles easily for a crowd. Use a large roasting pan and add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
- Brussels sprout substitutes: Thinly sliced kale or shredded cabbage work if you can’t find Brussels sprouts, though the flavor will be different.
- Crispier topping: For extra crunch, drizzle a tablespoon of melted butter over the Panko mixture before baking.
- Equipment: A good box grater or food processor with a grating attachment makes quick work of all that cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop & Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1¼ cups
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg