Not your traditional mac and cheese, this pesto goat cheese cheese mac and cheese gives a unique spin on a traditional comfort dish. If you've never had pesto with goat cheese, you'll soon realize it's a great combination.
It's the holiday season which is all about eating what you enjoy so I thought it was natural to share a recipe that combines two of my favorite ingredients into one of my favorite dishes - pesto goat cheese and macaroni and cheese.
I mean who doesn't love macaroni and cheese? It's been popular for quite some time in America. But most just love your stand old cheddar mad and cheese. For any non-pesto/goat cheese lover I feel sorry for you as you're totally missing out on a great combination.
If you give this pesto mac and cheese a try though, it just might change your mind. When helping my mom with her Christmas party every year, this was one of my go-to recipes to make and was always one of the first pastas gone.
The real reason this holds a special place in my heart though is it was part of the first meal I ever made for Lauren. On one of our first dates, somehow we got into how much we both love macaroni and cheese.
As I had made many over the years I invited her over for some fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. The night she came over I decided to make my traditional cheddar mac and cheese but also my pesto mac and cheese.
Lauren thought I was trying to show off (maybe a part of me was), but I was really just excited to make macaroni and cheese so I wanted to make a couple different versions. She admits she was skeptical of the pesto one, but after one bite she was hooked. For anyone out there that has only made your "standard" mac and cheese, I suggest giving this pesto mac and cheese a try.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted butter - the base for the roux and browns the topping.
- Garlic and basil - gives flavor to the topping.
- Panko breadcrumbs - crunchier than standard breadcrumbs.
- All-purpose flour - helps make the roux to thicken the cheese sauce.
- Milk - whole fat is best.
- Goat cheese - the star of the show.
- Parmesan cheese - adds nuttiness and saltiness.
- Pesto - homemade or store-bought works.
- Black pepper - added flavor.
- Macaroni - orecchiette also works well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Melt 2 tbsp butter over low heat in small pan. Stir in breadcrumbs, garlic, basil and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Heat 4 tbsp butter over medium heat in medium saucepan. Add flour and whisk until smooth and it starts to bubble.
- Gradually add milk and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. Add goat cheese, 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese, pesto and black pepper.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, add drained pasta to a baking dish. Stir in sauce and make sure pasta is coated.
- Top with the breadcrumbs mixture.
- Broil the pesto mac and cheese until top is browned, about 1-2 minutes.
Do You Make Your Own Pesto?
Anyone who follows this blog knows I love pesto, so yes I'm big on making your own pesto. My go-to is kale pistachio pesto. It takes 5 minutes to whip together and tastes better than store-bought. But if you're in a pinch, store-bought pesto is no problem.
Pesto Variations
Traditional pesto consists of basil, garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, Parmesan cheese and blended with olive oil. The great thing is you can really mix and match the herbs and nuts. You can also control the amount of oil, whether you want it a little thicker or thinner. I tend to like my pesto a little thicker so I don't put as much olive oil in my pesto recipes as others.
Herbs/Greens to Use in Pesto: Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, Mint, Sage, Kale, Spinach, Arugula
Nuts/Seeds to Use in Pesto: Pine Nuts, Pistachios, Pecans, Almonds, Walnuts, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Seeds
Can You Make Ahead of Time
Yes. Just prepare all the way to where the macaroni is in the baking dish. Cool before topping with the breadcrumb topping. Then refrigerate or freeze before baking the day you need it.
You can keep in the fridge for about 3 days before using. You can freeze for 3 months before baking. If you freeze, you need to allow to that before baking per the recipe.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- No overcooked pasta – cook the macaroni al dente according to the package instructions. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven while it’s in the sauce.
- Freshly grated cheese – don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
- Stir constantly – once the milk is added, you must stir constantly as it heats up and becomes thick. Otherwise you’ll have burnt milk on the bottom.
- Lots of sauce – who likes a dry mac and cheese? At first when making this pesto mac and cheese, you’ll think it is too much sauce but believe me when that the macaroni soaks it up.
- Broil topping – only broil topping for 1-2 minutes so it gets browned and doesn't overcook the pasta.
Other Mac and Cheese Recipes
- Baked Cheddar Mac and Cheese
- Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Crab Mac and Cheese
- Smoked Gouda Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Baked Mac and Cheese Bites
If you’ve tried this pesto goat cheese mac and cheese or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Pesto Goat Cheese Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 10 ounces goat cheese
- 1 ¾ cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- ½ cup homemade or store-bought pesto
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb macaroni or orecchiette
Instructions
- Melt 2 tbsp butter in small pan over low heat. Once melted, add panko, garlic, basil and ¼ cup Parmesan and toss to combine. Set aside.
- Melt remaining 4 tbsp butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth and mixture starts to bubble. (About 2 minutes) While stirring, gradually add the milk and continue whisking until the sauce is creamy. Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes until it thickens and you can coat the back of the spoon. Add the goat cheese, 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese, pesto and black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat broiler and put rack at the top. While sauce is cooking bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the macaroni according to instructions. Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish and add the drained pasta and sauce. Mix thoroughly, making sure all the pasta is coated. Top with breadcrumb mixture.
- Put under broiler until the mixture bubbles and top is browned. Should be about 1 to 2 minutes. You can't leave unattended or it will burn. Remove from broiler and let rest for 5 minutes.
Notes
- No overcooked pasta – cook the macaroni al dente according to the package instructions. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven while it’s in the sauce.
- Freshly grated cheese – don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
- Stir constantly – once the milk is added, you must stir constantly as it heats up and becomes thick. Otherwise you’ll have burnt milk on the bottom.
- Lots of sauce – who likes a dry mac and cheese? At first when making this mac and cheese, you’ll think it is too much sauce but believe me when that the macaroni soaks it up.
- Broil topping – only broil topping for 1-2 minutes so it gets browned and doesn't overcook the pasta.
Man this really sounds amazing. Never put pesto or goat cheese in a mac and cheese but just might have to do it.