It has been almost two weeks since Christmas 2021 and I'm starting to run out of leftovers. This is even despite making Quiche and Macaroni & Cheese for Christmas and then another fondue-inspired Lasagna from the leftover ingredients after the actual leftovers were beginning to diminish. And now I must actually endeavor to cook again! Since I absolutely do not want to go grocery shopping, I've been scouring my refrigerator attempting to figure out what to make with what I already have. I have an abundance of cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. So, what else am I going to make other than some kind of cheese sauce?? Yesterday, I ended up throwing all of these things into a pan and making a Cajun-inspired Cheese Dip w/ Cheddar & Cream Cheese. Today, I still have quite a bit of this sauce leftover and have decided to turn it into a three cheese pasta.
This recipe is essentially an unbaked macaroni and cheese. If you were to stir the cheese dip in the rigatoni and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes? You'd have an absolutely delicious macaroni and cheese. Since I'm far too lazy at this present moment to do that? I simply have cheese rigatoni. Although both are absolutely delicious!
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Variations of Cheddar Cheese Pasta
I'm perpetually making different versions of macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and various pasta dishes. They're one of my favorite comfort foods in the winter when the sun ceases to shine, the weather dips into the negative temperatures, and the threat of snow storms is perpetually looming.
This Cajun-inspired three cheese pasta consists of cheddar cheddar, cream cheese, sour cream, shallots, lemons, Worcestershire sauce, dijon, nutmeg, and smoked paprika with rigatoni. It can be easily turned into macaroni and cheese by baking at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Although I opted to go the simpler route and simply use the cheese dip as a pasta sauce. Either way, pasta is an absolutely delicious way to mix and match flavor profiles to fit your own personal tastes!
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.
Remove the pasta from the water and set aside.You may want to stir it occasionally to keep the noodles from sticking together.
Sauce
Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and simmer on medium-low for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened enough to serve. Stir constantly.
Serve
Add rigatoni to the sauce and stir until combined.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
This is a great recipe to turn into a macaroni and cheese. I didn't want to wait that long today! So, I didn't bother. But you could easily lightly oil a large baking dish, pour the mixture inside, grate a little bit of extra cheese on top, and then cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes, or until the top begins to brown. And voila! A little bit more time and you have fondue macaroni and cheese.
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