Description
A rich and comforting baked mac and cheese made with shellbows pasta, a velvety blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and cream cheese, finished with a lightly golden breadcrumb topping.
Ingredients
- Shellbows pasta: 450 grams
- Unsalted butter: 60 grams
- All-purpose flour: 45 grams
- Whole milk: 720 milliliters
- Heavy cream: 240 milliliters
- Sharp cheddar cheese, grated: 300 grams
- Mozzarella cheese, grated: 200 grams
- Cream cheese, softened: 120 grams
- Garlic powder: 5 grams
- Onion powder: 5 grams
- Salt: 8 grams
- Black pepper: 3 grams
- Breadcrumbs: 60 grams
- Olive oil: 15 milliliters
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the shellbows pasta until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until foamy.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute until smooth and lightly golden.
- Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream while whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheddar, mozzarella, and cream cheese until fully melted and smooth.
- Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper, stirring well to combine.
- Fold the cooked shellbows into the cheese sauce until evenly coated.
- Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish and smooth the surface.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with olive oil and sprinkle evenly over the top.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden on top.
Notes
- Grate cheese fresh for the smoothest sauce and best melting.
- Slightly undercook the pasta to prevent it from becoming too soft after baking.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce can set.
- Reheat leftovers with a small splash of milk to restore creaminess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: creamy baked mac and cheese, shellbows mac and cheese, baked pasta recipe, vegetarian comfort food, cheesy pasta bake