CREAMY WEEKNIGHT MACARONI AND CHEESE

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Creamy Weeknight Macaroni and Cheese image

Just as quick as the boxed variety, this creamy macaroni and cheese skirts the traditional butter and flour roux with assistance from cream cheese. While the cream cheese adds an important lusciousness, it doesn't do the macaroni and cheese any favors when it comes to its flavor, so it's important to use the sharpest, tangiest Cheddar you can get your hands on. For perfectly coated noodles, make sure to cook the pasta in the sauce for a minute or two.

Provided by Alison Roman

Categories     dinner, lunch, quick, weekday, pastas, main course

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 pound elbows, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, fusilli or other short, tube-shaped pasta
Kosher salt
2 cups whole milk
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces sharp or white Cheddar, grated
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground pepper

Steps:

  • Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until just barely al dente; drain.
  • Meanwhile, bring milk up to a simmer in a large pot. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese, and whisk until it's completely blended and no lumps remain. Add Cheddar cheese and butter, whisking until everything is completely melted. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
  • Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened and is coating each piece of pasta nicely, 2 to 3 minutes; sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Season again with more salt and pepper before serving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1114, UnsaturatedFat 19 grams, Carbohydrate 95 grams, Fat 63 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 43 grams, SaturatedFat 35 grams, Sodium 905 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 1 gram

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