If you are slightly bored with your usual mac and cheese recipe, try mine. You will love it!
I woke up to the sound of rain, which immediately put me in the melancholy mood. Our Saturday was shaping up to be annoyingly busy with rides to kids’ birthday party and weekly shopping list while I felt absolutely beat.
I guess gone are the days when I could be out 3 nights in a work week and bounce right back the next morning. I am not complaining…really…I’ve had so much fun this past week, but I was in a desperate need to recoup and maybe indulge in this creamy mac and cheese with smoky kielbasa rounds.
Mac and cheese was one of those dishes I had to learn how to make very early in our marriage. It was the most-requested-by-Brad dinner.
He loved mac and cheese so much that he’d be happy eating Kraft Dinner from the box daily, and that I just couldn’t allow. So I tried to make my homemade version absolutely irresistible so he’d never want to turn to that awful macaroni in acid orange powder.
What cheese is best for Mac and Cheese?
This recipe is extremely simple and quite quick. You can experiment with any cheese you love. I usually use white cheddar (lucky for me no orange Cheddar is available in England) and whatever else I have in the fridge.
In this case it was Gruyere, which created an absolutely lovely combination-extreme creaminess of Cheddar went brilliantly with the sharp taste of Gruyere.
What else can I add to my mac and cheese?
Now let’s talk Polish kielbasa or Ukrainian kovbasa or Russian kolbasa. Same but different and all over delicious. The word means ‘sausage’ in case you are not of Slavic decent and is a staple in Eastern European cuisine.
Nowadays any big supermarket carry these smoky sausage links but if you truly want to experience its authentic deliciousness it’s best to hunt down a Polish or a Ukrainian or a Russian shop and buy your kielbasa there.
When you first mix your sliced kielbasa into the saucy pasta you will not get me overly enthusiastic. But pop the dish into the hot oven because that’s where the magic begins.
Within 5 minutes the smoky aroma of the sausage will start wafting through your house, driving you mad until it’s safely inside your belly.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour heaped
- 375ml/1 1/2 cups milk 2% or whole
- 200 g/2 cups aged/mature cheddar grated
- 200 g/2 cups Gruyere grated or other strong flavoured cheese
- 1 lbs short pasta
- 150 g/5 oz Polish smoked kielbasa sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.
- Cook pasta in a large pot filled with salted water 3-4 minutes less than the package directs.
- While pasta is cooking make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, blend in flour with a wire whisk.
- Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes while stirring the entire time, then add milk and stir.
- Cook the sauce for 5 minutes, it will gradually thicken, continue stirring with a wire whisk to avoid lumps.
- When the sauce is the desired consistency take it off the heat and stir in both cheeses, reserve a combined 1/4 cup of cheese.
- The cheese should melt and completely incorporate into the sauce. Use your wire whisk to ensure the sauce is smooth and lump-free. (Don't walk away from the stove the entire time the cheese sauce is cooking as it can burn quickly and/or will go lumpy if left unattended.)
- When your pasta is cooked drain but reserve 1/4 cup of starchy water the pasta was cooking in.
- Return the drained pasta into the same pot and add water and cheese sauce, gently toss to coat the pasta. It should be quite runny.
- Mix in sliced kielbasa and transfer to a deep baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. The top should be golden by the end of the cooking time. If the pasta still looks pale at the end of the cooking time set your oven to broil and let the top crisp up for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve with a simple green salad.
Kristin says
I have been making this for several years for my family. It is simply YUM! My son asked for Mac and cheese for his 20th birthday, I asked if he wanted us to pick up Noodles and he said, No. I want the the kind you make (AKA this lovely recipe). Anyway I want to make some for a friend whose father in law just died, what are your recommendations for freezing and rewarming. Thank you!
vikalinka says
Hi Kristin, I am so happy you’ve loved this dish for years! What an amazing review! Wow! If you want to freeze it, I would thaw it in a fridge overnight. Then cook covered with foil at 375F for 20-25 minutes, then uncovered for 10. That’s my guess anyway!
Kristin says
I brought this once to a potluck and a very health oriented Mom told me that she is not going to think about it, she was just going to enjoy this Mac and Cheese in the moment. Thanks for the advice on freezing and rewarming!
vikalinka says
My pleasure, Kristin!! 🙂
Corina says
Thanks for thid delicious recipe 🙂 Greetings from Holland
vikalinka says
Thank you for your lovely comment, Corina! I am thrilled you enjoyed my mac and cheese recipe.
Dan says
This was excellent, my son and I both had second helpings.
vikalinka says
So great to hear, Dan! My kids beg me to make it all the time!
Christyn says
This is my 4 kids’ favorite meal (and my hubby & I love it too!)!! They never ALL agree on liking a dish. I have used your recipe so many times and it’s always a hit. Today is my son’s birthday and he requested it for his birthday dinner! Thank you for this recipe! 2 thumbs up!
vikalinka says
This comment just my day and it’s been a good day!! (I am on a holiday in Greece!:-)) Happy birthday to your son, Christyn, it’s also one of our favourite meals. I came home from work one day and my hubby had the laptop on the kitchen counter while making this Mac and cheese, reminded me once again why I blog!
Becky says
Sounds like you have made many people “ happy campers” with this recipe so I will definitely use this recipe this week. You sound like a sweetheart, a happy individual, keep up the excellent work.
May God, the good Lord continue to bless you & all your loved ones. I will try to remember to leave my raves.
vikalinka says
Thanks so much, Becky!
Robin says
Made this tonight & it was awesome! Didn’t have gruyere so subbed swiss & gouda. I also added diced red & green peppers & onions as we needed to use them up. It added another flavor layer but, it would have been perfect without them. The flavors & creaminess were outstanding!! So, even though I added a few extras, I’m still going to rate this based on what I taste throughout the rest of the dish.
vikalinka says
Music to my ears, Robin.Thank you for your feedback. I am so happy to hear you loved one of our family favourites!
Jennifer says
Can you prepare it in the morning, refrigerate it and then bake it in the evening?
vikalinka says
Absolutely, Jennifer!
Tzivia says
Mmmmm yummmm looks way good Julia can I sub mushrooms for the polish kielbasa unfortunately I can’t mix milk and meat together @ usual another great food creation
vikalinka says
You can just skip kielbasa altogether, Tzivia, it will still be delicious! Thank you for your comments!
Sandra says
One word….. DE-VINE!. I have never been able to make good homemade Mac and cheese. Thanks to this recipe I will never have to worry about it again. Love it! Thank you. 🙂
vikalinka says
Sandra, this might be THE BEST feedback I’ve received. Your words made me smile, thank you for sharing. I am so happy you are now well-equipped for your mac and cheese needs. 🙂
Camille says
planning on making this for lunch- curious if j cook the sausage before mixing it in?
vikalinka says
Camille, this type of sausage is already cooked, it doesn’t need pre-cooking.
Sha says
I’ve been looking for kielbasa in my local stores and it’s not an easy find. Will have to try a specialty grocery store. I did, however, tonight, make the mac and cheese — and let me tell you that it was mouth watering delicious. I broiled the top, at the end of the cooking cycle, and those burnt bits on top knocked my socks off.
Amity says
This looks great! I recently learned how to make cheese sauce from scratch. And kielbasa has been a family favorite for years! I will try it! Thank you!
Tracy says
Can you tell me how much cheese you use in cups or ounces? Thank you.
vikalinka says
Tracy, 200gr=7 oz. Here is the link to a conversion chart in case you need it for the future. http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/grams-to-ounces.htm 🙂
Tracy says
Thank you!
Victoria Tajanlangit says
doesn’t seem like enough cheese for a lb of pasta
vikalinka says
Feel free to add more cheese if it doesn’t seem enough for you, Victoria. A pound of cheese for a pound of pasta seems like a fair amount for me. 🙂
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Words cannot describe how badly I am craving this mac and cheese right now, it looks SO delicious and incredibly creamy! Pinned!
vikalinka says
Thank you, Thalia, now I am too! 🙂
Vita says
Made this tonight for dinner, it’s very delicious and easy to make:)thanks for the recipe
vikalinka says
Thank you so much for your feedback, Vita. 🙂
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
It’s been too long since I had a good mac and cheese for dinner – love the gruyere in this! 🙂
vikalinka says
Thanks, Laura! 🙂