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If you are slightly bored with your usual mac and cheese recipe, try mine. You will love it! Creamy, sharp cheese with smoky sausage make this incredible comfort food!
I love creamy pasta recipes! Chorizo gnocchi takes cheesy, smokey flavours to the next level!
There are some days when only cheesy, creamy comfort food is going to work. A bit of an indulgence, perhaps, but always satisfying and good for the soul.
These are the days I reach for one of my trusty macaroni and cheese recipes. Although I would struggle to pick a favourite, this indulgent dish made with two varieties of legendary cheese might be it!
Mac and cheese is a dish I learned to make years ago. My husband grew up on the boxed variety so I knew I had to introduce him to the good stuff.
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. The trick? Picking the perfect cheese and adding a little extra like smoky kielbasa rounds.
These little tricks turn this from something ordinary to a dish that – along with sloppy joes and smash burgers – might be the most kid-friendly meals every!
Choosing cheese
This recipe is extremely simple and quite quick. You can experiment with any cheese you love. I usually start with white cheddar (orange Cheddar is hard to find where I live) because of how well it melts.
In this case I’ve also added Gruyere, which created an absolutely lovely combination. It blends the extreme creaminess of Cheddar with the sharp taste of Gruyere to give you the best of both.
Delicious add-ons
Now let’s talk Polish kielbasa (or Ukrainian kovbasa or Russian kolbasa). Same but different and all over delicious. The word means ‘sausage’ and it’s 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 an Eastern European 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 happens. Within 5 minutes the smoky aroma of the sausage will start wafting through your house.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Although This is an affiliate link.macaroni is classic, almost any short pasta will work well for this recipe. This is an affiliate link.Farfalle, This is an affiliate link.penne, fusilli and many more will be worth trying.
- Do not cook the pasta until completely done before combining it with the cheese sauce. It will finish cooking when it bakes.
- The cheese sauce can burn easily or become lumpy if it is not given attention while on the stove. Do not leave it unattended and stir constantly.
- Do grate your own cheese instead of relying on the pre-grated supermarket offerings. It is packed in anti-caking agent aka starch, which will make your sauce grainy. Using freshly grated cheese will result in a silky smooth sauce.
- Reserving pasta water is a great way to add creaminess to pasta recipes. Reserve a portion before draining the pasta to add along with the cream sauce before baking.
- A creamy pasta dish like this one will go well with a simple side salad. Take a look at my salad recipes to choose your favourite.
Favourite mac and cheese recipes
- Brie and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese
- Layered Italian Baked Mac and Cheese
- Truffle Mac and Cheese
- Baked Mac and Cheese with Breadcrumb Topping
Vintage Cheddar and Gruyere Mac and Cheese with Polish Kielbasa
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour, heaped
- 375ml / 1½ cups milk, 2% or whole
- 200g / 2 cups aged/mature cheddar, grated
- 200 / 2 cups Gruyere, grated or other strong flavoured cheese
- 500g / 1lbs short pasta
- 150g / 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 pasta 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.
Notes
- Almost any short pasta can be used for this recipe, although macaroni is definitely classic.
- Do not cook the pasta until it is fully done before combining it with the cheese sauce. It will finish cooking while it bakes.
- You will need to pay attention to the cheese sauce while it is on the stove, and stir constantly. Otherwise it can burn or become lumpy.
- Grate your own cheese rather than using pre-grated supermarket cheese. Pre-grated cheese is covered in an anti-caking agent which will make your sauce grainy. You will get a smoother sauce by grating your own cheese.
- Reserving pasta water is important to add creaminess to pasta recipes. Put a portion aside before draining the pasta to add along with the cream sauce before baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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. 🙂
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. 🙂
planning on making this for lunch- curious if j cook the sausage before mixing it in?
Camille, this type of sausage is already cooked, it doesn’t need pre-cooking.
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.
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!
Can you tell me how much cheese you use in cups or ounces? Thank you.
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 🙂
Thank you!
doesn’t seem like enough cheese for a lb of pasta
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. 🙂
Words cannot describe how badly I am craving this mac and cheese right now, it looks SO delicious and incredibly creamy! Pinned!
Thank you, Thalia, now I am too! 🙂
Made this tonight for dinner, it’s very delicious and easy to make:)thanks for the recipe
Thank you so much for your feedback, Vita. 🙂
It’s been too long since I had a good mac and cheese for dinner – love the gruyere in this! 🙂
Thanks, Laura! 🙂