In New Orleans, they make Mac & Cheese a little different. They don’t actually use elbow macaroni, but spaghetti. Not only that, but they use a combination of cheeses, a little spice, and a lot of cream! Baked New Orleans Baked Mac & Cheese: the creamiest and cheesiest of all!
Ingredients For New Orleans Mac & Cheese
- Spaghetti
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Garlic
- Mustard powder
- Paprika
- Chicken bouillon powder
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Half and half
- Heavy cream
- Shredded cheddar
- Shredded mozzarella
- Shredded pepper jack
How To Make Baked New Orleans Mac & Cheese
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water ( 2 tsp salt) until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 F, and make the cheese sauce.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic for 30 seconds and add the flour. Cook until slightly golden, about 30 seconds. Stir in the paprika, red pepper flakes, mustard powder, chicken bouillon, ½ tsp salt, and pepper.
- Whisk in the half and half dissolving any flour lumps and cook until thick. Mix in the heavy cream. Remove from heat and mix in 2 cups of cheddar, one cup of mozzarella, and one cup of pepper jack cheese. Stir until melted. Combine the remaining cheeses in a bowl and set aside.
Mix the cooked spaghetti into the cheese sauce and spoon it into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese mixture and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheeses are melted and slightly browned on top.
Can I Prepare This Ahead Of Time?
You can prepare the sauce ahead of time and assemble the dish. Cover it with plastic wrap and bake when you’re ready to serve.
Reheat Leftovers:
The best way is to reheat them in a 350 F oven for about 10-15 mins, or in the microwave. If using a microwave, do it in 20-second intervals, stirring in between to keep it creamy. Adding a bit of milk or water will help keep it soft and creamy.
Quick & Creamy New Orleans Baked Mac & Cheese
Equipment
- Cheese grater
- Large saucepan
- Whisk
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Oven
Ingredients
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 qt half & half
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 cups cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, divided
- 2 cups pepper jack cheese, freshly shredded, divided
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded, divided
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water ( 2 tsp salt) until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 F, and make the cheese sauce.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic for 30 seconds and add the flour. Cook until slightly golden, about 30 seconds. Stir in the paprika, red pepper flakes, mustard powder, chicken bouillon, ½ tsp salt, and pepper.
- Whisk in the half and half dissolving any flour lumps and cook until thick. Mix in the heavy cream. Remove from heat and mix in 2 cups of cheddar, one cup of mozzarella, and one cup of pepper jack cheese. Stir until melted. Combine the remaining cheeses in a bowl and set aside.
- Mix the cooked spaghetti into the cheese sauce and spoon it into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese mixture and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheeses are melted and slightly browned on top.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions about Baked Mac & Cheese
1. How Can I Make The Dish Less Spicy?
If you’re feeding children or don’t like spice, omit the red pepper flakes and substitute pepper jack with more cheddar or Gouda.
2. What Can I Use Instead Of Spaghetti?
You can use any pasta shape of your choice. New Orleans-style mac and cheese uses spaghetti, but you can use elbow macaroni or any pasta shape you like.
3. Can I Substitute Different Cheeses?
Absolutely! You can use any melty cheese of your choice like Gouda, Monterey Jack, or more cheddar instead of pepper jack.
4. How Do I Know When The Pasta Is Cooked Perfectly?
You need to cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. It should have a slight firmness when bitten.
5. What Should I Do If My Cheese Sauce Is Too Thick?
If your sauce is too thick, add more milk, simmering gently as while stirring.
6. How Do I Prevent The Sauce From Clumping?
Using a whisk to mix in the milk makes it possible to dissolve any lumps that may form when mixing flour and milk.
7. What If I Don’t Have Half & Half?
If you don’t have any, you can make your own by mixing equal parts of milk and cream.
8. Can I Make This Recipe Gluten-Free?
You can by using gluten-free flour and pasta.
