I adore macaroni and cheese. It's one of my favorite things to make and is surprisingly simple to toss together from scratch. I'll turn just about any and every cheese that I have lying around into macaroni and cheese. I have a local cheese shop that sells all of the extra little ends of cheese in one big bundle at a significant discount. It's a great way to try new cheese! Although it also means that I have an abundance of those cheese. A little while ago I picked up milk stout beer cheese. You can easily mix and match whatever cheese you like or have on hand. Beer cheese macaroni and cheese is just as delicious as it sounds, though! Ordinarily I would mix in a little white wine in macaroni. I tossed in an extra splash of a stout.
I would recommend finding the same beer as the one mixed in with the cheese, if you can find it. I'm about to go out town and just trying to utilize everything left in my refrigerator! Adding the same type of cheese would be a fun touch. You can also use any non-alcoholic cheese of choice and then mix in a dark beer or IPA for the taste of beer macaroni and cheese without having to get your hands on actual beer cheese. Guinness is my typical go-to when I bake with beer.
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Variations of Beer Macaroni & Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite dishes. It's a fun thing to mix and match flavor profiles with to make a slightly more grown up dish. I'll often use white with and lobster, gruyère, or emmentaler for a slightly fondue-like macaroni and cheese. Just about any semi-soft to semi-hard cheese will do.
This Beer Macaroni & Cheese consists of milk stout beer cheese, Greek yogurt, Worcestershire sauce, butter, flour, mustard, and an extra splash of beer.
2c.milk stout beer cheese(or cheese of choice) grated
Instructions
Cook Pasta
Add about 4 inches of water to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Cook pasta according to the manufacturer's instructions. This typically entails boiling for about 8-12 minutes, or until barely al dente.The pasta will cook another half hour in the oven, so make sure not to overcook them during this stage!
DO NOT DRAIN. Remove the pasta from the water with a slotted spoon or pour the water into a heat-safe bowl. Since Greek yogurt isn't as thin as milk or cream in classic macaroni and cheese recipes, you will need to cut it with the pasta water. Tap water will not taste the same. You want to use the water that the pasta has been boiling in.You may want to stir it occasionally to keep the noodles from sticking together.
Prepare Roux
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a large baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
Preheat saucepan on medium-heat. Add 1/4 cup butter and melt.
Immediately when the butter melts, add flour and stir constantly until incorporated. This should take about 3 minutes.Do NOT brown or overcook, though. You just want the butter and flour to incorporate until you add the spices.
Add salt, pepper, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir constantly for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Add Greek yogurt, a little at a time, and stir constantly until incorporated after each addition. Adding too much at once can cause the roux to separate. Although this is less of an issue with yogurt as it is milk or cream, it is still something to watch out for!
Meanwhile, grate the cheddar cheese and add to roux 1/2 cup at a time. Mix constantly until fully incorporated.
Add just enough beer (or the reserved pasta water) to thin out the sauce. I typically use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Although it does vary slightly from batch to batch.You want the sauce to be about the consistency of an Alfredo sauce. It should spread easily, but is not a liquid. I would suggest airing on the side of caution and adding less, mixing the pasta in, and then adding more if necessary for it to achieve the quintessential macaroni and cheese texture.
Add noodles and stir until fully coated in the cheese sauce.If necessary, add more water to achieve the right consistency.
Bake Macaroni & Cheese
Pour macaroni and cheese into greased baking dish.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.
Let cool slightly and cut into 2-inch squares. Serve immediately.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
You can reheat macaroni in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. However, macaroni and cheese doesn't necessarily reheat well! After refrigeration, the noodles typically harden and the lasagna tends to dry out. The pasta will likely overcook during this process. And the cheese tends to separate and get oily if you reheat too rapidly.
Whatever you do, absolutely do not put macaroni and cheese in the microwave!!
Alternatively, you can reheat on the stovetop. Just place in a skillet with a lid and slowly bring the heat to medium. When the macaroni begins to soften, carefully spear with a silicone spatula to separate. Continue to heat with the lid on and stir occasionally. You may need to add additional milk or Greek yogurt to this to help prevent the noodles from drying out and the cheese from separating.
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