{boom}…{boom}…{boom}…Are you ready for it?!
They say I did something bad, then why’s it feel so good?! Name that song lyric and message me so we can quickly become BFFs who love kitchen dance parties. And eating all the pasta with all the wine. And cheese.
Cause I’d do it over and over and over again… too much? Never!
White Wine Macaroni and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food this winter. I purposefully planned for it to come to you a few days before Christmas.
Family in town? Lots of wine around? Desperately searching for a gourmet-
My friends, I can’t even tell you where this recipe came to be. White wine AND mac and cheese? Ok, ok, maybe I have some guesses. First, Creamy Red Wine Spaghetti really got me thinking about all the ways I could combine my love for carbs and wine.
Then, pair it with extra cheese and wham, bam, thank you, and hello White Wine Macaroni and Cheese. As would any good wine and cheese pairing, this mac and cheese is stepped up with its cheese offerings. Elegant, and simple. The best of both worlds!
The best cheese to use in White Wine Mac?
The go to cheese is definitely taleggio cheese – a semi-soft Italian cheese that yes, does have a strong smell, but actually a mild and slightly tangy flavor.
I like to pair it with Monterey jack cheese for the creamy, melty, mild factor since the taleggio brings the tang – and the white wine brings its own super flavor, too.
If you can’t find taleggio, substitute it with a double cream (like Brie). If you absolutely love tang and want more of it, I have used a mild white cheddar cheese before too – also another legit substitute.
What about wine?
A dry white wine that you like to drink. The like-to-drink part is key. There’s a good amount of wine in this mac and cheese, and it doesn’t necessarily reduce down as much as it does in the Red Wine Spaghetti so the wine flavor is a bit more intense.
A rich, buttery, drier Chardonnay has been my go-to as I feel like it pairs so well with the creaminess of the cheeses. I’d recommend staying away from anything too sweet, or you might end up with a little dessert mac and cheese instead.
It’s all so easy!
To create the cheese sauce you’ll:
- sauté some shallot and garlic (hello, grown-up mac and cheese)
- whisk in some flour to create the bechemel sauce (yes, fancy word for cheese sauce essentially)…the flour helps thicken it all up!
- whisk in some white wine, heavy cream, and whole milk
- add some more flavor with fresh thyme, dried mustard, and white pepper
- let the cheese melt in – all the taleggio and monteray jack belnd in beautifully
- pour that cheese sauce over perfectly al dente elbows, shells, or pipe rigate (what I used here)
- top with panko and broil to get that crispy breadcrumb topping!
Now, a word about the panko topping… the panko mixed with a little S&P and melted butter is bomb. I’m honestly not usually a breadcrumb on mac-and-cheese kind of girl, but this has changed me. It adds just the right amount of texture and crunch! Yessssss!
To finish off the panko topping, I like to do a low broil until they’re all golden brown. You can also bake it for 15-20 minutes if you like a thicker mac and cheese (the pasta will soak up more of the sauce this way). To each their own!
Make sure to tag me @forkinthekitchen on Instagram if you make this White Wine Mac and Cheese, or save it on Pinterest for later. I love seeing Fork in the Kitchen’s recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! <3
PrintWhite Wine Macaroni and Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
A gourmet, grown-up twist on a classic favorite – this white wine mac and cheese is tangy, creamy, and cheesy. Made with your favorite white wine, taleggio and Monterey jack cheeses, and a crisp panko breadcrumb topping!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta (elbow, shells, etc)
- 1/4 cup butter + 2 T, divided
- 2 TBSP shallot, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 – 1 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- salt, to taste
- 6-8 oz. taleggio cheese, rind removed and chopped
- 8 oz. Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup freshly shredded parmesan (optional)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until just al dente – I usually do about 2-3 minutes less than the suggested cook time. You don’t want the pasta to be fully cooked or it will be overcooked as it bakes. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Whisk in flour, continuing to whisk so it doesn’t burn, for 1-2 minutes; it will bubble. Whisk in white wine and again, continue whisking. Let simmer (while whisking often) for 1-2 minutes. Add in heavy cream and milk, whisk in with thyme, mustard, pepper, and salt (start small with the salt and test again after you’ve added the cheeses).
- Remove skillet from heat and stir in cheeses until melted. Pour cheese sauce into the large cooking pot with the noodles and stir to coat. In a separate small bowl, melt the remaining 2 TBSP butter and stir to combine with panko. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer mac and cheese to a greased baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan on top (if using) and then layer with panko mixture. Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes OR just broil at 425° for 5-8 minutes until the top is golden brown (see notes above).
Notes
Reheating mac and cheese is just never the same, I find that adding extra cream/milk when reheating helps the cheese to stay more uniform, along with stirring regularly!
Keywords: grown-up, gourmet, fancy, baked, dinner, vegetarian
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